Acorn reaction to Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

Dan Langford, Group Marketing Director of Wales’ largest recruitment and training company Acorn, said: “From a recruitment point of view there are certainly some aspects of the Chancellor’s statement that once in place should help growth in employment.

“The boost in the start-up loans scheme aimed at helping 50,000 more people to start their own businesses will help sustain and develop new job opportunities within those new start-ups.

“The capping of business rates at 2% will support companies to grow over the medium and long-term, helping to divert investment into growing productivity and increasing jobs, while the Chancellor’s forecast on the fall in unemployment levels and a rise in job numbers is certainly to be welcomed.

“He is also taking steps to tackle the ongoing issue of youth unemployment by abolishing the payment of National Insurance by employers who take on young people under the age of 21. This will be one of the most expensive measures announced in the Autumn Statement, costing an estimated £465m in 2015-16, but could have a marked effect on the employment of young people, which is sorely needed.”