About 22% of the total small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland will find it difficult to meet increasing payroll costs in April this year mainly because of surging minimum wage rates, the incoming health and social care levy, and an increase in social care levy in National Insurance Contributions (NICs). Meanwhile, the Scottish SMEs are reportedly in a much better position than the UK national average, where this rises to 26% of SMEs. Furthermore, 50% of Scottish SMEs are hopeful of growth in the first half of 2022 compared to the UK national average of 38%.
