'Now I'll be able to take on three more staff': Small business thumbs up to £2,000 tax break
Delighted: Jane Means set up her gift-wrapping business in 1995
Entrepreneur Jane Means will be able to take on three more staff following the national insurance tax break announced in the Budget.
The 43-year-old, who owns a gift-wrapping business, already employs nine people but is keen to expand.
She will receives an annual tax break worth up to £2,000 if she takes on more staff. 'It is brilliant news as employing more people is a big thing on my list right now,' Miss Means says.
'The way we are growing I will need to bring in more people and any help is appreciated.
'Previously national insurance contributions have set me back quite a bit and I've struggled so we've had to look at ways of savings costs. This will be a great help.'
Miss Means's business made annual sales last year of £125,000 and pre-tax profits of around £30,000.
She launched her gift wrapping business in 1995 after returning from a skiing trip in Austria with a beautifully-wrapped bar of soap.
She decided that high-quality gift wrapping did not exist in Britain, and pledged to remedy the problem.
Despite her father's reservations that his daughter had gone 'mad', her business has gone from strength to strength. One of her most unusual assignments was to gift wrap a six-foot stuffed rhinoceros for one of the Beatles.
She has also gift-wrapped a book for the Queen.
Miss Means says the biggest issue she faces is the cost of postage because Royal Mail has increased its prices.
She also struggles with the cost of sending parcels to Europe because courier firms rarely want to bother with a small company such as hers.
Miss Means, who is getting married in September, also has problems when dealing with employment laws, such as holiday and maternity pay.
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