The new tax year has brought mainly challenging news for taxpayers and business owners. Personal tax allowances and income tax bands remain frozen, effectively raising taxes by the operation of inflation. In addition, employers now have to pay employer NICs at the rate of 15% (up from 13.8%), with the starting point reduced to £5,000 (down from £9,100). Landlords have lost the tax advantages associated with furnished holiday letting, although there are still some non-tax benefits with this type of property letting. Taxpayers in Scotland are also faced with frozen thresholds for the higher rates of Scottish income tax.