The UK Cabinet agreed to Boris Johnson's proposals on social care reform on Tuesday, according to the PM's spokesperson as cited by Sky News.
Earlier, the British media reported that Boris Johnson is expected to unveil his plan on Tuesday to reform the social care system that would include a 1.25% increase in national insurance contributions for employers and employees.
The tax hike would mean that a person earning an annual salary of 30,000 pounds ($41,461) would have to pay an additional 255 pounds ($352) per year.
Amid the criticism from his fellow Conservative Party lawmakers and the opposition alike over his proposals, Johnson is due to present his plan to the cabinet before making a statement in parliament and giving a press conference later on Tuesday.
The prime minister is expected to say that the social care reform is a "fair, reasonable and necessary plan" to guarantee the National Health Service has the long-term funding it needs to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"My government will not duck the tough decisions needed to get NHS patients the treatment they need and to fix our broken social care system", Johnson is expected to say, according to extracts of his speech released by Downing Street.
According to his critics, however, the tax hike would break a promise in the Conservative Party's 2019 election manifesto not to raise national insurance.
The Labour Party has argued that the move would affect younger and lower paid workers, as their contributions would be higher than those of older and wealthier people.
The Labour Party has argued that the move would affect younger and lower paid workers, as their contributions would be higher than those of older and wealthier people.