FSB: NICs hike will hit apprenticeships The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned that higher employment taxes will discourage businesses from training workers. FSB chair Mike Cherry said: “By looking again at its approach to [National Insurance Contributions], the Government can make a real difference here – directly, by bringing down the immediate costs of taking an apprentice on, and indirectly, by freeing up more funds for recruitment and training at a moment when cash reserves are depleted.”