Charity shops being ‘wiped off high streets’

LABOUR tax hikes are “wiping charity shops from local high streets”, the SNP has warned.

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The party said the UK Government’s rise in employers’ national insurance has forced charity shops across Scotland and the rest of the UK to close.

The SNP pointed to the British Heart Foundation (BHF) which cited an “exceptionally challenging trading environment” when announcing last week the closure of about 150 shops, although it said no single factor was to blame.

Last year, Cancer Research UK said it was planning to close about 190 of its charity shops by April 2027.

It blamed “higher national insurance contributions” alongside other factors, including “rising costs, inflationary pressures, and changing consumer habits”.