News

National Insurance Is Increasing: Why Working with a Marketing Agency Might Be Your Best Move

Running a business is expensive, and it’s about to get even pricier.

With National Insurance contributions increasing in 2025, employing staff is going to cost more. So, if you’ve been thinking about hiring an in-house marketing team, you might want to hit pause and consider an alternative: outsourcing to a marketing agency (like Farm Creative!)

Let’s break it down…

What’s changing?

From April 2025, employers will pay 15% in National Insurance contributions instead of 13.8%, and the threshold at which you start paying is dropping from £9100 to £5000. Essentially: you’ll be paying more to employ staff.

The Forgotten Costs of Hiring In-House

Hiring a marketing team, however, isn’t just about their salaries and NI contributions! It’s also important to consider:

  • Pensions
  • Annual leave and sick pay
  • Training costs
  • Recruitment fees

Suddenly, the ‘one marketing hire’ is costing a lot more than you planned.

Marketing is also constantly evolving – SEO algorithms and keywords need careful monitoring, social media trends come and go, and it needs a good eye to try and cut through the noise in a crowded digital space. Keeping up with all of this is time-consuming – but it’s what we do best! While you’re focused on running your business, we can work on ensuring your marketing stays fresh, relevant and one step ahead of the competition.

The Smarter Alternative:

Instead of paying for one or two new employees, working with a marketing agency gives you access to an entire team of specialists for a fraction of the costs. A hybrid approach is becoming more popular amongst businesses, from small to medium enterprises, to larger international firms looking to enter the UK market, who may have just one Marketing Manager in-house supported by an outsourced marketing agency.

Expertise Across the Board 

Graphic design, social media, SEO, branding, content creation, web design and maintenance, marketing strategy… we have specialists in every area.

No overheads

No national insurance, no pensions, no holiday pay, no tying you down in contracts… we work flexibly to suit your needs to provide expert marketing when you need it.

Fresh ideas and strategies

We work with clients across multiple industries, from rural businesses and agricultural firms to events, fashion, construction, hospitality and leisure. It means we can get a vast understanding of many consumers and their behaviour: so we can bring innovative, agile ideas that in-house teams might not have the time or resources to explore.

If rising employment costs are making you rethink hiring in-house, have a chat with us instead! We’re here to help, and we promise no corporate jargon – just straight-to-the-point marketing that works for your business and delivers you a return on your investment.

Get in touch for a free consultation.

Services

We work hard to understand every client’s requirements and to how our services will generate the results your business needs to be a success.

  • Digital Design & Build

    We create, develop and manage responsive designs for bespoke websites. Research has told us that over 50% of users now access the Internet using a smart phone or tablet, making a responsive website a must for any business. We carry out detailed research to ensure our clients’ websites are built on the most appropriate platform and stand out from their competition.

    Website Design & Management | E-Commerce | Exhibition Websites | E-Newsletter | Email Campaigns | Hosting   icon1

  • Video & Photography

    A picture speaks a thousand words, and with our own in-house photographer and videographer we can create images that work hard for our clients, tell stories captivate and inspire. We bring all aspects of the marketing field under one roof.

    Product Shots | Headshots | Location Shoots | Event & Exhibition Videos | Brand Storytelling Videos | Information Videos   icon2

  • SEO & Content Management

    The websites we build are tailored for SEO thanks to the content being analysed & updated constantly. We use key word research to find out which words customers use to search for your product or service, we then incorporate these words in the website content to pull you up through the search engine rankings. As your business grows, so will the amount of content on your website. We can manage and write this content to ensure your site is fully optimised.  icon3

  • Social Media

    With various platforms available, social media is a golden opportunity to interact with your existing customers and engage with prospective customers instantly, in a way that will help to promote your brand. We can develop your presence on social media across the relevant channels for your business, by creating social media campaigns.

    Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SnapChat | YouTube | Pinterest | Houzz | LinkedIn  icon4

  • Print & Fulfilment

    Traditional print marketing is still relevant in business today as part of an integrated marketing approach, where printed marketing compliments your online presence. Having a close working relationship with a number of printers, we are able to deliver a large variety of print finishes that encapsulate your brand. Whether you have a small number of exhibition invites to send out or a database-wide direct mailing, we can arrange to have your items delivered in a professional and timely manner.

    Brochures | Business Cards | Branded Merchandise | Leaflets | Bespoke Signage | Banners | Exhibition Stands | Point of Sale Display  icon5

  • Branding & Strategy

    Branding is the first thing customers and potential customers notice about your business and it is your most valuable asset. This is why we take great pride in making sure we create a visual identity that represents your business & values succinctly and sets you apart from competitors. Paired with a reliable and integrated marketing strategy, your business will be put in front of the right people at the right time.

    Logo Design | Brand Name | Brand Guidelines | Brand Strategy  icon6

  • PR

    What’s your story? We can generate your entire communications strategy to get your brand message in front of the right people at the right time to deliver a return on investment. Whether it’s a product launch, a sale or event you want to promote, we can help gain online and offline coverage to make it a success.

    Press Releases | Blogs | Social Media | Print & Fulfilment

    Farm Creative PR

  • Exhibitions & Events

    Using the relevant services we offer, we can provide full marketing management of your exhibitions or event. From branding and signage design to managing your digital database and social media; to create a successful event we understand there needs to be a perfect synergy between selected services to make this happen. We will liaise with publications and industry insiders to ensure your exhibition/event gains the attention and attendance it deserves.

    Digital Design & Build | Video & Photography | SEO & Content Management | Social Media | Print & Fulfilment | Branding & Strategy | PR

    Farm Creative Events