General election 2019: Has Boris Johnson got National Insurance cut confused?

The claim: Boris Johnson unexpectedly unveiled the Conservatives' plan to raise the threshold at which people start paying National Insurance contributions. He said: "If we're lucky enough to be elected, so the first Budget we will go up to the 拢9,500 threshold and that will, as I say, put 拢500 into the pockets of everybody."

Reality Check verdict: That's not the correct figure. The Conservatives' own press release says the benefit from raising the threshold to 拢9,500 in 2020-21 would be 拢100 per year. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) says it would be 拢85 per year.

National Insurance contributions (NICs) are a tax of 12% taken off UK workers' salaries above a certain level, currently 拢8,632. Self-employed people pay them too.

On a visit to North Yorkshire, the prime minister revealed that the Conservatives plan to raise that limit to 拢9,500 next year (2020-21).

He told the 大象传媒 that this would put 拢500 "into the pockets of everybody".

But the Conservatives' press release says the move "will cut taxes for 31 million workers by approximately 拢100 a year".

The IFS has a slightly different figure - it calculates that everyone earning more than 拢9,500 would benefit by 拢85 in 2020-21. Their figure is different largely because the threshold would have risen slightly by then anyway to allow for inflation.

It's also worth pointing out that not "everybody" would be affected. People earning under 拢8,632 and those above the state pension age would not benefit as they do not pay National Insurance.

Mr Johnson has "an ambition" to raise the threshold further to 拢12,500 and says there would be a timescale announced at the next budget, should the Conservatives get re-elected.

The Conservatives' press release says: "Over time we will raise the threshold to 拢12,500, saving workers approximately 拢500 a year".

In a separate interview with ITV News, Mr Johnson talked about the benefit from raising the threshold to 拢9,500 saying: "It's about 拢500 a year." The reporter challenged him saying: "That's not what you are guaranteeing. You are guaranteeing about 拢100 next year and there's an ambition for 拢500."

But Mr Johnson was adamant: "You are not right there. We are going to 拢9,500 threshold initially and then the ambition is to get to the 拢12,500 threshold. But the initial cut that we are making does offer a 拢500 cut for every working person."

Image source, Getty Images