Adding national insurance on rental income would be a “tax on working people,” says a housing committee chaired by former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable. One of which is a proposal to apply national insurance on landlord rental income, in a move the Treasury hopes will raise £2bn. But Cable argues that “putting national insurance tax on landlords would be most likely to lead to higher rents for tenants. Cable argues the case for wholesale reform of the whole property tax system is “unarguable,” but should be put out to consultation, rather than being sprung on the public next month. The former politician says: “There is no doubt that the housing market is not working efficiently, and property taxation is a significant factor.