Earlier this week, CBI director general Richard Lambert published an open letter to chancellor Alistair Darling, that claimed such an increase in the current climate was "ill-conceived".

"Other, less distortive methods of raising revenue should have been considered," he said. "The CBI feels strongly that imposing an extra tax on employment will jeopardise jobs at a time when the economic recovery is likely still to be fragile."

Richard Pullan, managing director of Kingsway Printers, said the increase was "an easy tax" to make more money and one that could be very damaging for the sector.

"Any company that is making minimal margins, especially in this climate, could see profits wiped out with such an increase," he added.

"It could be very damaging and, if a new government comes in, it’ll probably be one of those taxes that they don't touch for a few years anyway."

Following the extra 0.5% increase announced in last December's pre-Budget report, the employers' NI rate is set to increase by 1% from April 2011, raising around £3bn a year for the Treasury.

Martin Lett Jnr, managing director of Marstan Press, said such an increase would immediately add around £12,000 to its annual wage bill.

"It's another cost we don't need. We do look at NI contribution when considering employment, but I don't think it would prevent us from taking extra staff on.

"It is like the government are clawing back the cut in VAT we had last year. It's give with one hand and take with the other," he added.

This was echoed by Longridge Print managing director Neil Long, who said the trouble with additional increases is that they could not be passed on to the customer.

"At least we would all be in the same boat, but it would definitely make me think twice about taking on extra staff," Long said.