Scottish independent furniture retailer Sterling Furniture has confirmed it plans to implement redundancies amid financial challenges.

Sterling, which currently employs over 400 staff, did not reveal the number of jobs that could be impacted under a company restructure.

The business said it has to respond to the additional tax increases in relation to rising national insurance contributions that will be enforced from April this year by the UK Government – an uptick of 15%.

It is understood that the majority of roles impacted will be in operations but it will “do everything possible to minimise job losses”, while Sterling also confirmed that no stores are at risk to close.

The family-run furniture retailer is based in Tillicoultry and operates from other stores across Scotland in Aberdeen, Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Uddingston, as well as a clearance outlet in Dundee and a distribution centre based in Auchtermuchty.

In a statement, Sterling said: “In response to challenges in the evolving retail landscape, including the additional tax burden announced in the recent budget, we have been forced to take difficult decisions to safeguard the future of the company.

“Regrettably, after conducting a comprehensive review of our operations and staffing levels, we have determined that restructuring and redundancies are necessary to ensure our long-term viability and success.

“The well-being of the affected staff is our main priority, and we fully acknowledge the impact these redundancies will have. We will do everything possible to minimise job losses and, where feasible, support employees in exploring alternative roles within the organisation. We are committed to helping them through this process to ensure a smooth transition.”