Should i pay national insurance

Both Class 2 and Class 4 are collected through Self Assessment. Employers also pay National Insurance contributions on behalf of their workers. There are different classes for NI.

The class you pay depends on your employment status, on how much you earn, and whether you have any gaps in your National Insurance record. The first thing we will check is whether you are paying the correct amount of NI and whether your coding is correct. If you are employed you will pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions. The rates for most people for the to tax year are:. Tax rates for other years can be viewed here. They usually state that you pay social security in the country in which you are working.

If you are self employed in the UK and are only spending a temporary amount of time working abroad then you might be able to continue with UK NICs payments and not have to pay the equivalent in your host country. Form CA It is wise to research this thoroughly to make sure you understand the impact of this on your ability to access necessary benefits and healthcare while you are working abroad. If your employer is in any other country not EEA, with a bilateral Social Security agreement, or Switzerland , then you are allowed to continue with your UK NICs for up to 52 weeks working abroad; as long as you meet these three criteria:.

As a self employed person you can continue your Class 2 National Insurance, but you do not have to in these circumstances. There are eligibility criteria to meet. Home Money and tax National Insurance.

National Insurance. How much you pay The amount of National Insurance you pay depends on your employment status and how much you earn. Print entire guide. Brexit Check what you need to do. Is this page useful? Maybe Yes this page is useful No this page is not useful.

Thank you for your feedback. Report a problem with this page. If you're self-employed you pay Class 2 contributions at a flat weekly rate and Class 4 contributions annually, based on your level of taxable profits. You may not be able to pay National Insurance, for example if you are ill or caring for someone. The government may give you credits so you can continue building up State Pension entitlement.

Find out who can get National Insurance credits, and whether you need to take action. There could be gaps in your National Insurance contributions record for various reasons. For example, you may have been:. It will tell you how much, if anything, your shortfall is, whether you are able to make up that shortfall, and how you can pay if you wish to do so. These letters are generally sent out between September and January each year. The letter isn't a demand - but it will tell you how much you can pay if you want to fill the gaps and how you can pay if you opt to do so.

You can check whether you're likely to have a gap in your National Insurance contributions record by requesting a State Pension statement from the Future Pension Centre. Their office is in England. If you've lived abroad you can ask about any shortfall in your National Insurance record.

It's up to you whether you make up any shortfall. You should consider carefully whether you need to top up at all. At the same time, you will need to bear in mind the number of qualifying years required to be eligible for certain bereavement benefits.