National Insurance: introduction
Overview
You pay National Insurance contributions to qualify for certain benefits and the State Pension.
You need a National Insurance number to make sure your National Insurance contributions and tax are recorded against your name only.
This page is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
Who pays National Insurance
You pay mandatory National Insurance if 测辞耻鈥檙别 16 or over and are either:
- an employee earning more than 拢242 per week from one job
- self-employed and making a profit of more than 拢12,570 a year
You can also see rates and thresholds for previous tax years.
You usually do not pay National Insurance, but may still qualify for certain benefits and the State Pension, if 测辞耻鈥檙别 either:
- an employee earning from 拢123 to 拢242 a week from one job
- self-employed and your profits are 拢6,725 or more a year
Your contributions are treated as having been paid to protect your National Insurance record.
You may be able to pay voluntary contributions to avoid gaps in your National Insurance contributions.
National Insurance classes
There are different types of National Insurance (known as 鈥榗lasses鈥�).
The type you pay depends on your employment status and how much you earn.
When you stop paying
If 测辞耻鈥檙别 employed, you stop paying Class 1 National Insurance when you reach State Pension age.
If 测辞耻鈥檙别 self-employed you stop paying Class 4 National Insurance from 6 April (start of the tax year) after you reach State Pension age.