National insurance contributions (NICs)
| 2018/19 |
Employee
(Primary) |
Employer
(Secondary) |
| Class 1 |
| Payable on weekly earnings of |
|
|
| Below £116 (lower earnings limit) |
Nil |
- |
| £116 to £162 (primary threshold) |
*0% |
- |
| Up to £162 (secondary threshold) |
- |
Nil |
| Above £162 |
- |
13.8% |
| £162.01 - £892 (upper earnings limit) |
**12% |
- |
| £162.01 - £892 (under 21s and apprentices under 25) |
- |
0% |
| Above £892 |
**2% |
- |
*No NICs are actually payable but a notional Class 1 NIC is deemed to have been paid; this protects contributory benefit entitlement.
**Over State Pension age, the employee contribution is generally nil. |
| Employment allowance |
|
|
up to £3,000 (per year) |
| Class 1A |
On relevant benefits |
|
13.8% |
| Class 2 |
Self-employed |
£2.95 per week |
| Small profits threshold |
£6,205 per annum |
| Class 3 |
Voluntary |
£14.65 per week |
| Class 4 |
Self-employed on annual profits |
|
| £8,424 - £46,350 |
*9% |
| Excess over £46,350 |
*2% |
| *Exemption applies if State Pension age is reached by 6 April 2018. |
In a change to the date originally announced, Class 2 NICs are set to be abolished from April 2019.
As previously announced, the government will no longer proceed with an increase to the main rate of Class 4 NICs from 9% to 10% in April 2018, and to 11% in April 2019.