1. Overview
You pay National Insurance contributions to qualify for certain benefitsincluding the State Pension.
You pay National Insurance if you’re:
- 16 or over
- an employee earning above £155 a week
- self-employed and making a profit of £5,965 or more a year
You need a National Insurance number before you can start paying National Insurance contributions.
If you earn between £112 and £155 a week, your contributions are treated as having been paid to protect your National Insurance record.
National Insurance classes
There are different types of National Insurance (known as ‘classes’). The type you pay depends on your employment status and how much you earn, and whether you have any gaps in your National Insurance record.