Guidance

Rates and allowances: National Insurance contributions

Updated 6 January 2024

There are different ‘classes’ of National Insurance (NI). The type people pay depends on their employment status and how much they earn.

New National Insurance bands and allowances are usually announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Budget or Autumn Statement.

1. Class 1 National Insurance thresholds

Employers and employees pay Class 1 National Insurance depending on how much the employee earns. You can view these earnings thresholds by week (table 1.1) or by month (table 1.2).

1.1 Weekly thresholds

£ per week 2023 to 2024 6 July 2022 to 5 April 2023 6 April 2022 to 5 July 2022 2021 to 2022 2020 to 2021
Lower Earnings Limit (LEL)
Employees do not pay National Insurance but
get the benefits of paying
£123 £123 £123 £120 £120
Primary Threshold (PT)
Employees start paying National Insurance
£242 £242 £190 £184 £183
Secondary Threshold (ST)
Employers start paying National Insurance
£175 £175 £175 £170 £169
Upper Earnings Limit (UEL)
All employees pay a lower rate of National Insurance
above this point
£967 £967 £967 £967 £962
Upper Secondary Threshold (UST)
Employers of employees who are
under 21 pay zero rate
up to this point
£967 £967 £967 £967 £962
Apprentice Upper Secondary Threshold (AUST)
Employers of certain apprentices
who are under 25 pay zero rate
up to this point
£967 £967 £967 £967 £962
Freeports Upper Secondary Threshold (FUST)
Employers of qualifying
employees working in a
freeport site pay zero rate
up to this point
£481 £481 £481 N/A N/A
Veterans Upper Secondary Threshold (VUST)
Employers of qualifying
employees pay zero rate
up to this point
£967 £967 £967 £967 N/A

1.2 Monthly thresholds

£ per month 2023 to 2024 6 July 2022 to 5 April 2023 6 April 2022 to 5 July 2022 2021 to 2022 2020 to 2021
Lower Earnings Limit (LEL)
Employees do not pay National Insurance
but get the benefits of paying
£533 £533 £533 £520 £520
Primary Threshold (PT)
Employees start paying National Insurance
£1,048 £1,048 £823 £797 £792
Secondary Threshold (ST)
Employers start paying National Insurance
£758 £758 £758 £737 £732
Upper Earnings Limit (UEL)
All employees pay a lower rate of National Insurance
above this point
£4,189 £4,189 £4,189 £4,189 £4,167
Upper Secondary Threshold (UST)
Employers of employees who are under 21 pay zero rate
up to this point
£4,189 £4,189 £4,189 £4,189 £4,167
Apprentice Upper Secondary Threshold (AUST)
Employers of certain apprentices
who are under 25 pay zero rate
up to this point
£4,189 £4,189 £4,189 £4,189 £4,167
Freeports Upper Secondary Threshold (FUST)
Employers of qualifying
employees working in a
freeport site pay zero rate
up to this point
£2,083 £2,083 £2,083 N/A N/A
Veterans Upper Secondary Threshold (VUST)
Employers of qualifying
employees pay zero rate
up to this point
£4,189 £4,189 £4,189 £4,189 N/A

2. Class 1 National Insurance rates

2.1 Employer rates

This table shows how much employers pay towards their employees’ National Insurance.

2023 to 2024 From 6 November 2022 to 5 April 2023 From 6 April 2022 to 5 November 2022 2021 to 2022 2020 to 2021
Rate above the Secondary Threshold 13.8% 13.8% 15.05% 13.8% 13.8%
Rate below Upper Secondary Threshold 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Rate below Apprentice Upper Secondary Threshold 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Class 1A rate on expenses and benefits 13.8% 14.53% 15.05% 13.8% 13.8%

The rate shown in the second column of the table (from 6 November 2022) is the Class 1A rate that applies to the whole tax year because Class 1A is an annualised charge.

Read CWG5 for the rates that apply to termination awards and sporting testimonials paid through real time information.

2.2 Employee rates

This table shows how much employers deduct from employees’ pay.

From 6 January 2024 to 5 April 2024 From 6 April 2023 to 5 January 2024 From 6 November 2022 to 5 April 2023 From 6 April 2022 to 5 November 2022 2021 to 2022 2020 to 2021
Between Primary Threshold and Upper Earnings Limit 10% 12% 12% 13.25% 12% 12%
Above Upper Earnings Limit 2% 2% 2% 3.25% 2% 2%
Married women’s reduced rate between primary threshold and upper earnings limit 3.85% 5.85% 5.85% 7.1% 5.85% 5.85%
Rate for employees deferring National Insurance 2% 2% 2% 3.25% 2% 2%

For 2023 to 2024 and 2022 to 2023, the National Insurance contributions rates for directors are different. Read CA44 to find out more about rates for directors.

3. Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance (self-employed)

There are 2 types of National Insurance for people who work for themselves, depending on their profits.

3.1 Class 2

2023 to 2024 2022 to 2023 2021 to 2022 2020 to 2021
Small Profits Threshold amount per year £6,725 £6,725 £6,515 £6,475
Lower Profits Threshold amount per year Self-employed people start paying Class 2 National Insurance once this threshold is exceeded £12,570 £11,908 N/A N/A
Rate per week £3.45 £3.15 £3.05 £3.05

3.2 Class 4

£ per year 2023 to 2024 2022 to 2023 2021 to 2022 2020 to 2021
Lower Profits Limit
Self-employed people start paying Class 4 National Insurance
£12,570 £11,908 £9,568 £9,500
Upper Profits Limit
Self-employed people pay a lower rate
£50,270 £50,270 £50,270 £50,000
Rate between Lower Profits Limit and Upper Profits Limit 9% 9.73% 9% 9%
Rate above Upper Profits Limit 2% 2.73% 2% 2%

3.3 Special rates

£ per week 2023 to 2024 2022 to 2023 2021 to 2022 2020 to 2021
Special Class 2 rate for share fishermen £4.10 £3.80 £3.70 £3.70
Special Class 2 rate for volunteer development workers £6.15 £6.15 £6 £6
Additional Class 4 rate when deferring National Insurance 2% 2.73% 2% 2%

4. Class 3 National Insurance (voluntary)

You can pay voluntary National Insurance to fill or avoid gaps in your record.

If you’re paying voluntary contributions for the previous 2 tax years (2022 to 2023 or 2021 to 2022), you’ll pay the original rates for those years.

For all other years you’ll pay the current rate (2023 to 2024).

£ per week 2023 to 2024 2022 to 2023 2021 to 2022 2020 to 2021
Class 3 rate £17.45 £15.85 £15.40 £15.30

Monthly Direct Debit payments for 2023 to 2024

How much you pay depends on whether there are 4 or 5 weeks in the month.

Payment date Amount
12 May 2023 £69.80
9 June 2023 £87.25
14 July 2023 £69.80
11 August 2023 £69.80
8 September 2023 £87.25
13 October 2023 £69.80
10 November 2023 £87.25
8 December 2023 £69.80
12 January 2024 £69.80
9 February 2024 £87.25
8 March 2024 £69.80
12 April 2024 £69.80

5. Historical and future rates

You can view National Insurance rates and thresholds for previous tax years.

There will be some new National Insurance rates and thresholds from 6 April 2024.

6. Income Tax rates

You can see Income Tax rates for the current and previous tax years.