Pay Class 2 National Insurance if you do not pay through Self Assessment

Skip to contents of guide

Make an online or telephone bank transfer

You can pay by bank transfer using Faster Payments, CHAPS or Bacs.

Payments by Faster Payments (online or telephone banking) usually reach HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on the same or next day, including weekends and bank holidays.

CHAPS payments usually reach HMRC the same working day if you pay within your bank’s processing times.

Bacs payments usually take 3 working days.

Check your bank’s transaction limits and processing times before making a payment.

Paying from a UK bank account

You can pay HMRC by Faster Payments, CHAPS or Bacs, using the following details:

  • sort code - 08 32 20

  • account number - 12001004

  • account name - HMRC NIC Receipts

Reference number to use

If you’re paying from a UK bank account the reference number you need to use depends on whether you: 

  • live and work in the UK
  • live abroad
  • live in the UK but are paying for a period when you worked abroad 

Your payment may be delayed if you use the wrong reference number.

If you live and work in the UK you must use the 18-digit reference number shown on your HMRC payment request when you make a payment. Do not leave any spaces between the digits. 

If you do not have an 18-digit reference number and you’ve already registered with HMRC, contact the National Insurance Helpline.

If you either live abroad or live in the UK but are paying for a period when you worked abroad, you need to use a different reference number.

Use your National Insurance number followed by ‘IC’, your surname then your initial.

If your bank limits you to a certain number of characters, you should use your National Insurance number followed by ‘IC’ and as much of your surname as possible.

Example

If your name is Anne Jones, you’d write the reference as QQ123456AICJONESA

Paying from an overseas bank account

You can pay from an overseas account if you live or work abroad temporarily.

Use the following details:

  • account number (IBAN) - GB49 BARC 2020 4830 9447 93

  • Bank Identifier Code (BIC) - BARCGB22  

  • account name - HMRC NIC receipts

There’s a different way to pay Class 2 National Insurance if you live or work abroad permanently.

Reference number to use

Use your National Insurance number followed by ‘IC’, your surname then your initial.

If your bank limits you to a certain amount of characters, you should use your National Insurance number followed by ‘IC’ and as much of your surname as possible.

Example

If your name is Anne Jones, you’d write the reference as QQ123456AICJONESA

If you’re an employer paying for an employee living abroad, you should use your 13-character employer number.

Banking address  

HMRC’s banking address is:  

Barclays Bank PLC 
1 Churchill Place 
London 
United Kingdom 
E14 5HP

Confirmation of payment

You do not need to contact HMRC to check your payment has been received.

It will appear on your National Insurance record. This can take up to 8 weeks.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Related content