National Insurance

National Insurance credits can help qualifying applicants to fill contribution gaps in their National Insurance record. This can help taxpayers increase their number of qualifying National Insurance years, which may increase the number of benefits they are entitled to, such as the State Pension.

This could happen if someone was:

• employed but had low earnings
• unemployed and were not claiming benefits
• getting National Insurance credits for less than a full tax year
• self-employed but did not pay contributions because of small profits
• living or working outside the UK.

National Insurance credits are available in certain situations where people are not working and therefore, not paying National Insurance contributions. For example, credits may be available to those looking for work, who are ill, disabled or on sick pay, on maternity or paternity leave, caring for someone or on jury service.

Depending on the circumstances, National Insurance credits may be applied automatically or an application for credits may be required. There are two types of National Insurance credits available, either Class 1 or Class 3. Class 3 credits count towards the State Pension and certain bereavement benefits whilst Class 1 covers these as well as other benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Taxpayers may also be able to pay voluntary Class 2 or Class 3 National Insurance contributions to protect their entitlement to the State Pension (and in some cases other benefits) if they meet the eligibility requirements. You can only pay voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill gaps for the previous six tax years. The deadline to make payment is 5 April each year. For example, you have until 5 April 2031 to pay voluntary contributions to make up a gap for the 2024-25 tax year.

It is recommended to check your National Insurance record as this can affect your future entitlement to the State Pension and other benefits.

By using the online service, you can see what National Insurance contributions you have paid up to the start of the current tax year, along with any National Insurance credits you have received. The record also highlights whether there are gaps in your contribution history. This will highlight tax years that do not count as qualifying years for State Pension purposes. These gaps can arise for a variety of reasons, such as periods of low earnings, time spent working abroad or career breaks.

The service also shows whether you are eligible to make voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill any missing years and how much this would cost. Importantly, it allows you to see how your State Pension forecast could change if you decide to make those additional contributions, helping you decide whether paying voluntarily contributions would be beneficial.

Employees with a second job, third job or more may be able to defer or delay paying Class 1 National Insurance on their additional employment. This deferment can be requested when Class 1 National Insurance contributions are being paid to more than one employer.

If you have 2 jobs, over the tax year you’ll need to earn:

• £967 or more per week from one job over the tax year.
• £242 or more per week in your second job

If you have more than 2 jobs, over the tax year you’ll need to earn:

• £1,209 or more per week from 2 of those jobs
• £242 or more per week in your other jobs

This deferral could result in NIC deductions at a reduced rate of 2% on your weekly earnings between £242 and £967 in one of your jobs, instead of the standard rate of 8%.

If you are allowed to defer, HMRC will inform you which employer is your main one for full Class 1 National Insurance contributions and which employers you can pay at the reduced 2% rate, sending those employers a certificate of deferment. HMRC does not share information about your other jobs with your employers.

HMRC will check if you have paid enough National Insurance at the end of the tax year and will write to you if you owe anything.

Claiming Child Benefit can provide an important benefit by granting National Insurance credits.

If you claim Child Benefit and your child is under 12, you will automatically receive National Insurance credits. This in turn will protect your contribution record during periods of home responsibility.

The child benefit rates for the only or eldest child in a family is currently a weekly amount of £26.05 and the weekly rate for all other children is £17.25. Child Benefit is usually paid every 4 weeks. There is no limit to how many children parents can claim for.

These credits are important because they count towards your State Pension, ensuring that there are no gaps in your National Insurance record. This is particularly valuable if you are not working or if you are not earning enough to pay National Insurance contributions, as it helps build your entitlement to a State Pension.

However, if you do not need the National Insurance credits yourself, your family may still be able to benefit. In such cases, your husband, wife, or partner can apply to transfer the credits to themselves. Alternatively, if another family member is providing care for your child, they can apply for Specified Adult Childcare credits to ensure they also receive the National Insurance credits. This system allows families to protect their State Pension entitlements, even if one parent or caregiver is not earning an income.

The High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) currently applies to taxpayers whose income exceeds £60,000 in a tax year and who are in receipt of Child Benefit. The HICBC is charged at the rate of 1% of the full Child Benefit award for each £200 of income between £60,000 and £80,000. For taxpayers with income above £80,000 the amount of the charge will equal the amount of Child Benefit received.

Taxpayers can choose whether to continue receiving Child Benefit and pay the charge or opt out of receiving it to avoid the charge altogether. It is usually beneficial to claim Child Benefit as doing so can safeguard the National Insurance credits and also ensure your child automatically receives a National Insurance number at or just before they turn 16 years old.

In many circumstances it can be beneficial for taxpayers to make voluntary Class 2 National Insurance Contributions (NICs) to increase their entitlement to benefits, including the State or New State Pension if they are self-employed.

Taxpayers might want to consider making voluntary NICs because:

• They are close to State Pension age and do not have enough qualifying years to get the full State Pension
• They know they will not be able to get the qualifying years they need to qualify for the full State Pension during their working life
• They are self-employed and do not have to pay Class 2 contributions because they have low profits or live outside the UK, but want to qualify for some benefits

There is also a specific list of jobs where Class 2 NICs are not payable. These are:

• examiners, moderators, invigilators and people who set exam questions
• people who run businesses involving land or property
• ministers of religion who do not receive a salary or stipend
• people who make investments for themselves or others – but not as a business and without getting a fee or commission

If you know any taxpayers that fall within any of these categories it may be beneficial to get a State Pension forecast and examine whether they should make voluntary Class 2 NICs to make up missing years.

If you have lost or forgotten your National Insurance number you should try and locate the number on paperwork such as your tax return, payslip or P60. You can also login to your personal tax account to view, download, print, save or share a letter with your National Insurance number.

If you do not already have a National Insurance number then you will normally need to apply for one if you are planning to work in the UK, claim benefits, apply for a student loan or pay Class 3 voluntary National Insurance contributions.

However, HMRC’s guidance presently states that: You can currently only apply for a National Insurance number in England, Scotland and Wales if you have entered the UK on a visa. You cannot apply for a National Insurance number in Northern Ireland. This is due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) disruption.

You can, however, start work without a National Insurance number if you can prove you can work in the UK.  You can also apply for benefits or a student loan without a National Insurance Number.

Teenagers should automatically be sent a letter just before their 16th birthday detailing their National Insurance number. These letters should be kept in a safe place. The old plastic National Insurance cards that some of our readers may remember are no longer available.

National Insurance credits can help qualifying applicants to fill gaps in their National Insurance record. This can assist taxpayers to build up the amount of qualifying years of National Insurance contributions which can increase the amount of benefits a person is entitled to such as the State Pension.

National Insurance credits are available in certain situations where people are not working and, therefore, not paying National Insurance credit. For example, credits may be available to those looking for work, who are ill, disabled or on sick pay, on maternity or paternity leave, caring for someone or on jury service.

The CA9176 form is used to apply for National Insurance childcare Class 3 credits if you are an adult family member caring for a child under 12 (usually while the parent or main carer is working). This form has been updated to include care that is being provided from a distance because of Coronavirus (COVID-19) – for example, by telephone or video if the carer was required to self-isolate. This Coronavirus measure applies to the 2019-20 and 2020-21 tax years.

Depending on your circumstances, National Insurance credits may be applied automatically or an application for credits may be required. There are two types of National Insurance credits available, either Class 1 or Class 3. Class 3 credits count towards the State Pension and certain bereavement benefits whilst Class 1 covers these as well as other benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance.

The new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has confirmed a Conservative manifesto promise to increase the National Insurance contributions (NIC) thresholds to £9,500. Plans to meet the manifesto pledge were first confirmed by Mr Sunak's predecessor Sajid Javid earlier this year.

The increase by more than 10% over the current year’s figure of £8,632 will apply to both the employed and self-employed. The government have also pledged to increase the threshold to £12,500 by the end of the current session of Parliament.

This means that from next month some 31 million taxpayers will benefit from this change with a typical employee saving around £104 and a self-employed person, paying a lower rate of National Insurance benefiting from a £78 cut in their NIC contributions.

The cut means that employees earning £9,500 or less will pay no National Insurance whatsoever. The government has confirmed that the threshold changes will not affect low earners’ entitlement to contributory benefits such as the State Pension, with the Lower Earnings Limit and Small Profits Threshold. The working age benefits will also be uprated in line with inflation from April 2020, ending the freeze on these benefits that has been in place since 2016.

HMRC offers an online service to check your National Insurance Contributions (NIC) record online. In order to use the service, you will need to have a Government Gateway account. If you don't have an account, you can apply to set one up online.

By signing in to the 'Check your National Insurance record' service you will also activate your personal tax account if you haven’t already done so. The personal tax account can be used to complete a variety of tasks, for example, updating an address or managing your child benefits.

Your National Insurance record online will let you see:

• What you have paid, up to the start of the current tax year (6 April 2019)
• Any National Insurance credits you’ve received
• If gaps in contributions or credits mean some years don’t count towards your State Pension (they aren't 'qualifying years')
• If you can pay voluntary contributions to fill any gaps and how much this will cost

In many circumstances it can be beneficial to make voluntary contributions to increase your entitlement to benefits, including the State or New State Pension.

The Chancellor, Sajid Javid, has confirmed that a Conservative manifesto promise to increase the National Insurance contributions (NIC) thresholds to £9,500 will apply from April 2020. The increase, by more than 10% over the current year’s figure of £8,632, will apply to both the employed and self-employed.

Some 31 million taxpayers will benefit from this change with a typical employee saving around £104 and a self-employed person £78 in 2020-21.

All other thresholds for 2020/21 will rise with inflation, except for the upper NIC thresholds which will remain frozen at £50,000. These measures were announced in the 2018 Autumn Budget.

Announcing the cuts, the Chancellor said:

'We’re determined to do what we promised and put more money into the pockets of ordinary hard-working people. That’s why we’re starting this Government as we mean to go on, by cutting their bills.

We want everyone to feel that they can contribute to the new chapter we are opening for the economy and our country, because under this Government work will always pay.'

The Government has also confirmed that the threshold changes will not affect low earners’ entitlement to contributory benefits such as the State Pension, with the Lower Earnings Limit and Small Profits Threshold. The working age benefits will also be up-rated in line with inflation from April 2020 ending the freeze on these benefits that has been in place since 2016.