National Insurance rates and categories
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1. Contribution rates
An employee鈥檚 Class 1 National Insurance is made up of contributions:
- deducted from their pay (employee鈥檚 National Insurance)
- paid by their employer (employer鈥檚 National Insurance)
The amounts deducted and paid depend on:
- the employee鈥檚 National Insurance category letter
- how much of the employee鈥檚 earnings falls within each band
Employee National Insurance rates
This table shows how much employers deduct from employees鈥� pay from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026.
You can see past employee National Insurance rates.
| Category letter | 拢125 to 拢242 (拢542 to 拢1,048 a month) | 拢242.01 to 拢967 (拢1,048.01 to 拢4,189 a month) | Over 拢967 a week (拢4,189 a month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 0% | 8% | 2% |
| B | 0% | 1.85% | 2% |
| C | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| D | 0% | 2% | 2% |
| E | 0% | 1.85% | 2% |
| F | 0% | 8% | 2% |
| H | 0% | 8% | 2% |
| I | 0% | 1.85% | 2% |
| J | 0% | 2% | 2% |
| K | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| L | 0% | 2% | 2% |
| M | 0% | 8% | 2% |
| N | 0% | 8% | 2% |
| S | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| V | 0% | 8% | 2% |
| Z | 0% | 2% | 2% |
Example
If you鈥檙e in category A and you earn 拢1,000 in a week you鈥檒l pay:聽
- nothing on the first 拢242
- 8% (拢58) on your earnings between 拢242.01 and 拢967
- 2% (拢0.66) on the remaining earnings above 拢967
This means your National Insurance payment will be 拢58.66 for the week.
Employer National Insurance rates
This table shows how much employers pay towards employees鈥� National Insurance from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026.
| Category letter | 拢96 to 拢481 (拢417 to 拢2,083 a month) | 拢481.01 to 拢967 (拢2,083.01 to 拢4,189 a month) | Over 拢967 a week (拢4,189 a month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| B | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| C | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| D | 0% | 15% | 15% |
| 贰听 | 0% | 15% | 15% |
| F | 0% | 15% | 15% |
| H | 0% | 0% | 15% |
| I | 0% | 15% | 15% |
| J | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| K | 0% | 15% | 15% |
| L | 0% | 15% | 15% |
| M | 0% | 0% | 15% |
| N | 0% | 15% | 15% |
| S | 0% | 15% | 15% |
| V | 0% | 0% | 15% |
| Z | 0% | 0% | 15% |
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has full rates and thresholds for tax years:
You can also use calculators and tables to check employees鈥� National Insurance.
Class 1A and Class 1B rates
Employers pay Class 1A and 1B National Insurance on expenses and benefits they give to their employees. The rate from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026 on expenses and benefits is 15%.
They must also pay Class 1A on some other lump sum payments, for example redundancy payments. HMRC has detailed guidance on all Class 1A and Class 1B rates.
2. Category letters
Employers use an employee鈥檚 National Insurance category letter when they run payroll to work out how much they both need to contribute.
Most employees have category letter A. Employees can find their category letter on their payslip.
| Category letter | Employee group |
|---|---|
| A | All employees apart from those in groups B, C, H, J, M, V and Z in this table |
| B | Married women and widows who have a certificate of election form showing they鈥檙e entitled to pay reduced National Insurance |
| C | Employees over the State Pension age |
| H | Apprentices under 25 |
| J | Employees who can defer National Insurance because they鈥檙e already paying it in another job |
| M | Employees under 21 |
| V | Employees who are working in their first job since leaving the armed forces (veterans) |
| Z | Employees under 21 who can defer National Insurance because they鈥檙e already paying it in another job |
Category letters for eligible employees who work in freeports
Employers use category letters F, I, L and S for eligible employees who work in a freeport.
| Category letter | Employee group |
|---|---|
| F | All employees who work in freeports, apart from those in groups I, L, and S in this table |
| I | Married women and widows working in freeports who have a certificate of election form showing they鈥檙e entitled to pay reduced National Insurance |
| L | Employees who work in freeports and can defer National Insurance because they鈥檙e already paying it in another job |
| S | Employees who work in freeports and are over the State Pension age |
Category letters for eligible employees who work in investment zones聽
Employers use category letters N, E, D and K for eligible employees who work in an investment zone.
| Category letter | Employee group |
|---|---|
| N | All employees who work in investment zones, apart from those in groups E, D and K in this table |
| E | Married women and widows working in investment zones who have a certificate of election form showing they鈥檙e entitled to pay reduced National Insurance |
| D | Employees who work in investment zones and can defer National Insurance because they鈥檙e already paying it in another job |
| K | Employees who work in investment zones and are over State Pension age |
Category letter X
Employers use category letter X for employees who do not have to pay National Insurance, for example because they鈥檙e under 16.
Mariners and deep sea fishermen
HMRC has detailed information on National Insurance for mariners and deep sea fishermen.