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National Insurance

HMRC Contacts Self-Employed About National Insurance Gaps

HMRC is writing to some self-employed individuals whose National Insurance (NI) records may contain gaps that could affect their State Pension. If you receive a letter, don’t ignore it. In some cases, you may be able to boost your State Pension by making voluntary NI contributions for missing years going back as far as 2015-16. […]

Read more September 10th, 2026

Mandatory Payrolling For Benefits In Kind

Mandatory payrolling for Benefits In Kind was originally expected to start in April 2027, but following industry pressure, it will now be introduced in two phases. Many benefits will not be mandated until April 2028. Phase 1 will continue to be rolled out from 6 April 2027, with Phase 2 starting a year later on […]

Read more August 18th, 2026

National Minimum Wage And National Insurance Update: April 2025

The new National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates will come into force from 1 April 2025. There are also changes to the National Insurance employers pay that take effect from 6 April. For many businesses, the April payroll will represent a sizeable step up in labour costs. As a reminder, here is a […]

Read more April 2nd, 2025

Still Time For Year End Tax Planning!

With the tax/financial year end approaching, now is a good time to check that you’re making the most of the available reliefs and allowances available to you. Please talk to us if you think any of the issues affect you. Savings If you have some spare cash, an obvious tax planning point might be to […]

Read more February 24th, 2025

Government Promise To Cut National Insurance

While commenting on the GDP growth and what it indicates about the economy, the Prime Minister again drew attention to National Insurance. The article released by the Prime Minister’s Office noted that the progress in the economy has allowed them to bring down taxes, particularly the recent cuts in National Insurance. The article went on […]

Read more May 22nd, 2024

New Digital Service To Check Your State Pension Forecast Launched

A new digital service has been launched that makes it easier to check if you have any gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record that may affect your State Pension entitlement. The service is called Check Your State Pension Forecast and can be accessed via GOV.UK or the HMRC app. You will need to register […]

Read more May 7th, 2024

Are You Due A National Insurance Refund On Car Allowances?

Recent Tribunal decisions in favour of employing companies and against HMRC has caused many organisations in similar circumstance to make protective claims for the recovery of National Insurance Contributions (NIC) in respect of car allowances paid to employees using their own cars or vans for business journeys. Many employers have a policy of only reimbursing […]

Read more October 11th, 2023

Deadline For Topping Up NI Contributions Extended

With all of the changes to personal pensions in the Spring Budget, maximising the State Pension entitlement should not be overlooked. The full rate of new State Pension increased to £203.85 per week (£10,600 pa) from 6 April 2023; a 10.1% increase over the 2022/23 rate due to the “triple lock” being restored. At least […]

Read more July 3rd, 2023

NIC Rate Change Goes Ahead

The legislation to abolish the 1.25 percentage point increase in the rate of National Insurance Contributions (NICs) paid by workers, employers and the self-employed was already in progress when the U-turns were being made. The reduction, therefore, continues to go ahead and the rate of NICs on salary payments made on or after 6 November […]

Read more November 3rd, 2022

Major Budget U-Turns

Over the last few days, we have seen a gradual dismantling of the mini-budget of Friday 23 September 2022, along with the economic policies that Prime Minister Liz Truss based her leadership campaign on. On Friday 14th October, Ms Truss announced a change of Chancellor, from Kwasi Kwarteng to Jeremy Hunt. This was swiftly followed […]

Read more October 18th, 2022

Health And Social Care Levy Scrapped

It was on 7 September 2021 that we first heard about a new 1.25% Health and Social Care Levy, imposed on employers, employees and the self-employed, coming in from 2023/24. Further, this was to be effectively accelerated into 2022/23 by a 1.25 percentage point rise in National Insurance contributions (NICs). As expected, and despite changes […]

Read more October 4th, 2022

Is Your Business Entitled To The Employment Allowance?

The Employment Allowance (EA) is a £5,000 allowance set against employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and has to be claimed each tax year by qualifying employers. The EA was increased from £4,000 to £5,000 this tax year to help to soften the blow of the 1.25% increase in employer contributions, now calculated at 15.05%. If […]

Read more June 8th, 2022

Don’t Forget To Claim The Employment Allowance

The Employment Allowance (EA) is a £5,000 allowance set against employers National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and has to be claimed each tax year if the employer qualifies. This allowance was introduced in 2014/15 and was increased to £5,000 from 2022/23. Employers make a claim for the Employment Allowance through their payroll software. They do this […]

Read more May 23rd, 2022

Employers NICs In Relation To Ex-Military Staff

Last year the Government announced a one-year exemption from paying employers national insurance contributions (NICs) where military veterans are recruited by civilian employers. Employers can claim relief from employer NICs for the first 12 months of the veteran’s first civilian job after they leave the military. For 2021/22 employers had to initially pay the employers […]

Read more May 10th, 2022

National Insurance Contributions Update

Despite lobbying to delay the upcoming 1.25% increase in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) payable by employees, employers and the self-employed, the government has decided to go ahead as planned from April 2022, to provide additional funds for health and social care. Some new measures have however been announced in an attempt to combat the effect […]

Read more April 14th, 2022