Definition
NIC (National Insurance Contributions) is the UK social-insurance contribution withheld from employee wages alongside PAYE income tax. It is paid by both employees (primary NIC) and employers (secondary NIC), and funds the state pension, the NHS, contributory benefits, and the wider social-security system. The system has multiple classes corresponding to different income sources (Class 1 for employees, Class 1A for employer benefits-in-kind, Class 2 historically for self-employed, Class 3 voluntary, Class 4 for self-employed profits).
What NIC means in practice
For a UK bookkeeper, NIC runs alongside PAYE at every pay run. The payroll system calculates employee NIC (Class 1 primary) on each pay using the employee’s National Insurance number to apply the correct contribution category, the Primary Threshold (12,570 annual / 1,047.50 monthly for 2026-27), the Upper Earnings Limit (50,270 annual / 4,189.17 monthly), and the rates (8% between PT and UEL, 2% above UEL). The result is the employee NIC deduction for the pay.
The employer’s own NIC liability (Class 1 secondary) is a separate cost on top of the gross pay. The 2026-27 rate is 15% on all earnings above the Secondary Threshold of 5,000 per year per employee, with no upper limit. The Secondary Threshold was reduced from 9,100 to 5,000 effective 6 April 2025, and the rate was raised from 13.8% to 15% on the same date. These two changes meaningfully increased employer NIC bills from 2025-26 onward.
A practical example: a UK employee earning 60,000 per year paid monthly. Monthly gross pay 5,000. Employee NIC: 8% on the band 1,047.50 to 4,189.17 (251.33 NIC), then 2% on 810.83 above the UEL (16.22 NIC), total monthly employee NIC 267.55. Employer NIC: 15% on the band above 416.67 per month (Secondary Threshold) = 15% of 4,583.33 = 687.50 monthly employer NIC. Net pay to employee: 5,000 minus PAYE (~1,068) minus 267.55 employee NIC = 3,664.45. Total cost to employer: 5,000 gross plus 687.50 employer NIC = 5,687.50.
How NIC works by country
United Kingdom
NIC has multiple classes. Class 1 is for employees (primary, paid by the employee) and employers (secondary). Class 1A is paid by employers on benefits-in-kind reported on P11D forms. Class 2 was a flat-rate self-employed contribution but was abolished from 6 April 2024. Class 3 is voluntary contributions to fill NI record gaps. Class 4 is paid by self-employed individuals on profits.
The 2026-27 rates and thresholds:
- Employee Class 1: 8% on earnings between PT (12,570) and UEL (50,270), 2% above UEL.
- Employer Class 1: 15% on earnings above the Secondary Threshold (5,000), no upper limit.
- Employment Allowance: up to 10,500 per employer per year (most employers eligible; single-director limited companies excluded).
- Apprenticeship Levy: 0.5% of annual pay bill above 3 million.
Australia
Australia does not have NIC. The equivalent social contribution is Superannuation Guarantee (SG) at 12% of ordinary time earnings from 1 July 2026, paid by the employer on top of the gross pay (not deducted from the employee’s pay).
Canada
Canada uses Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI) as the equivalent social contributions. Both are split between employee and employer at different rates. The CPP enhancement (CPP2) added a second tier of contributions above the Year’s Maximum Pensionable Earnings starting in 2024.
New Zealand
New Zealand uses KiwiSaver as the equivalent retirement contribution; there is no broader equivalent to NIC covering health and other social benefits. Employee and employer KiwiSaver default at 3% each. Employees can opt for higher rates (4%, 6%, 8%, 10%).
Singapore
Singapore uses CPF (Central Provident Fund) as the equivalent social contribution. Different rates for citizens and permanent residents versus foreign workers. Employer and employee both contribute; the contribution rates vary by age band and worker type.
Related terms
NIC runs alongside PAYE in UK payroll:
- PAYE is the UK income-tax withholding regime NIC sits alongside.
- Payroll is the broader process that includes both PAYE and NIC.
- Super is the AU equivalent social-insurance-like contribution (superannuation).
- Each pay run produces a journal entry covering wages expense, employer NIC expense, PAYE payable, employee NIC payable, employer NIC payable, and net pay.
See also
For the UK income-tax withholding regime that runs alongside NIC, see the PAYE entry. For the AU equivalent social contribution, see super.
FAQ
See the answered questions above for 2026-27 NIC rates, Employment Allowance, and NIC classes.