HomeRulesEmploymentTaxation › National Insurance Helpline
National Insurance Helpline (NIC)

What is National Insurance in the United Kingdom? NI is a system of compulsory payments paid by employers, employees, and other workers.

NATIONAL INSURANCE

Paying National Insurance Contributions helps to provide state funds.

The revenue that it produces benefits those who are sick, unemployed, or have retired from the workforce.

Most employees pay National Insurance (NI) voluntary contributions. They are usually abbreviated to NICs.

Paying National Insurance helps to secure your entitlement for claiming certain benefits. As a rule, NIC payments start from when you reach the age of 16.

NI payments also help to assure you get the State Pension in later life. That is providing you have paid enough NICs to qualify.

National Insurance Contributions can be paid by you, or they can be credited to you. These are a part of the UK taxation laws that take place each tax year. The amount of contributions or credits that you have accumulated shows up on your National Insurance record.


Guide to National Insurance Contributions

National Insurance

NIC Explained

What does the NI number mean and what is National Insurance in the United Kingdom? Find out how much you pay to HMRC and why you need to pay NIC.

NI Abroad

Paying National Insurance abroad helps to protect your State Pension. HMRC can inform those who work overseas whether they must pay UK NIC.

NI Records

If you check your National Insurance record online you get several important results. The NI record check shows contributions made, pension qualifying years, gaps, and credits.

NI Refund

The GOV.UK website helps you claim National Insurance refunds and repayments. You can check the different National Insurance classes before you apply for a refund.

The Small Stamp

Married women and widows could pay lower rates of NICs before April 1977. Before the scheme ended, they called the married women’s reduced rate National Insurance the ‘small stamp’.


National Insurance Credit

Carer’s Credit

Caring for someone means you may qualify to claim Carer’s Credit allowance. It is a weekly Class 3 National Insurance tax credit used to fill gaps in your National Insurance record.

NI Credits

What if you cannot make your regular NI Contributions? The National Insurance credits help build up ‘qualifying years’ and maintain your NI record.


National Insurance Deferment

Some employees can defer Class 1 National Insurance payments if they have more than one job. As a rule you pay a reduced rate of 2% on your weekly earnings.


National Insurance Helpline

NIC Contact Number

The National Insurance helpline is for those who never received a number or lost it. You can also get your National Insurance Number posted to you using form CA5403.

National Insurance Helpline Telephone Number
Telephone: 0300 200 3500
Textphone: 0300 200 3519
Outside UK: +441912037010
Monday to Friday: 8am to 8pm
Saturday: 8am to 4pm

Closed Sundays and bank holidays.


National Insurance Number

Apply for NI Number

Check how to apply for a National Insurance number. You can also find out how to get your first National Insurance number at 16.

Employment History

You can get proof of employment history from HM Revenue and Customs. HMRC will supply you with a record of your past employment.

Find NI Number

Your National Insurance number is written on a payslip, P60, and most letters about Income Tax. You can find a lost National Insurance number through the GOV.UK website.


National Insurance Rates

Employee earnings and NI category letters determine the amounts deducted. Discover how the National Insurance rates and categories work for the current tax year.


Voluntary National Insurance

Pay Class 2 NIC

How to pay Class 2 National Insurance if you do not use Self Assessment? Self-employed workers can use voluntary Class 2 National Insurance Contributions instead.

Pay Voluntary Class 3

There are several easy ways to pay voluntary Class 3 NI contributions. You can pay by cheque, CHAPS, by Direct Debit, at your bank, or at the Post Office.

Voluntary Contributions

Check how to pay voluntary NI contributions in installments. Paying by choice is a way of topping up gaps in your National Insurance record.


UK National Insurance Contributions Helpline and Guide