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National Insurance Rates and Categories

What are National Insurance Contribution rates and category letters? Employee earnings and a National Insurance category letter determine the amounts deducted and the rates you must pay.

NI CONTRIBUTION RATES: Find out what National Insurance rates and category letters mean for your situation.

This guide explains how Class 1 National Insurance contribution rates work for the current tax year 2022 to 2023.

All Class 1 National Insurance rates for employees are made up using two separate contributions:

1. An amount deducted from employee pay (called employee NI).

2. An amount paid by an employee’s employer (called employer NI).


Employee National Insurance Rates and Letters

The National Insurance table shows the rate that employers deduct from their employees’ pay for the tax year 2022 to 2023.

Category Letter Earning £123 to £190 a week (£533 to £823 a month) Earning £190.01 to £967 a week (£823.01 to £4,189 a month) Earning over £967 a week (More than £4,189 a month)
A 0% 13.25% 3.25%
B 0% 7.1% 3.25%
C N/A N/A N/A
F 0% 13.25% 3.25%
H 0% 13.25% 3.25%
I 0% 7.1% 3.25%
J 0% 3.25% 3.25%
L 0% 3.25% 3.25%
M 0% 13.25% 3.25%
S N/A N/A N/A
V 0% 13.25% 3.25%
Z 0% 3.25% 3.25%


Employer National Insurance Letters and Rates

The National Insurance table shows the rate that employers pay towards their employees’ pay for the tax year 2022 to 2023.

Category Letter People Earning £123 to £175 a week (£533 to £758 a month) Earning £175.01 to £481 a week (£758.01 to £2,083 a month) Earning £481.01 to £967 a week (£2,083.01 to £4,189 a month) People Earning over £967 a week (More than £4,189 a month)
A 0% 15.05% 15.05% 15.05%
B 0% 15.05% 15.05% 15.05%
C 0% 15.05% 15.05% 15.05%
F 0% 0% 15.05% 15.05%
H 0% 0% 0% 15.05%
I 0% 0% 15.05% 15.05%
J 0% 15.05% 15.05% 15.05%
J 0% 0% 15.05% 15.05%
M 0% 0% 0% 15.05%
S 0% 0% 15.05% 15.05%
V 0% 0% 0% 15.05%
Z 0% 0% 0% 15.05%

If you want to check your employees’ National Insurance you can use the government calculators and tables. The links have HMRC full rates and thresholds that employers use for the current year and for several of the previous tax years:

Class 1A and Class 1B Rates

UK employers pay Class 1A and 1B National Insurance one time per year on expenses and benefits they provide for their employees. The expenses and benefits rate is 15.05% for the tax year 2022 to 2023.


NI Letters 2022/23

The table shows the employee National Insurance category letter flowchart. This is useful for employers to use when they run off the payroll. It can also help employers and employees work out how much they both need to contribute.

Note: Most employees will have ‘National Insurance category A‘ but you can find yours on your payslip.

NI 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 are entitled to pay the reduced rate of National Insurance
C Employees who are over State Pension age
H Apprentice under 25 years old
J Employees who can defer National Insurance because they are already paying it in another job
M Employees under 21 years old
V Employees working in their first job since leaving the armed forces (e.g. veterans)
Z Employees under 21 who can defer National Insurance because they are already paying it in another job


NI for Employees who are in a Contracted-out Money Purchase Scheme

In fact this kind of scheme completely ended in April 2012. But there may be some employees who are still part of one.

NI 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 who work in freeports and are entitled to pay reduced National Insurance
L Employees who work in freeports and can defer National Insurance because they’re already paying it in another job
S Employees who work in freeports and are over the State Pension age


National Insurance Categories 2022: NI Letter X

Employers should use NIC category letter ‘X‘ for employees who are not liable for National Insurance. The most likely reason to use ‘NI letter X‘ is for those under 16.

National Insurance for Mariners and Deep Sea Fishermen

Contact HMRC for detailed information on National Insurance contributions for mariners and deep-sea fishermen.


What National Insurance Rates and Categories Mean in United Kingdom