National Insurance calculator
Enter your pay or your profits to see the National Insurance you pay in the 2026 to 2027 tax year. Employees pay 8% on pay between £12,570 and £50,270 a year and 2% above it; the self-employed pay Class 4 at 6% and 2% on profits over the same bands.
It runs in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere or kept. Rates for 2026 to 2027 (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027), read from GOV.UK on 17 October 2026. Payroll works to the penny with HMRC’s own method, so treat the answer as close, not exact.
National Insurance rates for 2026 to 2027
Employees: Class 1, category letter A
| Pay | Weekly | Monthly | A year | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to the Lower Earnings Limit | £129 | £559 | £6,708 | Nothing |
| From the Lower Earnings Limit to the Primary Threshold | £242 | £1,048 | £12,570 | 0% |
| From the Primary Threshold to the Upper Earnings Limit | £967 | £4,189 | £50,270 | 8% |
| Above the Upper Earnings Limit | Everything over the figures above | 2% | ||
Self-employed: Class 4 and Class 2
| Profits in the tax year | Class 4 | Class 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Under £7,105 | Nothing | Nothing to pay; you can choose to pay £3.65 a week voluntarily |
| £7,105 to £12,570 | Nothing | Treated as paid, to protect your record |
| £12,570 to £50,270 | 6% | Treated as paid |
| Over £50,270 | 2% on the part over £50,270 | Treated as paid |
Sources, read 17 October 2026: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027 (GOV.UK, last updated 1 September 2026) and Self-employed National Insurance rates (GOV.UK).
Worked examples
- Employed, paid £3,000 a month: 8% of the £1,952 above the monthly Primary Threshold of £1,048 is about £156.16 a month.
- Employed, £60,000 a year: 8% of the pay between £12,570 and £50,270 (£3,016) and 2% of the £9,730 above it (£194.60): about £3,210.60 over the year.
- Self-employed, profits of £30,000: Class 4 at 6% of the £17,430 over £12,570 is £1,045.80 for the year, paid through your Self Assessment, and Class 2 is treated as paid.
Questions
How much National Insurance do I pay?
As an employee in 2026 to 2027, 8% of your pay between £242 and £967 a week (£1,048 and £4,189 a month), and 2% of anything above. Your employer takes it from your pay. (GOV.UK)
What is Class 4 National Insurance?
What the self-employed pay on their profits: 6% on profits between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above, worked out through Self Assessment. (GOV.UK)
Do I still pay Class 2?
Not as a payment, for profits of £7,105 or more: GOV.UK says Class 2 is treated as paid, to protect your National Insurance record. Under £7,105 you pay nothing, but can choose to pay £3.65 a week voluntarily. (GOV.UK)
Do I pay on pay between £129 and £242 a week?
Usually not, but GOV.UK says you may still qualify for certain benefits and the State Pension. (GOV.UK)
Do I pay after State Pension age?
Most people stop paying National Insurance after reaching State Pension age. If you are self-employed you stop paying Class 4 from the 6 April after you reach it. (GOV.UK) The State Pension age calculator gives your date.
More dates: tax year dates · Self Assessment tax return · Making Tax Digital
The tax deadlines, ahead of time
Radar puts the dates of the next ninety days on one radar, at work and at home, with the time each one needs: the Self Assessment payment as much as the client deadline.