National Insurance

Calls to this number cost 7p / minute plus your network operator’s access charge.

Opening Hours

Monday-Friday: 08:00-18:00

In order to make sure that you receive certain benefits from the government, you are required to pay a certain level of National Insurance on any income that you earn. If you are employed by a company, you will normally find contributions made towards this on your monthly wage slips. If you are self-employed, however, or if you run a business yourself, contributions can become a little different. However, with the assistance of a National Insurance helpline from GOV.UK, you can be sure that you will always know exactly how much to pay, when and why.

National Insurance support is essential for those who want to benefit from schemes such as the state pension – any money you pay in from your wage into this insurance will enable you to receive regular payouts from the state once you reach retirement age. While you may also have a private pension scheme, or one set up via your employer, it is always a good idea to have an extra provision in place just in case. The National Insurance telephone number provided by GOV.UK is 0844 556 9345 – operated via HM Revenue and Customs.

About National Insurance

National Insurance was initially set up in the UK by way of allowing employees to put contributions aside to help pay for periods of illness or even unemployment. Since its inception in 1911, it has been amended and expanded upon to allow it to mainly provide financial relief for UK citizens once they reach retirement age. This, therefore, allows them to benefit from the UK state pension once they have finished working. National Insurance is currently paid via the PAYE system for those employed by a company, and is paid on a weekly or monthly basis by those who are self-employed. People working and contributing on this basis may also defer certain contributions, or may not have to pay any amounts dependent upon how much they have earned during a tax year.

How can the National Insurance helpline help?

HMRC has streamlined its support services over the years in line with GOV.UK rebranding and breaking down walls for the public to gain better access to public and governmental services. This means that, rather than being left in the dark on how much National Insurance needs to be paid, employees and the self-employed can now consult the GOV.UK website and follow their online help centre to find out how much they owe. In certain cases, they may not owe anything – but if you are employed and receive wage slips, you will have made contributions over a certain threshold of pay.

The National Insurance customer services team can help by breaking down the jargon and the legal mumbo-jumbo even further. One quick call to the team with your employee information or business references will allow a member of staff to gain a better understanding of where you stand on the payments you have already made. If you’ve recently become unemployed, you can also seek assistance via both the helpline and the website – and it is laid out especially clearly to help avoid any confusion.

FAQs

When do I stop paying National Insurance?

You will always contribute towards this fund if you earn over a certain amount either as an employee, or as a self-employed businessperson. There are thresholds in place, however, and circumstances through which you may not need to make any contributions. More information is available through tax return calculations and from the helpline support team.

How do I calculate my National Insurance on my tax return?

If you choose to file your returns online, HMRC’s online system will automatically calculate how much you are due to pay to the government based upon your income. If you make more than £5,965 per year, you will be required to pay a set amount of Class 2 National Insurance which is added in as one lump sum. If you earn to higher thresholds, you may need to pay Class 4 National Insurance. However, this too can be deferred, and you will be able to find more information through discussion via the National Insurance telephone number.

My circumstances are changing, should I inform HMRC?

Yes – it is essential that HMRC knows of any changes to your personal or professional circumstances so that your National Insurance can be calculated correctly. This means that any changes to your name, your address, your employment status and/or your business status need to be advised as soon as possible. Once again, you can advise of such changes via telephone, or via your online account.

I’ve lost my National Insurance card – how do I get a replacement?

The government no longer replaces National Insurance cards – as your number will stay the same regardless of your circumstances, and as the need for a physical card is diminishing, this decision was made some years ago. There will be circumstances, however, where you will need to keep your number to hand – meaning that with or without your card, it is important to keep information handy.

Making a complaint

If you need or wish to make a complaint with regard to any matters pertaining to National Insurance, you are encouraged to call the dedicated helpline – while it is not a National Insurance complaints telephone number in name, support staff will be happy to help address any concerns you may have regarding your contributions and status. Alternatively, the HMRC advise either contacting them directly via web form, or by writing to their postal address. We have included this address at the bottom of this page for your reference.

Contact National Insurance help further

You can find HMRC on Twitter here.

 

View The Official GOV Site https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance

 

Official Address

National Insurance

HM Revenue & Customs

100 Parliament St

Westminster

SW1A 2BQ

United Kingdom

 

 

Opening Hours:

Phone: 0844 556 9345

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