National Insurance calculator
National Insurance is charged separately from Income Tax, on different thresholds, and unusually the rate falls rather than rises once you pass £50,270.
Enter your earnings to see what is due for 2026/27, employed or self-employed.
National Insurance a year
£1,794
£150 a month£35 a week
| Earnings below £12,570 | Nothing due |
|---|---|
| 8% band | £1,794 |
| 2% band above £50,270 | £0 |
| Total | £1,794 |
Class 1 employee rates for 2026/27. Nothing is due below £12,570,8% applies up to £50,270, and 2% above it. Employer contributions are separate and are not shown here.
Common questions
- How much National Insurance do I pay?
- As an employee in 2026/27 you pay nothing on earnings up to £12,570, 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270, and 2% on anything above that.
- Why does my National Insurance rate go down when I earn more?
- Because National Insurance is capped in a way Income Tax is not. Above the £50,270 upper earnings limit the rate drops from 8% to 2%, so a higher earner pays a smaller proportion of each extra pound in NI than a basic-rate earner does.
- Do the self-employed pay National Insurance?
- Yes, Class 4 at 6% on profits between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above that. Class 2 is treated as paid once profits reach £7,105, so there is usually nothing extra to pay, and it still counts towards your State Pension record.