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Class 2 NIC will not die

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7th Sep 2018
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In a surprise announcement on 6 September, the Treasury confirmed that class 2 NIC would not be abolished from 6 April 2019 as had been on the cards since 2017.

National insurance contributions (NIC) for the self-employed are unreasonably complicated. The two classes (2 and 4) are paid on different bands of income, and at different rates.

Class 4 costs the individual more (no upper limit) but provides no right to state benefits, it is a pure tax on profits. Class 2 costs a maximum of £153.40 per year (for 2018/19) but it does provide some entitlement to the state pension and certain other state benefits.

The system is a mess, so back in July 2013 (over five years ago!), the government launched a consultation into simplifying NIC for the self-employed. Some streamlining of payment methods was achieved, with class 2 now collected alongside class 4 with income tax paid under self assessment, but the long-term aim was the merge the two classes.   

To merge or or to merge

The class 2 & 4 merger was to take effect from 6 April 2018, but in November 2017 the effective date was pushed back to 6 April 2019. Yesterday’s written statement from Robert Jenrick,  Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, confirmed that the merger of class 2 and 4 now won’t happen, as class 2 NIC will not be abolished.

The reason given for this U-turn is; “A significant number of self-employed individuals on the lowest profits would have seen the voluntary payment they make to maintain access to the State Pension rise substantially.”

This is not credible as the proposed merged class 4 and 2 NIC was to include a mechanism to solve that problem. Those on low profits would have been given a credit towards the state pension without having to pay any NIC at all. This would have operated in a similar fashion to the NI credits for employees who earn between the lower earnings limit (£116 per week) and the primary threshold (£162 per week).    

Good news for expatriates

Individuals who have been resident in the UK for at least three years, and paid into the national insurance system, can continue to make NI contributions by paying class 2 NIC when they move abroad. This is a very useful way for non-resident individuals to build up qualifying years towards to the UK state pension (see Social Security abroad NI38).

The proposed abolition of class 2 NIC was to remove this low-cost route to add credits to their UK state pension entitlement. Those expatriate individuals would have had to change to paying voluntary class 3 NIC, which costs £761.85 per year compared to £153.40 for class 2 (2018/19 rates)    

Rise in Class 4 NIC?

Philip Hammond proposed an increase the rate of class 4 NIC in his first Budget in 2017, from 9% to 10% in 2018, then to 11% in 2019. But there was uproar from “white van man”, as the Conservative Party manifesto had promised there would be no increase in NIC. So Hammond had to back down and there was no increase in the rate of class 4 NIC.

The Conservatives were careful not to make any rash promises about tax rates before the 2017 election, so now the Chancellor should be free to raise NIC rates as he wishes. Will class 4 NIC rise in 2019; perhaps increasing the rate above the upper profits limit (introduced by Gordon Brown) from 2% to 3%?

The burden of increased NIC normally falls on employees and employers, so perhaps we will see increases in the rates of classes 1,1A and 1B NIC. We should find out in the Autumn Budget -  whenever that is.

Replies (3)

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By pauljohnston
10th Sep 2018 11:03

Surely if Mr Hammond wants to raise more all he needs do is reduce the NIC nil band or let it stay at the current figure as he has done for VAT.

Whilst I hate tax rises because they encourage people to work less I accept the country is spending more than it should and the current government does not have a majority so it goes for the easy options.

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Replying to pauljohnston:
By Mike18
10th Sep 2018 13:48

The tired old mantras 'tax rises encourage people to work less' and 'the country is spending more than it should' are both without any basis in economic theory or practical reality. NI is regressive enough, without abolishing the nil rate band and collecting more revenue from those with the lowest incomes. Seems collecting more tax from those most able to pay is not an 'easy option' if you have a vested interest.

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By Mikolaj
15th Jan 2019 19:00

I am sure that my higher eaners eg. doctors et al. whom had salaries already taking them above the 12% NI contribution threshold so paying just 2% NI or marginal paye income had a class 2 NI exemption for their add-on earnings from self-employment. Has this disappeared? Can't find it anywhere. They get the second bite of the NI free threshold cherry but pay 9% to the upper threshold with class 4 NI and the just 2% above, but why pay class 2 when you pay above threshold class 1A? Paying twice for same NI cover...
The tax package I use keeps adding it on, but seiously I don't think it is due?

Help as HMRC website is no use at all. I would appreciate your thoughts Rebecca.

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