National Insurance Calculator
Enter your pay and how often you get it. You see your National Insurance for the year and the month, and what your employer pays.
Uses the 2026/27 UK tax year figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, checked against GOV.UK on 18 October 2026. Category A employees only. This is an estimate to help you plan and not advice.
Worked examples
On £35,000 a year
£35,000 a year
£1,794.40 employee, £4,500.00 employer
8% of (£35,000 - £12,570) for you, and 15% of (£35,000 - £5,000) for the employer.
About National Insurance Calculator
National Insurance is a tax on earnings that builds your entitlement to benefits, including the State Pension. For 2026/27, employees in category A pay 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 a year, and 2% on earnings above £50,270. There is none to pay on earnings below £12,570. It is separate from income tax and is calculated on its own thresholds.
Employers pay National Insurance too, at 15% of each employee's earnings above £5,000 a year. You never see this on your payslip, but it is part of what you cost to employ. Enter your pay and whether it is a yearly, monthly or weekly figure, and the page gives your National Insurance for the year and month and the employer's amount, using the yearly thresholds.
How to use National Insurance Calculator
- Enter your pay before tax.
- Choose whether it is a yearly, monthly or weekly amount.
- Read your National Insurance for the year and each month.
- Check the employer's share and the bands used.
Common uses
- Checking the National Insurance on a payslip
- Understanding what an employee costs the business
- Seeing how a pay rise changes National Insurance
- Comparing the 8% and 2% bands
Sources
Last reviewed 18 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much National Insurance do employees pay in 2026/27?
8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 a year, and 2% on earnings above £50,270, for employees in category A.
How much do employers pay?
15% on each employee's earnings above £5,000 a year, for the standard categories. Some employers can reduce their bill through the Employment Allowance.
Why does my payslip differ slightly?
Payroll works out National Insurance for each pay period on the thresholds for that period, and rounds each time. This page uses the yearly thresholds, so small differences are normal.
Does National Insurance apply to pensions and benefits?
Employees do not pay National Insurance on pension income, and it stops being collected on earnings once you reach State Pension age. This page does not model that.
Are the self-employed included?
No. The self-employed pay different classes of National Insurance, which are not covered here.