What National Insurance do you actually pay?
Employed, self employed, or both. Put your numbers in and see your Class 1, Class 2 and Class 4 for the year, and whether your State Pension record is safe.
Your salary before tax. Leave it empty if you only work for yourself.
Your income less your expenses. Leave it empty if you are only employed.
2026/27 rates. Class 1 is what your employer takes through payroll. Class 4 comes with your Self Assessment.
It funds your State Pension, and the rules changed completely in 2024: Class 2 became voluntary, so low profit years can quietly stop counting towards your pension without anyone telling you. Lekhio watches your profits all year and tells you when a £190 decision protects a pension year, while there is still time.
Let Lekhio watch it for you →A general estimate using 2026/27 rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is not tax advice or a filed figure. Your exact position depends on your full record, which HMRC settles when you file. Lekhio prepares your figures and you always approve them.
Questions people ask
What National Insurance do self employed people pay in 2026/27?
Class 4 contributions: 6% on profits between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2% on profits above that. Class 2 has been voluntary since April 2024, at £3.65 a week for those who choose to pay it.
Should I pay voluntary Class 2 National Insurance?
If your profits are £7,105 or more you are treated as covered without paying. Below that, and with no job covering you, paying voluntary Class 2 at about £190 a year is usually the cheapest way to protect your State Pension record.
I have a job and a side business. Do I pay National Insurance twice?
You can pay Class 1 through your payroll and Class 4 on your self employed profits in the same year. There is an annual maximum, and HMRC can refund any excess, which matters mainly for higher earners with both.