NIM01014 - Class 1 Structural Overview: Earnings limits & brackets and NIC rebate: 1998/1999 & earlier tax years

Earnings limits and brackets

For 1998/1999 and earlier tax years there was a Lower Earnings Limit (‘LEL’ – see NIM01005) and for employers, five Earnings Brackets. There was also an Upper Earnings Limit (‘UEL’) which was the maximum amount of earnings upon which primary Class 1 NICs were payable – see NIM01009. For further guidance on calculating and recording NICs, including NIC rates, see NIM11000 onwards. If aggregation of earnings is involved ( NIM01004), see also NIM10000 onwards.

NIC rebate

Where employers operate contracted-out pension schemes they and their employees who are members of the schemes receive a reduction in their NICs. The reduction, for both employees and employers, is realised via a reduction in the NICs percentage rate applied to earnings between the LEL and the UEL. The percentage rate differs for employees and employers and for the different types of contracted-out schemes. The difference between the full contracted- out rate and this reduced rate is known as the ‘NIC rebate’.

For further information about contracting-out, see NIM01017. For further guidance on calculating and recording the NIC rebate, including rebated rates, see NIM11000 onwards. If aggregation of earnings is involved ( NIM01004), see also NIM10000 onwards.