You can pay Class 2 National Insurance directly using your online or mobile bank account if you’re living and working in the UK. You’ll need: your online banking details the 18-digit reference number shown on your HMRC payment request If you do not have an 18-digit reference number and you’ve already registered with HMRC , contact the National Insurance Helpline . Your payment may be delayed if you use the wrong reference number. When you’re ready to pay: Start your Class 2 National Insurance payment . Select the ‘pay by bank account’ option. You’ll then be directed to sign in to your online or mobile banking account to approve your Class 2 National Insurance payment. The payment is usually instant but sometimes it takes up to 2 hours to show in your account. Confirmation of payment You do not need to contact HMRC to check your payment has been received. It will appear on your National Insurance record . This can take up to 8 weeks.

You can set up a Direct Debit to make regular payments from a UK bank account. Allow 21 days to set up a new Direct Debit. HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) will send you a letter telling you when payments will be taken and how much they will be. Payments will appear on your statement as ‘ HMRC NI-DD’. HMRC will write to you if your payments change for any reason. If you have a question about your Direct Debit payments contact National Insurance enquiries .

Make an online or telephone bank transfer

You can pay by bank transfer using Faster Payments, CHAPS or Bacs. Payments by Faster Payments (online or telephone banking) usually reach HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) on the same or next day, including weekends and bank holidays. CHAPS payments usually reach HMRC the same working day if you pay within your bank’s processing times. Bacs payments usually take 3 working days. Check your bank’s transaction limits and processing times before making a payment. Paying from a UK bank account You can pay HMRC by Faster Payments, CHAPS or Bacs, using the following details: sort code - 08 32 20 account number - 12001004 account name - HMRC NIC Receipts Reference number to use If you’re paying from a UK bank account the reference number you need to use depends on whether you: live and work in the UK live abroad live in the UK but are paying for a period when you worked abroad Your payment may be delayed if you use the wrong reference number. If you live and work in the UK you must use the 18-digit reference number shown on your HMRC payment request when you make a payment. Do not leave any spaces between the digits. If you do not have an 18-digit reference number and you’ve already registered with HMRC , contact the National Insurance Helpline . If you either live abroad or live in the UK but are paying for a period when you worked abroad, you need to use a different reference number. Use your National Insurance number followed by ‘IC’, your surname then your initial. If your bank limits you to a certain number of characters, you should use your National Insurance number followed by ‘IC’ and as much of your surname as possible. Example If your name is Anne Jones, you’d write the reference as QQ123456AICJONESA Paying from an overseas bank account You can pay from an overseas account if you live or work abroad temporarily. Use the following details: account number ( IBAN ) - GB49 BARC 2020 4830 9447 93 Bank Identifier Code ( BIC ) - BARCGB22 account name - HMRC NIC receipts There’s a different way to pay Class 2 National Insurance if you live or work abroad permanently . Reference number to use Use your National Insurance number followed by ‘IC’, your surname then your initial. If your bank limits you to a certain amount of characters, you should use your National Insurance number followed by ‘IC’ and as much of your surname as possible. Example If your name is Anne Jones, you’d write the reference as QQ123456AICJONESA If you’re an employer paying for an employee living abroad, you should use your 13-character employer number. Banking address HMRC ’s banking address is: Barclays Bank PLC 1 Churchill Place London United Kingdom E14 5HP Confirmation of payment You do not need to contact HMRC to check your payment has been received. It will appear on your National Insurance record . This can take up to 8 weeks.

At your bank or building society

You can pay at a branch by cash or cheque. You’ll need your HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) payslip. You’ll find this on the payment request HMRC sent you. If you pay between Monday and Friday, HMRC will accept your payment on the date you make it, and not the date it reaches HMRC ’s account. Make the cheque payable to ‘HM Revenue and Customs only’. Write your 18-digit reference number on the back of your cheque. You’ll find the reference number on the payslip or the payment request sent to you by HMRC . If you do not have a payment request or reference number, you can get help from the National Insurance Helpline . Your payment may be delayed if you use the wrong reference number. Confirmation of payment You do not need to contact HMRC to check your payment has been received. It will appear on your National Insurance record . This can take up to 8 weeks.

Pay Class 2 National Insurance if you do not pay through Self Assessment

Overview

You pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions to help qualify for certain benefits like the State Pension if you’re self-employed.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Most people pay these contributions as part of their Self Assessment tax bill or their contributions are treated as having been paid.

But you may choose to pay Class 2 contributions if you:

do not pay through Self Assessment
want to fill any gaps in your National Insurance record - check that you’re eligible

You may also choose to pay because you are not eligible to be treated as having paid Class 2 contributions. This applies if you’re any of the following:

an examiner, moderator, invigilator or person who sets exam questions
a minister of religion who does not receive a salary or stipend
a person who makes investments - but not as a business and without getting a fee or commission
running a business involving land or property

If you do not pay through Self Assessment, you’ll need to register with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to pay Class 2 contributions.

There’s a different way to pay if you work or live abroad.

Registering to pay Class 2 contributions

Check how to register with HMRC in order to pay.

You can register at any time, but check the deadlines for paying Class 2 contributions.

After registering

Once you’ve registered, HMRC will send you a payment request by the end of October telling you how much to pay.

The payment request will include an 18-digit reference number that you’ll need in order to make a payment.

You do not need an 18-digit reference number if you work or live abroad.

If after registering you do not get a payment request, contact HMRC.

How long payments take

Your payment request will give you a deadline to pay HMRC.

The time you need to allow depends on how you pay.

You can make same or next day payments:

by paying through your online bank account
by online or telephone banking (by Faster Payments or CHAPS)
at your bank or building society

You can pay within 3 days using online or telephone banking (by Bacs) or by cheque through the post.

Allow 21 working days to set up a Direct Debit if you have not set one up before.

If the deadline falls on a weekend or bank holiday, make sure your payment reaches HMRC on the last working day before it. You do not need to do this if you’re paying using online or telephone banking Faster Payments.

If you miss the payment deadline

You might have to pay more to fill gaps in your National Insurance record if you miss the deadline HMRC has given you.

HMRC will write and tell you how much you need to pay.

Confirmation of payment

You do not need to contact HMRC to check your payment has been received.

It will appear on your National Insurance record. This can take up to 8 weeks.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Pay Class 2 National Insurance if you do not pay through Self Assessment

Overview

Registering to pay Class 2 contributions

After registering

How long payments take

If you miss the payment deadline

Confirmation of payment

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Pay Class 2 National Insurance if you do not pay through Self Assessment

Overview

Registering to pay Class 2 contributions

After registering

How long payments take

If you miss the payment deadline

Confirmation of payment

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