NIM01017 | Class 1 structural overview: types of National Insurance contributions: contracted-out rate NICs

Up to 5 April 2016 employees whose employers operated occupational pension schemes and who chose to join them, were normally contracted-out of the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme (SERPS) and from 6 April 2002 the State Second Pension, and paid contracted-out (rebated) rate NICs. Employees over state pension age (see NIM36000) could not be in contracted-out employment.

On 6 April 2016 all contracting-out ended and all employees and employers became liable to the full rate of NICs.

See NIM01021 for further information on types of contracted-out schemes. For further information about the fiscal structure of contracted-out rate NICs, see NIM01018. For further information about married womens’ and widows’ reduced rate NICs, see NIM30000 and NIM31000 respectively.

For information on the structure of primary Class 1 NICs from 6 April 2003, see NIM01100 onwards.

For information on the structure of primary Class 1 NICs from 6 April 2009, see NIM01200 onwards.