Income Tax and National Insurance are taxes that may be taken from your earnings, depending on how much you earn. Learn when you need to pay them and how they work.
Income Tax
If you earn above a certain threshold, known as the Personal Allowance, you'll need to pay Income Tax. This applies whether you're a UK or international student.
Income Tax is used by the UK government to fund public services like the NHS, education, roads, rail and housing.
If you work for an employer, Income Tax is usually taken directly from your wages through Pay As You Earn (PAYE).
For more details, see the Tax guide for students on GOV.UK.
Tax refunds
If you think you've paid too much tax, you may be able to claim a refund.
To check if you've overpaid, you can use HMRC's tax checker.
National Insurance
National Insurance is another type of tax taken from your earnings – whether you work for an employer or are self-employed.
Your National Insurance contributions go into a fund that helps pay for benefits such as the State Pension, Statutory Sick Pay, Maternity Pay or unemployment benefits.
Do I need to pay National Insurance?
Like Income Tax, you'll pay National Insurance if you earn above a certain threshold. This applies whether you're a UK or international student.
If you're not working, but intend to live permanently in the UK, you may want to make voluntary National Insurance contributions to protect your record and ensure you receive a full pension.
For more details, see the Voluntary National Insurance page on GOV.UK.
National Insurance number
You'll need a National Insurance number to make sure your contributions are recorded correctly.
If you're a UK national, you should receive a letter with your National Insurance number when you're 16. If you didn't, call the National Insurance helpline on 0300 200 3500.
If you're an EU/EEA or international student, you can apply for a National Insurance number when you start looking for work or if you already have a job. Some international students may have their National Insurance number printed on their Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).
For details on how to apply, see the application page on GOV.UK.
If you forget your National Insurance number
You can usually find your National Insurance number on your payslip or P60.
If you don't have either of these, take a look at the Find your National Insurance number page on GOV.UK.
Contact us
For questions about Income Tax or National Insurance, email us at [email protected]Email us about Income Tax and National Insurance.