Jobs less than 16 hours a week

glerwill

Hi,
I assume there is some good reason why there are lots of jobs less than 16 hours...

Is it that an employer does not have to do paye/ni contributions?

I have looked on the hmrc site but am still not sure.

Second question - My wife is working 6 hours a week and the jobcentre is covering ni credits...

Is it possible to sign off JSA (which is only doing NI credits) and pay themselves - is it voluntary class 3 contributions at £12.60 per week?

any advice welcome

rgds

Graham

McKneff

Are you sure she is getting NI credits on only 6 hours a week.

LittleVoice

McKneff wrote: »

Are you sure she is getting NI credits on only 6 hours a week.

You get NI credits via signing on at the Jobcentre - it is possible to do this when you work fewer than 16 hours a week, provided you are actively looking for work to take you above that.

DCFC79

re the 16 hours is so the employer can get staff in on OT as and when, my contract is 20 hours a week over 5 days but i do end up doing 6 hours a day for 3/4 days a week.

t0rt0ise

glerwill wrote: »

Is it possible to sign off JSA (which is only doing NI credits) and pay themselves - is it voluntary class 3 contributions at £12.60 per week?

Yes, it's explained here.. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/BeginnersGuideToTax/NationalInsurance/Voluntarycontributionsandtoppingup/DG_190066
but be sure that she really needs them. You only need 30 years of contributions for a pension now and that includes certain time at home with young children. Of course it depends how old she is but when I was unemployed I didn't need more NI contributions so didn't bother signing on.