Should I be paying National Insurance?

Legacy_user

I am a full time student, with only a bursary as income at the moment.

I was wondering if I should be paying National Insurance at all. If I got a job next year and was off sick, would I not get sick pay if I hadn't paid enough contributions this year?

I am hoping to get a part time job soon, but it isn't easy finding one at the moment.

Any advice appreciated.

Savvy_Sue

I don't know what the rules say about your bursary, but the rules on paying NI are simple: if you earn over X amount per week or month, NI is deducted.

Sick pay is more complicated: it partly depends on what your contract says, some employers pay full pay for a certain period of time and then put you down to half pay, some only pay Statutory Sick Pay, and I guess it's that bit of it you are asking about. And that depends on what contributions you have paid in previous contribution years, so if you've been working and paying NI up to now you'll be OK. If you haven't, you won't. And paying contributions on a voluntary basis now won't help you.

People on the Benefits board know a lot more about this than I do ... post over there if you're worried, otherwise just keep looking for a part-time job and hope you stay healthy!

System

Got offered 2 jobs on Friday

Yippeee!!!

Starting one today, so I won't need to worry about it any longer

:-)

jue

Well done Seven, congratulations on your job