uksi/2026/231 — The Social Security (Contributions) (Rates, Limits and Thresholds Amendments, National Insurance Funds Payments and Extension of Veteran’s Relief) Regulations 2026

2026 No. 231 SOCIAL SECURITY The Social Security (Contributions) (Rates, Limits and Thresholds Amendments, National Insurance Funds Payments and Extension of Veteran’s Relief) Regulations 2026 Made 3rd March 2026 Coming into force 6th April 2026 These Regulations are made by the Treasury in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 5(1) and (4) to (6), 9A(7) and (8), 9B(4) and (5) and 175(3) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (“ the Contributions Act ”), sections 5(1) and (4) to (6), 9A(7) and (8), 9B(4) and (5) and 171(3) and (10) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (“ the Northern Ireland Contributions Act ”), sections 141(4) and 142(2) and (3) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (“ the Administration Act ”), section 129 of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (“ the Northern Ireland Administration Act ”), section 2(2) and (3) of the Social Security Act 1993 (“ the 1993 Act ”), Article 4(3) and (4) of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 (“ the 1993 Order ”), sections 6(6) and 8(4) to (8) of the National Insurance Contributions Act 2022 (“the NICA 2022”). Regulations 3 and 4 are made as a result of the Treasury carrying out in the tax year 2025-26 a review of the general level of earnings in Great Britain in accordance with section 141(1) and (2) of the Administration Act . The Treasury have determined that, in relation to Great Britain, regulations 3 and 4 should be made under section 141 of the Administration Act to amend Part 1 of the Contributions Act by altering the rate of, and small profits threshold for, Class 2 contributions and the rate of Class 3 contributions. Regulations 3 and 4 make provision for Northern Ireland which corresponds to that mentioned in relation to Great Britain in the preceding recital, in accordance with section 129 of the Northern Ireland Administration Act. With a view to adjusting the level at which the National Insurance Fund stands for the time being and having regard to estimated benefit expenditure for the financial year ending with 31st March 2027, the Treasury think it expedient that regulation 7 should be made under section 2(2) and (3) of the 1993 Act. With a view to adjusting the level at which the Northern Ireland National Insurance Fund stands for the time being and having regard to estimated benefit expenditure for the financial year ending with 31st March 2027, the Treasury think it expedient that regulation 8 should be made under Article 4(3) and (4) of the 1993 Order. A draft of these Regulations was laid before Parliament in accordance with the provisions of section 176(1)(za), (zb) and (a) of the Contributions Act , section 172(11ZA), (11ZB) and (11A) of the Northern Ireland Contributions Act , sections 141(3) and 190(1)(a) of the Administration Act , section 166(10A) of the Northern Ireland Administration Act , section 2(8) of the 1993 Act, Article 4(8) of the 1993 Order and section 12(2) of the NICA 2022 and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament. Part 1 General Citation and commencement 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Social Security (Contributions) (Rates, Limits and Thresholds Amendments, National Insurance Funds Payments and Extension of Veteran’s Relief) Regulations 2026 and come into force on 6th April 2026. Part 2 Rates, limits and thresholds for National Insurance Contributions Interpretation 2 In this Part— “ the Act ” means the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992; “ the Northern Ireland Act ” means the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992. Rate of and small profits threshold for Class 2 contributions 3 In section 11 of the Act and the Northern Ireland Act (Class 2 contributions)— a in subsection (4) for “£6,845” substitute “£7,105” ; b in subsection (6) for “£3.50” substitute “£3.65” . Amount of a Class 3 contribution 4 In section 13(1) of the Act and the Northern Ireland Act (Class 3 contributions) for “£17.75” substitute “£18.40” . Amendment to the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001 5 1 The Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001 are amended as follows. 2 In regulation 10 (earnings limits and thresholds)— a for “2025” substitute “2026” ; b in paragraph (a) for “£125” substitute “£129” . Amendment to the National Insurance Contributions Act 2022 6 1 The National Insurance Contributions Act 2022 is amended as follows. 2 In section 6(4) (zero-rate contributions for armed forces veterans)— a in paragraph (d) for “2025-26.” substitute “2025-26;” ; b after paragraph (d) insert— e 2026-27; f 2027-28. . 3 In section 8 (upper secondary threshold for earnings: special tax site employees and armed forces veterans)— a in paragraph (1) for “and 6 April 2025” substitute “, 6 April 2025 and 6 April 2026” ; b in paragraph (2) for “and 6 April 2025” substitute “, 6 April 2025, 6 April 2026 and 6 April 2027” . Part 3 National Insurance Funds Prescribed percentage of estimated benefit expenditure - Great Britain 7 Section 2(2) of the Social Security Act 1993 (payments into National Insurance Fund out of money provided by Parliament) has effect with respect to the tax year 2026-27 and the prescribed percentage of estimated benefit expenditure for the financial year ending with 31st March in that tax year shall be 5 per cent. Prescribed percentage of estimated benefit expenditure - Northern Ireland 8 Article 4(3) of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 (payments into National Insurance Fund out of appropriated money) has effect with respect to the tax year 2026-27 and the prescribed percentage of estimated benefit expenditure for the financial year ending with 31st March in that tax year shall be 5 per cent. Gen Kitchen Christian Wakeford Two of the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty’s Treasury 3rd March 2026 Explanatory Note (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations amend the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (c. 4) and corresponding provisions in the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (c. 7) (“ the Acts ”), the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001 ( S.I. 2001/1004 ) (“ the Contributions Regulations ”) and the National Insurance Contributions Act 2022 (c. 9) (“the NICA 2022”). The amendments have effect from 6th April 2026. Regulation 3 increases the small profits threshold specified in section 11(4) of the Acts, which is the threshold over which Class 2 National Insurance contributions (“NICs”) are treated as paid from £6,845, to £7,105. It also increases the rate at which Class 2 NICs are payable by self-employed earners, specified in section 11(6) of the Acts, from £3.50 to £3.65 per week. Regulation 4 increases the rate of voluntary Class 3 NICs, specified in section 13(1) of the Acts, from £17.75 to £18.40. Regulation 5 maintains at the same level as the previous year the weekly earnings limits and thresholds specified in regulation 10 of the Contributions Regulations, which are used for determining liability to Class 1 NICs and entitlement to associated state benefits, with the exception of the lower earnings limit, under regulation 10(a), which is increased from £125 to £129. Regulation 6 extends zero-rate contributions for armed forces veterans to the 2026-27 and 2027-28 tax years, under section 6 of the National Insurance Contributions Act 2022 (c. 9) . It also maintains at the same level as the previous year the upper secondary thresholds for earnings, and the prescribed equivalents for earners paid otherwise than weekly, for freeport tax site employees and armed forces veterans, specified in section 8 of the NICA 2022 Regulation 7 provides for section 2(2) of the Social Security Act 1993 (c. 3) to have effect for the tax year 2026-27. This allows money provided by Parliament to be paid into the National Insurance Fund up to a limit of 5 per cent of the estimated benefit expenditure for the financial year ending with 31st March 2027. Regulation 8 makes corresponding provision for Northern Ireland, by giving effect to article 4(3) of the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 ( S.I. 1993/592 (N.I. 2) ). In accordance with section 142(1) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 (c. 5) a copy of the report by the Government Actuary, giving the Actuary’s opinion on the likely effect on the National Insurance Fund of the making of these Regulations, was laid before Parliament with the draft of these Regulations. A copy of the report can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-social-security-short-term-and-long-term-reports ; this is also available to purchase from the TSO Shop on their website at https://www.tsoshop.co.uk/ or by telephone on 0333 202 5070. A Tax Information and Impact Note has not been prepared for this instrument as it gives effect to previously announced policy and it relates to routine changes to rates, limits and thresholds. A Tax Information and Impact Note covering NICs thresholds and related changes to income tax thresholds (remaining at 2022-23 levels until 2027-28) is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-personal-allowance-and-basic-rate-limit-for-income-tax-and-certain-national-insurance-contributions-nics-thresholds-from-6-april-2026-to-5-apr/income-tax-personal-allowance-and-the-basic-rate-limit-and-certain-national-insurance-contributions-thresholds-from-6-april-2026-to-5-april-2028 .