Social Security Act 1975

Husband and wife

4 (1) Chapter IV of Part I of the Act of 1970 shall apply for the purposes of Class 4 contributions as it applies for those of income tax ; and an application by a husband or wife for separate assessment under section 38 of that Act, and an election by them under section 23 of the [1971 c. 68.] Finance Act 1971 (separate taxation of wife's earnings) shall operate as respects liability for such contributions as it does for income tax, the wife being liable for Class 4 contributions in respect of her own profits or gains.

(2) Such an application or election as is referred to in sub-paragraph (1) above shall not be made separately for the purposes of Class 4 contributions apart from those of income tax.

(3) Where section 37 of the Act of 1970 applies and there is no separate assessment under section 38 of that Act and no election under section 23 of the Finance Act 1971, the wife's profits and gains are to be computed, for the purposes of Class 4 contributions, as if section 37 did not apply, but the contributions shall be assessed on, and recoverable from, the husband.