Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992

1 Outline of contributory system. E+W+S

(1) The funds required—

(a) for paying such benefits under this Act as are payable out of the National Insurance Fund and not out of other public money; and

(b) for the making of payments under section 162 of the Administration Act towards the cost of the National Health Service,

shall be provided by means of contributions payable to the [F1 Inland Revenue] by earners, employers and others, together with the additions under subsection (5) below [F2 and amounts payable under section 2 of the Social Security Act 1993].

(2) Contributions under this Part of this Act shall be of the following [F3 six] classes—

(a) Class 1, earnings-related, payable under section 6 below, being—

(i) primary Class 1 contributions from employed earners; and

(ii) secondary Class 1 contributions from employers and other persons paying earnings;

(b) Class 1A, payable under section 10 below F4 ... by persons liable to pay secondary Class 1 contributions and certain other persons;

[F5 (bb) Class 1B, payable under section 10A below by persons who are accountable to the Inland Revenue in respect of income tax on [F6 general earnings] in accordance with a PAYE settlement agreement;]

(c) Class 2, flat-rate, payable weekly under section 11 below by self-employed earners;

(d) Class 3, payable under section 13 [F7 or 13A] below by earners and others voluntarily with a view to providing entitlement to benefit, or making up entitlement; and

(e) Class 4, payable under section 15 below in respect of the profits or gains of a trade, profession or vocation, or under section 18 below in respect of equivalent earnings.

(3) The amounts and rates of contributions in this Part of this Act and the other figures in it which affect the liability of contributors shall—

(a) be subject to regulations under sections 19(4) and 116 to 120 below; and

(b) to the extent provided for by Part IX of the Administration Act be subject to alteration by orders made by the [F8 Treasury] from year to year under that Part,

and the provisions of this Part of this Act are subject to the provisions of [F9 Chapter II of Part III of the Pensions Act (reduction in state scheme contributions and benefits for members of certified schemes)].

(4) Schedule 1 to this Act—

(a) shall have effect with respect to the computation, collection and recovery of contributions of Classes 1, 1A, [F10 1B,] and 3, and otherwise with respect to contributions of those classes; and

(b) shall also, to the extent provided by regulations made under section 18 below, have effect with respect to the computation, collection and recovery of Class 4 contributions, and otherwise with respect to such contributions, F11 ....

(5) For each financial year there shall, by way of addition to contributions, be paid out of money provided by Parliament, in such manner and at such times as the Treasury may determine, amounts the total of which for any such year is equal to the aggregate of all statutory sick pay[F12 , statutory maternity pay, [F13 ordinary statutory paternity pay, additional statutory paternity pay] and statutory adoption pay] [F14 and statutory shared parental pay] recovered by employers and others in that year, as estimated by the Government Actuary or the Deputy Government Actuary.

(6) No person shall—

(a) be liable to pay Class 1, Class 1A[F15 , Class 1B] or Class 2 contributions unless he fulfils prescribed conditions as to residence or presence in Great Britain;

(b) be entitled to pay Class 3 contributions unless he fulfils such conditions; or

(c) be entitled to pay Class 1, Class 1A[F15 , Class 1B] or Class 2 contributions other than those which he is liable to pay, except so far as he is permitted by regulations to pay them.

[F16 (7) Regulations under subsection (6) above shall be made by the Treasury.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 1(1) substituted (25.2.1999 for specified purposes, 1.4.1999 in so far as not already in force) by Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), s. 28(2)(a), Sch. 1 para. 5(2); S.I. 1999/527, art. 2(b), Sch. 2 (with arts. 3-6)

F2 Words in s. 1(1) added (29.1.1993) by Social Security Act 1993 (c. 3), ss. 2(9), 5

F3 Word in s. 1(2) substituted (8.9.1998 for specified purposes, 6.4.1999 in so far as not already in force) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 56(1); S.I. 1998/2209, art. 2(b)(c), Sch. Pts. 2, 3

F4 Words in s. 1(2)(b) omitted (with effect in relation to the tax year beginning with 6.4.2000 and subsequent tax years) by virtue of Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 (c. 19), ss. 74(1), 86, Sch. 9 Pt. 8(1) (with s. 74(8))

F5 S. 1(2)(bb) inserted (8.9.1998 for specified purposes, 6.4.1999 in so far as not already in force) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 56(1); S.I. 1998/2209, art. 2(b)(c), Sch. Pts. 2, 3

F6 Words in s. 1(2)(bb) substituted (6.4.2003 with effect in accordance with s. 723(1)(a)(b) of the amending Act) by Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (c. 1), s. 723, Sch. 6 para. 170 (with Sch. 7)

F7 Words in s. 1(2)(d) inserted (6.4.2009) by Pensions Act 2008 (c. 30), ss. 135(3), 149(4)

F8 Word in s. 1(3)(b) substituted (1.4.1999) by Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), s. 28(3), Sch. 3 para. 1(2); S.I. 1999/527, art. 2(b), Sch. 2 (with arts. 3-6)

F9 Words in s. 1(3) substituted (7.2.1994) by Pension Schemes Act 1993 (c. 48), s. 193(2), Sch. 8 para. 32 (with s. 180, Schs. 6, 9); S.I. 1994/86, art. 2

F10 Word in s. 1(4)(a) inserted (8.9.1998 for specified purposes, 6.4.1999 in so far as not already in force) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 56(2); S.I. 1998/2209, art. 2(b)(c), Sch. Pts. 2, 3

F11 Words in s. 1(4)(b) repealed (25.2.1999 for specified purposes, 1.4.1999 in so far as not already in force) by Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), s. 28(2)(a), Sch. 1 para. 5(3), Sch. 10 Pt. 1; S.I. 1999/527, art. 2(b), Sch. 2 (with arts. 3-6)

F12 Words in s. 1(5) substituted (8.12.2002) by Employment Act 2002 (c. 22), ss. 6(3), 55(2); S.I. 2002/2866, art. 2(2), Sch. 1 Pt. 2

F13 Words in s. 1(5) substituted (6.4.2010) by Work and Families Act 2006 (c. 18), s. 19(2), Sch. 1 para. 3; S.I. 2010/495, art. 4(d)

F14 Words in s. 1(5) inserted (1.12.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 7 para. 7(b); S.I. 2014/1640, art. 5(2)(f)

F15 Words in s. 1(6) inserted (8.9.1998 for specified purposes, 6.4.1999 in so far as not already in force) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), s. 87(2), Sch. 7 para. 56(3); S.I. 1998/2209, art. 2(b)(c), Sch. Pts. 2, 3

F16 S. 1(7) inserted (1.4.1999) by Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Act 1999 (c. 2), s. 28(3), Sch. 3 para. 1(3); S.I. 1999/527, art. 2(b), Sch. 2 (with arts. 3-6)