
2023 No. 236
Social Security
The Social Security (Contributions) (Rates, Limits and Thresholds Amendments and National Insurance Funds Payments) Regulations 2023
Made 1st March 2023
Coming into force 6th April 2023

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”) and section 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 2022-23 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 the lower profits threshold for, Class 2 contributions and the amount of a Class 3 contribution.
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 2024, the Treasury think it expedient that regulation 7 should be made under section 2(2) 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 2024, the Treasury think it expedient that regulation 8 should be made under article 4(3) 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 and National Insurance Funds Payments) Regulations 2023 and come into force on 6th April 2023.
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; and
 “the Northern Ireland Act” means the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992.
Rate of and lower profits threshold for Class 2 contributions
3 
In section 11 of the Act and the Northern Ireland Act (Class 2 contributions)—
(a) in subsections (2) and (6) for “£3.15” substitute “£3.45”; and
(b) in subsection (4)(a) (lower profits threshold) for “£11,908” substitute “£12,570”.
Amount of a Class 3 contribution
4 
In section 13(1) of the Act and the Northern Ireland Act (Class 3 contributions) for “£15.85” substitute “£17.45”.
Amendment to the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001
5 
In regulation 10 of the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001 (earnings limits and thresholds) in the introductory words for “2022” substitute “2023”.
Amendments to the National Insurance Contributions Act 2022
6 
In section 8 of the National Insurance Contributions Act 2022 (upper secondary threshold for earnings: freeport tax site employees and armed forces veterans)—
(a) in subsection (1) for “year beginning with 6 April 2022” substitute “years beginning with 6 April 2022 and 6 April 2023”; and
(b) in subsection (2) for “and 6 April 2022” substitute “, 6 April 2022 and 6 April 2023”.
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 2023-24 and the prescribed percentage of estimated benefit expenditure for the financial year ending with 31stMarch 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 Northern Ireland National Insurance Fund out of appropriated money) has effect with respect to the tax year 2023-24 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.
Andrew Stephenson
Steve Double
Two of the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty’s Treasury
1st March 2023