Do you plan to move to the UK? There are two things you need to know – National Insurance (NI) and the UK tax. Among the many things you need to know about, these should be your top two priorities, as they are essential to employment.
National Insurance (NI)
You pay for NI so you will be eligible for certain state-sponsored benefits, such as the State Pension. You need to get an NI number, which you’ll have to give to your employer. NI contributions are shared by you (employee’s NI) and your employer (employer’s NI). The former is deducted from our pay, while the latter is paid by your boss.
How much you need to contribute will depend on your income and to which category you belong under. If you earn over £827 a week or £3,583 a month, and you are under the category A, 2% will be deducted from your pay.
UK Tax
The UK tax system is a complicated lot. But it all starts with determining if you are a resident in the UK for tax purposes or not. If you aren’t, then you need to know if your home country has a Double Taxation Agreement with the UK, so you don’t end up being taxed twice.
If you are employed, tax is automatically deducted through the PAYE system. Otherwise, you need to file a Self-Assessment tax return and send it to HMRC, so they can collect the appropriate tax amount.
In the event that you overpaid tax, or you think you did, you can claim back tax.It is also important to note that Brexit may pose a problem in finding a job if you are a foreigner or an EU citizen.
Think you may be due a tax refund? Apply here to get your tax back.