Nat Insurance class 1 and 2

[earlydoors42]

Does anyone know the answer to this off the top of their head please?

I am employed in 2 jobs. In the main one I get paid a varying amount each month and pay National Insurance, no tax. In the second one I only work a few months a year and don't earn enough to even pay National Insurance. Total last year was just below the tax threshold.

I am also self employed and earned a few k from that last year. So this takes me over the tax threshold. I completed my self assessment today. So I owe about £700 tax and it also says I can voluntarily pay class 2 NI contributions.

Is there any point paying these class 2 contributions given that I already paid class 1s all year?

Thank you.

In the main one I get paid a varying amount each month and pay National Insurance, no tax.
So are you always earning £123 per week/£533 per month or more?

Is there any point paying these class 2 contributions given that I already paid class 1s all year?
No, as you are paying Class 1 in the main job, assuming that is always £123+ per week, then I would wait and see if any gaps appear in your NI record. Then fill the gap if one appears. You have up to 6 years to fill the gap.
www.gov.uk/check-national-insurance-record
That will list gaps for 2020-21 tax year and prior. 2021/22 tax year won't show yet, which is a shame as you would have thought HMRC's system would know if enough had been paid from employment. So just keep in mind you are looking back a good year or so.

If your employment from Main Job does stop being over the Lower Earnings Threshold (£123 weekly, currently) then I would do Class 2 NI voluntarily but also check things like Child Benefit, Maternity Allowance as that can give NI credit.

See: www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility
and www.gov.uk/child-benefit/eligibility

Thank you so much.

I will check tomorrow about the £533 per month. I had a couple of months earning a low enough amount that I got carers allowance - I wonder if the system is sophisticated enough to match that up with the missing class 1s?

However I do have children under 12 (& child benefit for them) so looks like I get class 3 contributions anyway? (If I read the link right).

I think I paid voluntarily last year as I didn't understand what was going on then either. I wonder what are the chances of getting that back if I was covered anyway by Child Benefit?!

Thank you again.