Should I pay voluntary Class 2 National Insurance?
Worth considering if your profits are below £7,105 and you want the year to count toward your State Pension. It costs £189.80 for a full year.
Last checked 12/09/2026.
It depends on whether you need the qualifying year. Below the Small Profits Threshold of £7,105 you get no automatic credit, so a year of low-profit driving can leave a gap in your National Insurance record.
A full year of voluntary Class 2 costs £189.80, at £3.65 a week. You need 35 qualifying years for a full new State Pension and at least 10 to get anything at all, so a gap matters more to somebody with a short record than to somebody with thirty years behind them.
How to decide
- Check your record on gov.uk. It shows which years are complete and where the gaps are.
- If the year would otherwise be a gap and you are short of 35 years, it is usually good value. Very few things buy a year of State Pension for under two hundred pounds.
- If you also have a PAYE job that already earns the credit, paying again buys nothing.
You tick it on your Self Assessment return. JoltMile has a matching setting so the amount shows separately, and it is never added to your estimated tax bill, because a voluntary contribution is not a tax charge.
Sources
Related
What National Insurance do I pay as a self-employed driver?
Class 4 at 6% on profits between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2% above that. Compulsory Class 2 was abolished from 6 April 2024.
HMRC & taxUpdated 19/08/2026
What happened to Class 2 National Insurance?
Compulsory Class 2 was abolished from 6 April 2024. Above the Small Profits Threshold you now get the qualifying year without paying anything.
HMRC & taxUpdated 19/08/2026
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