Should i have paid National Insurance

[lulu_bucket]

I have a job for the Uni holidays earning 5.77 an hour. I have just been paid for 19 hours and have not paid tax NOR National Insurance - is this right? Thanks

[ummmm]

You can earn app �6,000 before you have to pay tax and you haven't earnt enough to pay NI.

[lulu_bucket]

Thanks for that. I will be working until the end of Sept so WHEN will NI start being deducted and how much? Thanks.

[buildersmate]

The threshold is known as the Primary Threshold. In the current tax year it is set at �110 per week. It is pro-rata'd for monthly pay. If your earnings in any one week goes above the PT, you will pay NI at a rate of 11% on earnings above this figure.
In your situation, I'd do my damdest to try and keep my earnings structured to be below the limit, if it is running close to �110. You won't get credit for the whole year as a full Contribution Year (one of 30 you need to accrue a full pension by age of 65 - though who knows what rule changes there might be before then) unless you earn around �5700 over the whole year.
Otherwise, it's money down the drain - well technically into HMG coffers - but the two are broadly similar.

[TCL-MUMPING]

buildersmate you do NOT need to pay National Insurance (NI) Contributions for it to be a "contribution year".

For a year to count as a Qualifying Year for state benefit, a person needs to have had earnings or NI Credits equal to 52 X Lower Earnings Limit (LEL.) In this tax year, 2009/10, the LEL is �95 so a person need earn only �3380 for that year to count toward benefits.

The money will, therefore, NOT be "down the drain".