P60 Earnings at the LEL, PT and above — National Insurance earnings bands
Your earnings split across NI thresholds — Lower Earnings Limit (LEL), Primary Threshold (PT), and above. Determines contribution credit for State Pension.
At a glance
- Entry
- National Insurance earnings bands
- Feeds to
- Your NI record (used for State Pension qualifying years). Not reported on Self Assessment.
- Check against
- Sum across the tax year of earnings at each NI threshold — matches the NI lines on each payslip.
What this means
The P60 breaks out NI-able earnings into bands at the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL), Primary Threshold (PT), and Upper Earnings Limit (UEL) — all indexed annually by HMRC. You pay employee NI at the main rate between PT and UEL, and a lower rate above UEL.
The LEL figure matters even if you pay no NI: earnings at or above the LEL for any week count as a qualifying week toward State Pension. You need 35 qualifying years for the full new State Pension (as of 2025/26).
Implications for your tax
- LEL earnings (even if below PT) give you State Pension qualifying weeks — valuable if you work part-time.
- Employee NI contributions (from PT upward) count as National Insurance paid — feeds your NI record on the HMRC website.
- Above the UEL, NI drops to 2% — this is the only progressive element of employee NI.
Common pitfalls
- Benefits in kind (company car, private medical) mostly do not attract Class 1 NI but do attract Class 1A (paid by employer, separate).
- Directors have an annual NI calculation method — their P60 may show NI-able earnings different from a straight weekly/monthly sum.
- If the LEL figure is zero but you worked the whole year, something is wrong with how your employer reported you.
For 2025-26 (tax year 6 April to 5 April)
- Class 1 NI thresholds
- PT £12,570 · UEL £50,270
- Employee NI: 8% on earnings PT → UEL, then 2% above UEL (no cap). Below PT: 0%.
Values sourced from central tax-year config at build time — update automatically on FY rollover.
FAQ
What does the P60 Earnings at the LEL, PT and above mean?
Where does P60 Earnings at the LEL, PT and above go on my tax return?
Related P60 entries
Employee's contributions — Your National Insurance contributions paid
Total Class 1 National Insurance your employer deducted from your pay — the main employee rate between the Primary Threshold and Upper Earnings Limit, with a lower rate above the UEL.
Pay: In this employment — Pay in this employment (current job)
Your total taxable pay in this employment for the tax year (6 April to 5 April). If you started this job mid-year, it covers only what this employer paid you.
Pay: In previous employment(s) — Pay from previous employer(s) this year
Your taxable pay from any earlier employer in the same tax year, as transferred to this employer via your P45 Parts 2 and 3.
Pay: Total for year — Total pay for the tax year
The sum of current and previous employment pay — the headline figure HMRC uses for your annual income tax calculation.
Leaving a job instead? The equivalent leaver's figures are on your P45 — see the P45 Box Guide.
Reconciling your pay? Use the take-home pay calculator to verify PAYE and NI on any salary for 2025/26 or 2026/27, and the tax code checker to decode your final tax code.
Sources
P60 structure per HMRC PAYE forms guidance. Thresholds and rates current for 2025/26 (tax year 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026); 2026/27 figures included where published.
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UK Tax Brackets & Bands Reference
Every income tax band and rate for England/Wales/NI and Scotland, both tax years.
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