Question about NI & Tax

[DarkShadow]

I've just got this months wage slip and I can honestly say HR at our workplace are next to useless, they've messed up my payment for the past 4 months.

Anyhow just a question regarding NI. I'm a student and I've been doing a bit of over time over the holidays and i've realised that my NI contribution is higher than my tax. Is this normal? I've paid about 5% tax and 6% NI of my of my whole wage, a 9% deduction.

Now looking through my previous wage slips the NI varies . . a lot. Some months it's been double of tax, some on par?

Also when I started working last year I was taxed about £600 and my p60 came through 2 months back and it stated £0. Is there any number I can call? I've asked HR for assistance at work and they haven't been very helpful.

I'd also like to know amongst the students if it has been similar for them?

 

[fuzzy]

Re p60: Did you change your tax code during the year? If you had your tax code corrected (changed probably from BR to 503*) then you would have had the tax refunded during the year.

Re wages: Depends how much you get payed. As I understand it you get a tax allowance for both NI and income tax. The allowance for NI is £97 and income is 106 ish (It is £5225 / year). Now above that you will get taxed at 11% for NI (until £643 ish / week, thereafter 1%) and for income tax, the brackets are as follows:
0-5225 @ 0%
5225 - 7000 ish @ 10%
7000ish to 35000 ish @ 22%
Thereafter at 40%
You can find the exact amounts on HMRC website.

Only a student myself, but my parents are accountants.
Hope that helps.

edit: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/it.htm
Tax allowances