The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) introduced mobile phone payment system for membership renewal and premium payment in Ghana. This option is expected to improve the traditional method of membership renewal and premium payment which requires queueing at the NHIS office.
Logistic regression analysis shows that variables representing urban (KMA), education -basic, secondary and tertiary, and informal and formal employees are significant predictors of the patronage of the mobile phone based NHIS payment system in Ghana.
What to do if you don’t have your NI number
If you want to work in the UK, it’s essential to get your National Insurance number as soon as possible. Having an NI number means that the tax and National Insurance contributions you pay are recorded correctly and linked to your identity.
The quickest and easiest way to get your NI number is to apply online. You will need to provide proof of identity documents (passport, driving licence, birth certificate) to complete the application. Once you’ve completed the application, it can take up to 16 working days to receive your NI number.
Once you’ve received your NI number, it’s important to keep it with you at all times. Your employer will need to know it, and you may also be asked for it when applying for other services like a bank account. Your NI number will be on any official documents you receive from HMRC – such as payslips, P60s, letters about tax, pensions and benefits.
Beware of any companies that offer to get your NI number faster for a fee. It’s free to apply for an NI number, and it will only be sent to you once your application has been processed. If you have questions about how long it will take to get your NI number, contact the HM Revenue and Customs helpline. They will be able to tell you whether your application is likely to be successful.
What to do if you’ve paid more National Insurance than your record shows
National Insurance (NI) is a type of tax that pays for some state benefits for workers and their families. This includes the State Pension and support for people who are ill or caring for someone. You pay NI through your wages if you’re an employee or self-employed person. It’s usually deducted from your income by your employer before you get paid. You’ll find details on your payslip. Self-employed people pay Class 2 contributions at a flat weekly rate and Class 4 contributions annually, based on their level of taxable profits.
You may be able to pay voluntary NIC to fill gaps in your NI record. These contributions do not count towards your State Pension but can help you qualify for certain contributory state benefits if you need them. You can make payments through the Self Assessment process or via your PAYE code. HMRC will usually only accept repayments over a period of three years but in special circumstances they may agree to a different time frame with you.
You need to have 35 qualifying years in your NI record to receive the full State Pension. If you haven’t made enough payments to qualify, you can top up your NI record by paying Class 3 voluntary contributions. However, the maximum you can pay is £1,200 a year and these won’t necessarily boost your State Pension.
What to do if you’re a non-UK resident
If you live abroad and work for a UK-based company, it can be difficult to open a business bank account in the UK. This is because of the extensive identity and anti-money laundering checks that businesses are required to undertake when applying for a new account.
This isn’t always a problem for residents of the UK but it can cause issues for non-UK residents. It is also important to consider your UK residency status because it affects whether or not you pay tax in the UK on your income from overseas. Residents generally pay tax on their UK income regardless of where it comes from but non-residents pay only on income that is from the UK.
The test to determine UK residency is a complicated one and the result can depend on individual circumstances. Normally, if you are in the UK for 183 days or more in a tax year, you will be considered a resident of the UK for that year in most cases. However, there are exceptions to this rule including those who have been in the UK for coronavirus-related reasons, those travelling between countries and those with exceptional circumstances that prevent them leaving the UK.
It is also possible to receive split year treatment where a client leaves the UK to take up full-time employment in another country. This allows the client to split the tax year into two parts – a resident part and a non-resident part – which means they pay UK tax only on income that is from the UK during the resident part of the tax year.
What to do if you’re unsure about your NI number
There are lots of ways you can check your NI number, but the best way is through your online Personal Tax Account or the HMRC app. If you’re not already registered for these, make sure you do so before trying to find your NI number, as you’ll need to answer some security questions first.
You may also be able to find your NI number on old payslips, P60s or official letters about tax, pensions or benefits. You can also write to HMRC if you have any queries about your NI, using this address. You don’t need to include a street name, city name or postcode, but you should use a different address for couriers to ensure that your letter isn’t lost.
If you haven’t paid enough National Insurance, HMRC will write to you to explain why and give you a deadline for paying the difference. They’ll also let you know what your NI payments have been for the past year and how much you owe.
Remember, it’s not just employees who pay National Insurance contributions – self-employed people and employers do too, as well as anyone who makes voluntary contributions (such as people over the State pension age who top up their NI). The sooner you find out your NI number, the better. It’ll help you keep track of what you’ve paid and make the most of any entitlements you’re entitled to. ביטוח לאומי טלפון