What is the employer NI cost for a Cardiff employee?
At the average Cardiff salary of £29,000, employer NI for 2026/27 is approximately £3,600/year — 15% of earnings above the £5,000 secondary threshold. Adding minimum pension of £682 and typical overheads of £2,500, total employer cost is approximately £35,782/year.
Is employer NI different in Cardiff compared to the rest of the UK?
No. Employer National Insurance is a UK-wide tax. The rate (15%) and the secondary threshold (£5,000/year) are identical for all employers in Wales, and across the whole of the UK. Only the salary level affects the total NI bill — so Cardiff employers pay more NI per head only if their average salary is higher than the national average.
What is the minimum wage cost for a Cardiff employer in 2026/27?
The National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.21/hr for 2026/27. At 37.5 hours per week, annual salary is approximately £23,810. Employer NI on £23,810 is approximately £2,822 and pension approximately £527 — total employer cost at NLW is approximately £27,159/year before overheads. The Real Living Wage (£12.60/hr, Living Wage Foundation) is voluntarily adopted by many accredited Cardiff employers — above the statutory NLW of £12.21/hr.
What does Employment Allowance mean for my NI bill?
Eligible employers can claim up to £10,500 of Employment Allowance per year to offset their employer NI bill in 2026/27. Most limited companies with at least one employee who is not the sole director qualify. For a small Cardiff employer with a £29,000 salary, Employment Allowance could eliminate all employer NI in the year.
How much does it cost to employ someone at £25,000 in Cardiff?
At £25,000 salary: employer NI = £3,000, pension = £562. Total statutory employer cost: approximately £28,562/year. At £50,000: employer NI = £6,750, pension = £1,312, total = approximately £58,062/year.