National insurance

Table of Contents

Employees

Government employees

The following contribution rates apply to persons of working age who are employed by the government. They are deducted from an employee's salary up to the insurable earnings ceiling.

For employees of state-owned enterprises and statutory corporations, see non-government employees.

	Permanent	Temporary
National Insurance	6.20%	6.75%
Non-Contributory	2.00%	2.00%
Unemployment	—	0.75%
Training Levy	0.50%	0.50%
Catastrophe Fund	0.10%	0.10%
Health Service Contribution	1.00%	1.00%
Total	9.80%	11.1%

Non-government employees

The following contribution rates apply to persons of working age who are employed in the private sector, or at a state-owned enterprise or statutory corporation. They are deducted from an employee's salary up to the insurable earnings ceiling.

	Rate
National Insurance	6.75%
Non-Contributory	2.00%
Unemployment	0.75%
Training Levy	0.50%
Catastrophe Fund	0.10%
Health Service Contribution	1.00%
Total	11.1%

Over pensionable age employees

The following contribution rates apply to employees of pensionable age. They are deducted from an employee's salary up to the insurable earnings ceiling.

	Rate
Training Levy	0.50%
Catastrophe Fund	0.10%
Total	0.60%

Self-employed individuals

Persons who are self-employed are required to contribute a minimum of BBD $1,200 a year, regardless of their income level. ^[1] Additional contributions can be paid during a contribution year, if desired. Any benefits derived from the National Insurance and Social Security Service are based on the contributions paid.

In any case where the contributions paid for a given contribution year by a self-employed individual exceeds the maximum that can be paid based on the insurable earnings ceiling, the excess contributions are credited to the following year.

Self-employed individuals are required to remit contributions to the National Insurance and Social Security Service by the 15th day of January of the following year. For example, contributions payable for 2024 must be paid by January 15th, 2025. Contributions can be paid before the deadline at any time during the year and in multiple instalments.

The National Insurance and Social Security Service categorises the contributions according to the following schedule:

	Rate
National Insurance	13.5%
Non-Contributory	2.00%
Training Levy	0.50%
Catastrophe Fund	0.10%
Health Service Contribution	1.00%
Total	17.1%

Employers

Government employers

The following contribution rates apply to employers at a government ministry or department, and are based on the employee's salary up to the insurable earnings ceiling.

	Working age	Pension age
National Insurance	6.20%	—
Non-Contributory	2.00%	—
Employment Injury	0.75%	0.75%
Training Levy	0.50%	0.50%
Health Service Contribution	1.50%	—
Total	10.95%	1.25%

Non-government employers

The following contribution rates apply to employers at private sector companies, state-owned enterprises and statutory corporations, and are based on the employee's salary up to the insurable earnings ceiling.

	Working age	Pension age
National Insurance	6.75%	—
Non-Contributory	2.00%	—
Unemployment	0.75%	—
Employment Injury	0.75%	0.75%
Severance	0.50%	—
Training Levy	0.50%	0.50%
Catastrophe Fund	—	—
Health Service Contribution	1.50%	—
Total	12.75%	1.25%

Insurable earnings ceiling

The insurable earnings ceiling represents the maximum portion of a person's salary on which national insurance is payable.

National insurance contributions are paid on the portion of a person's salary or income up to the insurance earnings ceiling. No contributions are payable on any amount in excess thereof. Any benefits derived from the National Insurance and Social Security Service are calculated as a percentage of the salary or income up to the insurable earnings ceiling.

For self-employed individuals, their income level is determined from the contributions paid. For example, if a self-employed person contributes BBD $1,200 a year, this would be treated for national insurance purposes as an annual income of approximately BBD $7,017.

	Weekly	Monthly
2024	$1,201	$5,200
2023	$1,182	$5,120
2022	$1,126	$4,880
2021	$1,126	$4,880
2020	$1,126	$4,880

Benefits

Unemployment benefit

If a person is employed and loses their job, they may be eligible for unemployment benefit if—

• they were employed for at least 52 weeks (one year); and
• at least 7 weeks' contributions were paid or credited in the relevant quarter; and
• at least 20 weeks' contributions were paid or credited in the three consecutive quarters leading up to and including the relevant quarter.

The "relevant quarter" refers to the quarter being two quarters before the quarter in which unemployment commenced. For example, if a person becomes unemployed on December 31st, this would fall into the fourth quarter which starts in October and ends in December. Therefore, the relevant quarter would be the second quarter which starts in April and ends in June.

Government employees and self-employed individuals are not eligible for unemployment benefit. Only employees of private companies, state-owned enterprises and statutory corporations can apply. However, a person who undertakes work on a self-employed basis but is also employed may be eligible for unemployment benefit if they cease to be so employed. Any benefit awarded will be based on the contributions in connection with that employment and not in connection with any self-employment.

The daily rate of unemployment benefit is calculated at 60% of the person's average weekly salary up to the insurable earnings ceiling, divided by six. For example, if the average weekly salary is BBD $900, the daily benefit rate would be approximately BBD $90.

The first three days of a period of unemployment are treated as waiting days. Unemployment benefit is not payable for these days unless the period of unemployment lasts for two weeks or more. ^[2]

If an employee voluntarily resigns from their position, or is terminated by their employer for misconduct, they will be disqualified from unemployment benefit for up to six weeks from the date on which employment ceased. ^[3]

Persons who need to apply for unemployment benefit must do so within two weeks of termination whether or not a Termination Certificate has been provided by the employer. Failure to apply in time may result in a partial or complete loss of unemployment benefit.