Updated on: October 1, 2025
Currency
British Pound Sterling (GBP)
Employer Taxes
Total: 18.5% 15% (NI) + 3% (pension) + 0.5% (Apprenticeship Levy)
Payroll Frequency
Monthly or Biweekly
Employee Taxes
N/A
Language
English
Date Format
DD/MM/YYYY
Northern Ireland by the Numbers
1.9 million
Population
GBP 50 billion (part of UK)
GDP
8
National Holidays
N/A
Hiring Difficulty Score
Weekly Working Hours
National Holidays
Leave
Employees are entitled to various types of leave, including holiday leave, sick leave, maternity leave, and paternity leave.
Employment Contracts
Employers are required to provide a written key terms statement, agreed upon by both parties, within one month of the employee commencing employment. Additionally, a written employment contract is mandatory for full-time, part-time, temporary, and fixed-term employment arrangements.
Types of Employment
Employees, temporary agency workers, and independent contractors are all recognized types of employment.
Employment Costs
Total: 18.5% 15% (NI) + 3% (pension) + 0.5% (Apprenticeship Levy)
IC Class Factors
A status assessment is multi-faceted and dependent upon a number factors and a totality approach is required in order to determine the outcome. Prevalent considerations include (but are not limited to) an analysis of the degree of control, subordination, exclusivity, economic risk of individual, integration into the organisation, subcontracting of work and the right to substitution.
Labor Leasing
Temporary worker placement does not require a labor leasing licensing.
Minimum Wage Requirements
The minimum wage is £12.21 GBP per hour.
Medical Benefits
Probationary Periods
The probationary period is typically 6 months long.
Termination Notice
Upon termination, employees are entitled to a notice period of one week for each continuous year of employment, with a minimum of one week and a maximum of 12 weeks.
Severance
Employees may be entitled to severance pay calculated as 1.5 weeks of pay for each year of service, depending on their age, with a maximum of 20 years of service considered. Additionally, compensation for loss of office, typically equivalent to three to twelve months’ salary, may be payable if proper termination procedures are not followed.
Pre-hire Checks
Pre-employment checks may include immigration or right-to-work verification, credit checks (if justified by the role and with the employee’s consent), and criminal record checks (if relevant to the position). Pregnancy tests are prohibited by law, while health screenings are permitted only under limited circumstances.
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