UK Recruitment Glossary
National Insurance (NI)
In recruiter context
Most UK employees pay Class 1 NI at 8% on earnings between £242 and £967 per week (2024-25 rates), plus 2% above that. Employers also pay 13.8% NI on most earnings — a hidden cost when negotiating total compensation. Self-employed pay Class 2 (£3.45/week if profits exceed £6,725) and Class 4 (6% on profits £12,570-£50,270, 2% above). NI contributions earn 'qualifying years' for State Pension — 35 years required for full new State Pension. Most employees don't think about NI until they check their pension forecast.
Related terms
Variable Pay
Compensation tied to performance — bonuses, commission, profit share, equity vesting — that varies b…
Job Description (JD)
The official posting that lists role responsibilities, requirements, and sometimes salary.
DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)
An umbrella term for hiring practices that broaden candidate pools and reduce bias.
STAR Method
A structured framework for answering behavioural interview questions: Situation, Task, Action, Resul…