Guidance

Share fisherman:fisher: Income Tax and National Insurance contributions

How Income Tax and National Insurance contributions rules work if you’re a share fisherman.fisher.

From:
HM Revenue & Customs
Published
25 September 2014
Last updated
822 FebruaryMarch 2024 — See all updates

You’re a share fishermanfisher if you work in the fishing industry and you:

  • are not employed under a contract of service
  • are a master or a crew member of a British fishing boat manned by more than one person
  • get all or part of your pay by sharing the profits or gross earnings of the fishing boat

You may also count as a share fishermanfisher if you used to work on a British fishing boat, but now work ashore in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). This could be making and mending gear, or any other work for a British fishing boat.

FishermenFishers employed under a contract of service are not share fishermen.fishers.

Register as self-employed

A share fishermanfisher is classed as self-employed. You must register for Self Assessment as self-employed by the 5 October after you’vethe startedend fishing.of the tax year you began to be a share fisher.

Fill in a Self Assessment tax return

You must fill in a Self Assessment tax return each year so you can declare all your income from any source, for example:

  • self-employment
  • employment
  • Jobseeker’s Allowance

You can also claim for any business expenses on your tax return.

You must keep business records to support information you put in your tax return.

Do not record any tax that has been deducted by your settling agent on your tax return.

Complete a 46Gfees Shareand Fishermencommissions return— ifstatutory younotice are(FAC-01) if you’re a boat owner

OnceIf you’reyou registeredare asa self-employedfishing andboat registeredowner, with the Maritime Coastguard Agency, HMRC will will send you a S23Schedule letter23 andnotice format 46G.the beginning of each tax year.

TheIn S23April tells2024, youSchedule about23 thenotices detailswill yoube needissued for the 2022 to send2023 and 2023 to us.2024 Thistax years.

The Schedule 23 notice will tell you: 

HMRCBy arelaw, reviewingyou themust S23send processHMRC foryour boatinformation owners.using Wethe fees haveand notcommission yet— sentstatutory outnotice (FAC-01). S23The lettersFAC-01 formust have the 2022information toasked 2023for taxin year.the

We’llSchedule issue23 anotice. 

You S23will letterneed to boatsend ownersthe in April 2024. This letter will request information forby taxthe yearsdate 2022specified toon 2023the andSchedule 202323 tonotice. 2024. 

OnceRead you’vemore completedinformation formon 46G,how sendto itcomplete bya email to: sharefishermennationaladminteamisbc@hmrc.gov.ukreturn.. 

The share fishermanfishers in your crew need to include the details of these amounts on the self-employment supplementary page of their Self Assessment tax return.return. 

For more information, you can contact us by:by: 

Paying Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance contributions

When you register as self-employed, you are also registering to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions. Depending on your profits you may also need to pay Class 4 National Insurance contributions.

As a share fisherman,fisher, you pay a special rate of Class 2 National Insurance contributionscontributions. whichThis counts towards Jobseeker’s Allowance, as well as the the normal benefits Class 2 National Insurance contributions count towards.

You will usually pay Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance contributions through Self Assessment.

You must pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions if your profits are above the Lower Profits Threshold.

If your profits are below the Small Profits Threshold, you can can pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions voluntarily to to qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance and the normal benefits Class 2 National Insurance contributions count towards.

If your profits are between the Small Profits Threshold and the Lower Profits Threshold you will not need to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions,contributions. yourYour contributions are treated as having been paid to protect your entitlement to State Pension and certain benefits.

You can check the Small Profits Threshold, Lower Profits Threshold and the special rate of Class 2 National Insurance contributions for share fishermen,fishers, for current and previous years.

Claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance

If your Jobseeker’s Allowance claim date is between the first Sunday in January and 31 January, you will need to pay all the Class 2 National Insurance contributionscontributions. askedYou forwill need to do this in your Self Assessment tax return as soon as you can, if you have not done so already.

You must pay pay HMRC these these National Insurance contributions by 31 January. If you do not, there might be a delay in getting your Jobseeker’s Allowance.

If you can only pay your Class 2 National Insurance and owe owe HMRC any any other money, money, contact us first first before making the payment. We will normally apply payments to your oldest debts first.

Making it easier for you to pay your next tax bill

You can set up a Budget Payment Plan if you want to make regular monthly or weekly payments towards your next Self Assessment tax bill.

Published 25 September 2014
Last updated 822 FebruaryMarch 2024 + show all updates

  1. Information for boat owners who receive a Schedule 23 notice has been updated to tell you what form must be completed and when Schedule 23 notices are sent out.

  2. The register as self-employed section has been updated to advise you need to register by 5 October.

  3. Information has been added about S23 letters in the 'Fill in a Self Assessment tax return' section.

  4. Information has been added about Class 2 National Insurance contributions if your profits are between the Small Profits Threshold and the Lower Profits Threshold.

  5. A new section on 'Making it easier for you to pay your next tax bill' including details on Budget Payment Plans, and more information to help you complete a 46G Share Fishermen return if you're a boat owner have been added.

  6. The Class 2 National Insurance rates have been updated for 2022 to 2023.

  7. Rates have been updated for tax year 2021 to 2022.

  8. We have added guidance on how to send share fishermen returns for 2019/20.

  9. Rates, allowances and duties have been updated for tax year 2020 to 2021.

  10. Rates have been updated for the tax year 2017 to 2018.

  11. Rates, allowances and duties have been updated for the tax year 2016 to 2017.

  12. First published.

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