Who is obligated to pay National Insurance Contributions?

National Insurance is essentially the UK's version of social security. It's a contribution you make that goes towards funding various state benefits, like the NHS, unemployment benefits, and the state pension when you retire. The system was introduced in 1911, initially just for certain workers, but it's evolved over the years to cover almost everyone. The key thing to remember is that it's tied to your employment status, not your age, marital status, or whether you have dependents. If you're earning above a certain threshold through paid work in the UK, you're legally obligated to pay National Insurance contributions, regardless of whether you're 20, 50, or 70. The other options are incorrect because they introduce arbitrary restrictions that simply aren't part of the National Insurance system. It's designed to be a broad-based contribution from the working population.