Should you use past tense after never or present?

Answer 1

First of all, the question should be: "Should you use the past or present tense after 'never'?"

The answer is: you can use any tense after 'never'. It depends on what time frame to which you are referring.

Answer 2

You should use the present tense after "never" to indicate that something has not happened up to the current moment. For example: "I never eat meat" or "She never goes to the gym."