What Is a National Insurance Number? (Overview)

Registering for a personal tax return account will help you keep your National Insurance number safe. You can log into your personal tax account to find out what your National Insurance number is, how much you owe in taxes, and where to pay your bill.

Your National Insurance number is important, so don’t lose it!

When you need a Social Security Number

A National Insurance number is needed if you want to work in the UK or are planning to do so. If you’re already working in the UK, you’ll probably need one anyway. And it doesn’t matter whether you live in the UK or abroad – you can still get one.

You don’t need a National Insurnace Number to apply to the European Settlement Scheme. In fact, you don’t even need to fill out the form yourself. There are several companies offering to help you complete the application process.

When you can get a Social Security Number

If you’re looking for a National Insurance number, it could take weeks or even months before you find one. And once you do, you might not qualify for it. Here are some things you need to know about the process.

What Is A National Insurance Number?

A National Insurance number is given to people who work in certain professions. They include teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, and many others. If you’ve ever had a job where you needed a national insurance number, such as a teacher, you already have one.

You Can Get One For Free

The government gives out free numbers to those who meet certain criteria. These include having paid income tax in the UK for three years, being self-employed for five years, or working for charity for six years. However, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get a number.

How To Find Out If You’re Eligible

This site tells you whether you’re eligible based on your current employment status and how long you’ve been paying taxes.

If you live in the UK and are under 19

A Child Benefit claim is a type of tax benefit that allows working families to reclaim some of the cost of raising children.

(UK residents) If you’ve been living in the UK since birth, you don’t qualify for a National Insurance Number (NI number). You need to live here for 3 months to qualify.

(parents/guardians) For most people, the parent who fills out the Child Benefit Claim Form is the person entitled to the payment. However, there are exceptions. In certain cases, the father might be entitled to part of the payment. This depends on whether he has parental responsibility for the child.

If you have a biometric resident permit (BRP)

A BRP is an identity card issued to non-European Union citizens who want to live and work in the UK without paying national insurance contributions. If you are eligible for one, it replaces your existing visa or residency permit.

To qualify for a BRP you must prove that you meet certain conditions. These include proving that you have lived in the UK for five consecutive years or more; providing evidence of nationality, such as a valid passport or other official documents; and submitting proof of address.

You must apply for a BRP within three months of arriving in the UK. Once approved, you can use it immediately.

The Home Office says that applications take about four weeks to process.

If you want to get benefits or a student loan, you need to fill out a form.

The Government wants students to be able to access loans without having to prove their identity. But it doesn’t want anyone else to know what their NI Number is. So it’s asking people to stop giving theirs away.

Students who don’t have an National Insurance Number (NI Number) cannot claim any financial support. They are also unable to use public transport, shop online or open bank accounts.

But there’s no reason why you shouldn’t give out your NI Number unless you want to. And there’s no reason why anyone needs to know it.

So how do we decide whether we should keep our NI Number secret?

If you have lost your National Insurance Number

To find out if you have lost your NI Number, you must contact your local job centre. You can do this by contacting your local Job Centre Plus office. They are usually open Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm, although some offices may close earlier during lunchtime.

If you don’t know where your NI Number came from, you should contact your nearest Jobcentre Plus office. They will be able to tell you what your NI Number looks likes and how to get a replacement.

If you lose your NI Number you can apply for a new one online or by post, depending on whether you want to keep your old NI Number or start again.

Eligibility to apply for a National Insurance Number

You can apply for a National Insurance number if you live in the United Kingdom. If you are 18 or over, you can apply for a NI number online. There are no forms to fill out, just some questions about your circumstances.

If you do not qualify for a NI number, there are ways around it. For example, if you are self-employed, you might be able to use your employer’s NI number instead. Or, if you work part-time, you could switch to working full-time and take advantage of the government’s Working Tax Credit scheme.

How to apply

The government has launched a new online application system for National Insurance Numbers. You can now apply for a NI Number via the gov.uk/ni-applications site. This replaces the previous paper-based process. If you’re already registered for a NI Number, you’ll receive an email telling you about the changes.

Textphone calls are charged at £0.05 per call plus your network charge. Calls to 0844 numbers cost no extra.

If you’ve got questions, check out our guide here.

What you need

Norway wants to make it easier for foreigners to become Norwegian citizens. To do so, applicants must prove their identity and show that they are able to support themselves financially. Applicants can apply online and pay the application fee via bank transfer. They can choose either a personal account or a corporate account. If they want to use a credit card, they must register it with the police.

The applicant must submit several documents including a passport photo, utility bill, tax return, bank statement, and a certificate showing that he/she owns property. There is no limit to how many times someone can apply.

Applicants must be 18 or older and live in Norway for at least three months out of every 12 consecutive months. This requirement does not apply to those who already hold permanent residence status.

Prove your identity

The government wants proof of who we are before granting us access to sensitive data. And it seems like there’s no way around it. We’re talking about our passports here. If you want to travel abroad, you’ll need to prove who you are. You’ll need to show your passport. But what happens if you lose your passport? Or if someone steals it? What happens if you forget your password?

If you’re trying to apply for a job, you’ll probably need to provide some form of identification. So how do you prove who you are? Well, according to the Australian Government, you could just take a photo of yourself holding up your ID card. This is because the government wants to make sure that the person applying for the job isn’t impersonating another person.

But wait… there’s more. There’s also a risk of people posting those photos online. They might even put your name on it. Because the government doesn’t want anyone else claiming to be you.

So, what does the government suggest? Well, it suggests taking a selfie. Yes, a selfie. Just hold up your phone and snap one. Then upload it to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. and let everyone know where you got it from.

And while you’re doing that, why don’t you add a comment saying something along the lines of “I’m really sorry I lost my passport. I hope I didn’t screw anything up.”

You see, it’s important to remember that the government won’t grant you access to sensitive information unless it knows who you are. So, if you’re worried about being identified, you’d better be careful what you say.

Apply online

The UK government has launched a new application process for people wanting to buy a home. From April 12th, anyone looking to purchase a property will now be able to apply online. This includes those who are self-employed, students and those who have been living abroad. Applicants will still need to provide proof of income and savings, however, they will no longer need to show their passport or pay upfront fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has to know my National Insurance number?

The following people may need to access your National Insurance Number (NINO). If you are asked for it by one of these organizations, you must provide it. You don’t need to worry about giving out your NINO to anyone else. However, you do need to make sure that the person asking for it knows what he/she is doing. This list includes some of the most common organisations that ask for your NINO.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) – They use your NINO to check whether you are eligible for benefits such as tax credits, child benefit and housing support.

Employers and Pension Providers – These companies usually require employees to give their NINOs when applying for jobs or pensions.

Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) – Your NINO is used to confirm eligibility for Employment Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance and Universal Credit.

Local Councils – Some councils use your NINO to verify your entitlement to local government services.

Student Loan Company – Your NINO is required to claim student loans.

What do I do if I lose or forget my National Insurance number?

If you lose or forget your NINO, you may be able to recover it from official documents such as payslips, tax returns, or a PAYE code notice. You could also try asking HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to confirm it by: completing form CA5403 ‘Your national insurance number’ and sending it to HMRC, or contacting the National Insurance numbers helplines in each part of the UK if you live there. However, HMRC will not give out the NINO over the phone.