National Insurance Number
June 24, 2018
Here are some cherry blossom trees.
We are going to need them.
What is a National Insurance Number?
Good question.
I don’t know that we really have the equivalent in Australia. Of course, we may, and it might just be one of those things that happened automatically so I’ve never had to be aware of it, but still. I think it’s probably more like a Social Security number in the US, but don’t quote me. Contributions to National Insurance appear to go towards pension and maternity leave, things like that.
Long story short – you need to get one.
You will need a National Insurance (NI) number to register for most employment accounting, such as self-employed or Limited Company set up. You do not need a NI number in order to start work, which is just as well, because, as you’ll see below, it can take a while to get it sorted…
Here is what will happen when you try to set up a national insurance number;
1. Being a member of Generation Google, you will probably search online for what to do, which will turn up https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number
2. From here, you will call the listed number - 0800 141 2075 - go through the menu items, and be placed on hold
3. You will continue to hold for anywhere from 15 minutes to nearly an hour (my personal record)
4. Once you do speak to someone, they will ask you why you are applying for a NI number, and ask you to provide information such as your full name, your passport and visa details, and your current and/or mailing address.
5. You will be given a reference number - WRITE THIS DOWN - and told that the application pack will be sent out in 7-10 working days.
6. You will also be given a number to call if the pack doesn’t arrive within the given timeframe.
a. If this is a 03456 number - this number is no longer in use, even though it’s apparently sometimes still given out
b. If this is 0800 141 2079 - this number didn’t work for me on multiple occasions: it spontaneously hung itself up before I was able to make any choices or speak to anyone
c. NB: if your pack doesn’t arrive, my advice is to call the same number that you did the first time and beg for help from the people there. Chances are they’re the only ones you’ll be able to get into contact with anyway.
d. NB to the NB: if your pack STILL doesn’t arrive, you call back yet again, find out that an internal error was made and it was never sent in the first place, and have them send it to your new address, because by now you have actually sorted yourself out enough to move.
7. You need to complete the application and send it back as soon as possible, as it can take up to 6 weeks for a NI number to be issued.
a. NB: it has been reported that some banks may accept the cover letter of your NI application pack as proof of address. The author has yet to see this in action. Most banks ask for a completed letter including your allocated NI number.
8. You may need to go in for an interview to get your NI number sorted. In which case, they should contact you to set something up. I didn’t end up needing to, I just received a letter with my number a few weeks after I sent in the completed pack.
Whew! And another one bites the dust! How are we feeling? Everyone okay? Hang in, we’re nearly at the end, guys. We can do it!
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