NIN – applying for a National Insurance Number
Your NI number is your own personal number and you keep the same one all your life. Only you can use it. Your NI number is used as a reference number for the whole benefits and tax credits system. It's also used for:
- making tax and National Insurance deductions through Pay As You Earn (PAYE)
- recording your entitlement to the State Pension
- claiming Jobseeker's Allowance
- claiming Housing Benefit
If you need to claim benefit (or if your partner needs to claim benefit for you) you'll have to apply for an NI number if you don't already have one. You can apply if you're aged 16 or over and you live in Great Britain. You can also apply for an NI number if:
- you're starting work
- you're setting up as self-employed
- you're looking for work
- you want to make voluntary NI contributions and would benefit from paying them
How to apply
If you need a NI number to claim benefits this will be done as part of the claim process when you or your partner claim benefit.
The interview will usually be one-to-one (unless, for example, you need an interpreter). The interviewer will ask you questions about your background and circumstances.
The interviewer may also ask you to fill in an application form.