Your National Insurance number is a personal reference that follows you through life. You need it to claim benefits like Universal Credit, to start a new job and to sort out your tax. If you have lost it, do not worry, because it is usually quick to find again.
Check your own paperwork first
The fastest way is to look at documents you already have. Your number appears on:
- •Payslips from a current or past job.
- •Your P60 end of year tax summary.
- •Letters from HM Revenue and Customs about tax, benefits or your pension.
- •Your personal tax account if you have one set up online.
Use the HMRC app or website
You can find your number online through your personal tax account or the free HMRC app on gov.uk. Once you sign in and confirm your identity, you can view your number straight away and even save a copy to your phone.
Ask for it by post
If you cannot find it online, you can ask HMRC to send a reminder by post. It arrives within about two weeks and goes to the address they hold for you, so make sure your details are up to date.
If you have never had one
If you have never been given a National Insurance number, for example because you have recently arrived in the UK, you will need to apply for one before you can work. You can start that application on gov.uk. A support worker can help you gather the identity documents you need.
Keep it safe
Once you have your number, store it somewhere secure and private. Never share it in reply to a random text or email, because scammers use it to commit fraud. Only give it to your employer, the Jobcentre, HMRC or your housing provider when they genuinely need it.