Arriving through the letterbox just before your 16th birthday, your National Insurance number is considered one of the first rites of passage on the journey to adulthood.
The number – a seemingly random collection of letters and numbers – stays with you throughout the course of your life. And while the government stopped issuing National Insurance number cards to adults in 2011 — sending a letter in the mail instead — the importance of the number remains the same.
In fact, it can even inform your benefit payments for anything from universal credit to state pension.
What is a National Insurance number?
Your National Insurance number, sometimes called a NINo or NI number, is a unique identifier used for various administrative purposes.
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The number is exclusive to you and remains the same throughout your life.
It consists of two letters, six digits, and one final letter (e.g. AB123456C).
Your number is used for several things, including:
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It confirms your right to work in the UK and is used by employers for payroll purposes
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The government uses it to record your National Insurance contributions and tax payments
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It’s linked to your entitlements for state benefits and pensions
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It’s also used in for the likes of tax, banking, social welfare, and electoral registration
Are the numbers and letters random?
Not all of them. The last two digits of your National Insurance number have a specific meaning in relation to benefits. Since 2009, these digits have determined the day of the week on which benefits like universal credit and state pension are paid, and when unemployed claimants need to attend their Jobcentre to sign on.
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It works as follows:
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00 to 19: Benefits payable on Monday
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20 to 39: Benefits payable on Tuesday
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40 to 59: Benefits payable on Wednesday
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60 to 79: Benefits payable on Thursday
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80 to 99: Benefits payable on Friday
This system helps to distribute benefit payments and Jobcentre appointments throughout the week, potentially reducing congestion and improving efficiency in the administration of social security benefits.
The first two letters are allocated to each new series of NI number – at the moment, the DWP is issuing new numbers with prefixes starting with P and S.
All prefixes are valid except:
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The characters D, F, I, Q, U, and V are not used as either the first or second letter of a NI prefix
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The letter O is not used as the second letter of a prefix
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Prefixes BG, GB, KN, NK, NT, TN and ZZ are not used
The suffix dates back to when contributions were recorded on cards that were returned annually, staggered throughout the tax year. “A” meant the card was to be returned in March; “B” in June; “C” in September; and “D” in December. Although contribution cards are no longer used, the suffix has remained an integral part of the NINO.
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Some prefixes are specific to certain parts of the country — and its crown dependencies. For example, JY is used for Jersey, MN is used for residents in the Isle of Man, and BT is used in Northern Ireland.
There are also “administrative numbers” that are sometimes used. For example, the prefix OO is used for temporarily administering Tax Credits where no number is held at the start of the tax credit claim. PP was used in past pension scheme reporting. A full list can be found here.
What do you do if you lose your number?
If you lose your National Insurance number, there’s a few ways to track it down.
First off, you can log into your personal tax account, where it is listed. You can even download the HMRC app and grab it there.
Got a few old pay stubs that you can take a look at? You can usually find it listed on those. Any P60s, pension letters or mail from HMRC will have it too.
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You can also request a reminder letter from HMRC.
To do so via post, you can fill in this form online, then print and post it to the address listed.
You can also call the National Insurance numbers helpline to request it at 0300 200 3500.
HMRC will not provide your National Insurance number over the phone for security reasons. They will always send it by post.
With that in mind, it’s really important to not share your National Insurance number in case it falls into the wrong hands and is used for identity fraud.
It does not cost anything to request your National Insurance number — so be wary of anyone who asks for money in exchange for it.
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