If you landed to this website is because you are thinking about moving to London or to any other city in England to find a job and one of the first points in your 'to do list' is how can you get all the documents you will need to get an interview and, therefore, a job in the UK. First of all you will need to apply for the National Insurance Number (NI) a very important number to get because it is a compulsory document to work in the UK. Also, once you will get it, keep it safe!
In this post we will guide you to how to apply for the National Insurance Number (NIN) bit by bit, step by step.
The NIN number is a personal number that will be used to identify yourself, be able to have the right to work and enjoy the public healthcare and, in the future, it will allow you to collect a pension. It is a legal requirement to work in the UK and all companies will ask you to provide yours.
If you come from Europe, this process is very easy. You just have to call, make an appointment by phone telling them you would like to get the NIN number and then they will tell you to go to your closest Job Center.
Oficially, you should make this call once you are in the country, however in that scenario you would wait around three weeks your NIN number. When I moved to the UK, I received my english sim card while I was still there and I could make that call to ask for the appoinment. I would recommend you to make this call around two weeks before you arrive, therefore you will know the date of your appointment and your search will be very easy and quick.
To have a NIN number will bring you the opportunity to find a job easily and also to be given the correct tax code once you start that job. Therefore, you could be able to start working temporary without having the document.
Nowadays, companies could hire you in the case that you can show that you are elegible to work in the UK. To demonstrate this, you can show your european passport, because with that document it is not needed any other job permission. However, in your new work they will ask you to get your NIN as soon as possible and from that moment until you will get it, they will apply an emergency tax code in your payslip.
Therefore, that can affect your wages and there is a possibility that you will pay the wrong amount of taxes. Once you get it, bring it to your workplace and give it to your manager and they will adjust your tax code for the coming payments.
-0800 141 2075
This phone number is available between 8:00 and 18:00 from Monday to Friday. It is a free cost number so there is some possibilites that you are not able to call from abroad. So, you can try to make the call through Skype.
If that option does not work and you have to use a normal phone, they will be warn you about the cost of that call.
It is now the time to make that call, you will only have to say that you would like to apply for an appoinment to get the NIN number. They will ask your persona details, how long have you been in the UK and why would you like to have the National Insurance Number. The answer for this last question will be 'because I would like to look for a job and I would need the NIN number to work', easy.
They usually ask the same questions and they use the same order for the questions and they may ask you if you need help during your interview if they aknowledge that you are having any troubles understanding the conversation. If you think you will need that help, ask for it without any problem.
Also, you should have with you a piece of paper and a pen to make some notes about the date of your appoinment and the Job Center asignated. You will have to pay attention and if you need them to repeat this information, ask them, it is very important information. They will give you a date that it is usually around two weeks after the call, however, in busy times of the year this date can be delayed until one month.
Once you get your appoinment you will have to go to the Job Center, and it is a very easy process. They will ask you again some of the personal data that you provided during the phone call and you will have to provide them your documents (ID, passport) and I would recommend you to bring a proof of address (it can be your contract or any letter with your name and the address on it, like a bill).
Once you have completed this, you will receive a temporary NIN Number that can be used while you are looking for a job. Afterwards, you will receive your official number in a letter that will arrive to the provided address you give in the interview.