How do I apply for a National Insurance number?

Who is sent one automatically, how the online application works now, and the point most people need most — that you can start work before it arrives.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 8 min
Read: 4 min

Short answer

Most people who grew up in the UK are sent a number before their sixteenth birthday. Everyone else applies online, uploading identity documents and a photograph. You can start work before the number arrives, provided you can prove your right to work. Expect up to four weeks after your identity has been confirmed.

The application moved online and the old telephone route through the Jobcentre has gone. The single most useful fact is that you do not have to wait for the number before starting a job: the employer needs your right to work, not your National Insurance number, and the number can follow.

Step by step

Check whether you already have one.If you lived in the UK as a child and a parent or guardian claimed Child Benefit for you, a number is normally issued in the three months before your sixteenth birthday and sent by letter. Look for that letter, or check a payslip or the HMRC app before applying.
Check whether it is already on your immigration record.Some people are allocated a number as part of their visa. Sign in to your UKVI account and check your eVisa before applying for a new one.
Apply online.Use the GOV.UK application service. There is no telephone application route any more, and no fee.
Have your identity document ready.A passport, or an EU, EEA or Swiss identity card. You can still apply without one, but you may be asked to attend an appointment in person instead.
Complete the identity step.You upload photographs of the document and of yourself, including in some cases a photograph of you holding the document. Follow the instructions exactly — poor photographs are the most common cause of a delayed application.
Start work if you have a job.You can begin working before the number arrives as long as you can prove your right to work. Tell your employer you have applied; payroll can operate without the number in the short term.
Expect up to four weeks.The published timescale is up to four weeks after your identity has been confirmed. The number arrives by letter to the address you gave.
Know when you do not need one first.You do not need a National Insurance number to start a benefits claim, to apply for a student loan, or for the EU Settlement Scheme. Applications in those areas proceed and the number is dealt with alongside.
Keep the letter.Save it, photograph it, and add the number to your phone wallet through the HMRC app once you can sign in. It saves the whole exercise in a few years' time.

Tips

Check your eVisa or UKVI account first. Numbers allocated with a visa are frequently missed.
Take the identity photographs in daylight against a plain background. It removes most of the delay.
Add the number to your phone wallet as soon as you can sign in to the HMRC app.

Common mistakes

Waiting for the number before starting a job — It delays your income for no legal reason. The employer needs proof of your right to work, which is a different document entirely.
Applying when you already have one — Duplicate records cause problems with your contribution history. Check the HMRC app, an old payslip and your eVisa first.

If it doesn't work

The photograph upload keeps failing

Cause: Lighting, glare on the document, or a cropped edge — Fix: Photograph the document flat, in even daylight, on a plain surface with all four corners visible and no flash. It is the single most common reason applications stall.

The employer says they cannot pay you without it

Cause: A payroll misunderstanding — Fix: Payroll can operate without the number using an emergency arrangement, and the number can be added later. Tell them you have applied and give them the application reference.

Nothing has arrived after several weeks

Cause: Identity not yet confirmed, or an address problem — Fix: Check the status of the application and that the address you gave is correct and can receive post. Letters are not redirected reliably.

Questions people ask

Is there a fee?

No. Applying is free. Commercial sites offering to apply on your behalf for a fee are submitting the same free form.

Can I work without one?

Yes, provided you can prove your right to work. The employer's legal obligation is the right to work check, not the National Insurance number.

What if I have no passport or identity card?

You can still apply, and you may be asked to attend an appointment in person to prove your identity. Say so in the application rather than abandoning it.

Does the number ever change?

No. It is issued once and stays with you for life, through marriage, moves and changes of employment.