Getting your UK National Insurance number

What the NI number is and why you need it

Your National Insurance number is your personal reference with HMRC and the Department for Work and Pensions. It looks like QQ 12 34 56 C: two letters, six digits and a final letter. You keep the same number for life, even if you leave the UK and come back years later, change your name or switch visas.

It is used to:

• link your salary, income tax and National Insurance contributions to your record, so your payslips and tax code are correct;
• build qualifying years towards the UK State Pension;
• open some ISAs and pensions, and register for Self Assessment;
• apply for benefits such as Child Benefit, where your visa allows it;
• apply for a provisional driving licence (the form asks for it, although it is optional) and register to vote.

In 2026/27 employees pay Class 1 NI of 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 a year and 2% above that. You pay NI whether or not you have received your number yet. The number simply makes sure the money is credited to you. To see what this means for your take-home pay, use the UK salary calculator.

Check your eVisa or BRP before you apply

The Home Office often gives NI numbers automatically to people who apply for a visa from outside the UK. GOV.UK says that if you have a BRP or an eVisa, you might already have one.

• eVisa holders: sign in to your UKVI account (the same account you use to create a share code, see eVisa share codes). Your NI number is shown with your personal details if one was issued.
• Old BRP: the number is printed on the back of the card. BRPs stopped being issued after 31 October 2024, but the number on an expired card is still yours.
• Studied or worked in the UK before: you already have a number. Look at old payslips, a P60 or P45, or HMRC letters, or use the GOV.UK 'find your National Insurance number' service through your HMRC sign-in.

If the number on your eVisa looks wrong, report it through the Home Office eVisa error service. Do not apply for a second number. If you already have one, you do not need a new one, even if your details change.

Who can apply and what you need

You can apply if you live in the UK and have the right to work here. That includes Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Graduate, India Young Professionals Scheme and dependant visas, and students who plan to work within their permitted hours (see student work rules). You cannot apply from India before you travel. Apply once you have a UK address.

There is no fee. Websites that charge a fee to 'process' your application only fill in the free GOV.UK form for you.

Timing and working before your number arrives

After you apply you get an email with a reference number. It also tells you whether you need to send further proof of identity, attend an appointment or post copies of documents. GOV.UK says it can take up to 4 weeks to receive your number after you have proved your identity. Some university guides still mention longer times from earlier years, so plan for the GOV.UK figure but do not panic if it slips.

You can start work before the number arrives as long as your employer has checked your right to work, usually with an eVisa share code. Tell your HR or payroll team that you have applied. When the letter arrives, give them the number straight away.

Until payroll has your number, and especially without a P45, you may be put on an emergency tax code such as 1257L W1/M1 (shown as 'non-cumulative' on payslips). This is temporary. Once HMRC links your record, the tax code is corrected and any overpaid tax normally comes back through payroll in later months. If it does not, contact HMRC through your personal tax account or the HMRC app.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

The NI number is UK-wide and the GOV.UK online service covers England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland the process is run through nidirect, with the same principle: check whether you already have a number and apply only if you do not. Your number works in all four nations, so moving from Belfast to Manchester changes nothing.

Income tax is different in Scotland (tax code prefix S, six bands), but National Insurance rates are the same across the UK.

Common mistakes

• Applying when you already have a number. Check your UKVI account, old BRP and any UK payslips first. A duplicate application only causes delays.
• Paying a 'fast-track' website. There is no paid route. The only official service is on GOV.UK (nidirect in Northern Ireland).
• Delaying your start date. A missing NI number is not a reason to postpone a job if your right to work has been checked.
• Ignoring an emergency tax code. Check your payslip for W1, M1, X or 'NONCUM'. If it is still there after two or three pay periods, ask payroll and check your HMRC personal tax account.
• Using a temporary number. Payroll sometimes uses a placeholder. Make sure your real number replaces it, or your contributions may not count towards your State Pension.
• Not updating your address. If you move before the letter arrives, call the helpline with your reference number.
• Sharing the number carelessly. Give it only to your employer, HMRC, DWP, your bank, pension provider and similar organisations. It is a target for identity fraud.

What to do once you have it

Store the letter safely and add the number to your phone notes. Then:

• give it to your employer's payroll team and check your next payslip shows it;
• create an HMRC personal tax account or download the HMRC app. You can see your tax code, past pay and NI record, and claim back overpaid tax;
• check your NI record each year for gaps. Every qualifying year counts towards the State Pension. If you later return to India, you may be able to pay voluntary contributions;
• keep it ready for Self Assessment if you have Indian rent or interest (see Self Assessment for Indians).

For the full list of first-month tasks, such as a GP, bank account and council tax, see the first 30 days in the UK checklist.

Step by step

1. Check your UKVI accountSign in to your UKVI account and look for an NI number in your eVisa details, or check the back of an old BRP.
2. Look for an old numberIf you lived or worked in the UK before, find your number on a payslip, P60 or HMRC letter, or through your HMRC sign-in.
3. Gather documentsHave your Indian passport, eVisa details, UK address and a phone with a camera ready.
4. Apply online on GOV.UKUse the free 'Apply for a National Insurance number' service (nidirect in Northern Ireland) and save your reference number.
5. Prove your identityUpload photos of your ID, or attend an appointment or post copies if the confirmation email asks you to.
6. Start work meanwhileBegin your job once your right to work is checked and tell payroll that your NI number is pending.
7. Give payroll the numberWhen the letter arrives (up to 4 weeks), pass the number to payroll and check that any emergency tax code is corrected.

Questions people ask

Official sources

• GOV.UK: Apply for a National Insurance number
• GOV.UK: National Insurance
• GOV.UK: Emergency tax codes
• GOV.UK: Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027
• nidirect: National Insurance numbers (Northern Ireland)
• GOV.UK: Report an error with your eVisa

Checked against these sources on 14 October 2026. Rules and fees change; confirm with the authority before you apply.