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You can apply for a National Insurance number if you:

• live in the UK
• have the right to work in the UK
• are working, looking for work or have an offer to start work

You can start work before you receive your National Insurance number if you can prove you have the right to work in the UK.

If you already have a National Insurance number, you do not need to apply for a new one, even if your personal details change. Your National Insurance number remains the same for life.

You do not need a National Insurance number to start an application for benefits or a student loan. If you need a National Insurance number to get your benefit or student loan paid, you鈥檒l be contacted and told how to get one.

You do not need a National Insurance number to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

If you鈥檝e lost your National Insurance number

Check how to find a lost National Insurance number.

If you鈥檙e a UK resident aged 19 or under

You鈥檒l normally be sent a National Insurance number in the 3 months before your 16th birthday if both the following are true:

• you live in the UK
• a parent or guardian has filled in a Child Benefit claim form for you

If you did not get a National Insurance number

If you鈥檙e aged 16 to 19 and you did not get a National Insurance number either:

• contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if your parent or guardian filled in a Child Benefit claim form for you or if you need to check - you may already have a National Insurance number
• apply for a National Insurance number online if your parent or guardian did not fill in a Child Benefit claim form for you

If you have a biometric residence permit (BRP) or eVisa

If you have a BRP or eVisa, you might have a National Insurance number already.

You can find it:

• on the back of your BRP聽
• by logging into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account to view your eVisa

If you do not have a National Insurance number, you must apply for one if you plan to work. You can only apply when you鈥檙e in the UK.

If you鈥檝e already applied for a National Insurance number

It can take up to 4 weeks to get your National Insurance number.

You can call the application helpline if:

• you applied more than 4 weeks ago
• you鈥檝e moved house since you applied
• your personal details have changed since you applied

If you have an application reference number, have it ready when you call. You鈥檒l find it at the top of the confirmation email you were sent after you applied.

To get a National Insurance number you need to apply online. You鈥檒l need to prove your identity when you apply.

What documents you鈥檒l need

If you have any of the following documents, get them ready before you start:

• a passport from any country
• a national identity card from an EU country or from Norway, Liechtenstein or Switzerland

You might need to enter information from one or more of these documents.

You can still apply if you do not have any of these documents, but you may need to attend an appointment in person to prove your identity.

Prove your identity

If you can, you鈥檒l need to take and upload:

• a photo of yourself holding your passport
• photos of other identity documents

You can use a smartphone, tablet or a digital camera.

You鈥檒l be told how to take the photos and what they must look like during the application process.

You can ask someone to take the photos for you.

If you cannot upload photos

You can still apply online but your application will take longer.

You may need to attend an appointment or post photocopies of your documents. You鈥檒l get an email telling you what to do after you鈥檝e submitted your application.

Apply online

After you apply

After you apply you鈥檒l get an email with your application reference number. The email will tell you if you need to provide further proof of your identity.

Get help with your application