A letter in TNT Magazine helpfully suggests that the painful process of applying for a National Insurance number can be circumnavigated by email:

quote:

Simply send an email to london.ninocallcentre@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk stating your current details (i.e. name, address and phone number), and they will email you back a form pretty quickly (mine came within an hour). Fill that in and email it back, and you're all set to go. Within a week or so you'll receive a letter which will give you your appointment location and time.

Although you still have to go through the pain of the appointment, getting to that stage is a lot easier. Please spread the word and ease the suffering.

The magazine's editor helpfully adds another useful method: Call 0845 601 0142 -- give them your details and they should offer you an appointment time then and there.

Hope that helps. Let us know how you get on.

Cliff

Thanks for that Cliff,

I was recently told by the job centre that you cannot get a NI number until you have a job. Also that you can now work 6 months without an NI number.

Does anyone know if this is correct and has anyone recently got a job without a NI number.

Thanks
kev

You can work without a NI number, just seems to be an "Urban Myth" among employers that you can't - It just means you pay an emergency type contribution.

When I arrived from Aust in 2000 it took ages to get an appointment. They just don't "person" the phones.

When the Mrs applied had to go to the job centre plus and get them to send an appointment then had to go to Hounslow job Centre plus on another day.

Try the TNT method -seems to work.

Good luck

- Skippy

From my post What to do after the visa is granted

quote:

6. If your partner wants to work and has found a job they then need a National Insurance number. You will need to contact your local job centre who will advise you on this. They will set a date for an interview and after this short interview it will take about 1 month for your partner's number to come through. In the meantime you can use a temporary number starting with TN then use your partner's date of birth and then either F or M for their sex. For Example. Someone's wife born on 25th October 1972 would use TN 251072 F as thier temporary number

My ex wife did this and worked for 2 months before she had her NI number interview.

As an ex-employer you may have to point this out about the TN number to the employer as it is not a widley know thing if you have to do all your own NHI returns they send so much stuff out you have no chance of reading it all let alone remembering it all. Plus with the recent penalties for employing people that are illeagal in the country some employers are very reluctant not to be holding a full NHI number, so with a temporary number be prepared to supply an employer with additional proof of who you are and permission to be in the country. I know one employer that has gone out of business now because of all the red tape involved with the NHI and Tax sysetm.

hi
i have just spoken to the nino telephone no posted by cliff, (thanks) to make an appointment for kanchana who has been residing here in the uk since sept 04. when i asked to make the appointment i was told that she has to have 3 recent rejections of employment before they will give her an interview. to which i have said yes, lets hope she will get them in time........ interview date 08 march 06 also there is a list of documentation that they will need to see
her valid passport
proof of address
marriage certificate
employment rejections (3)
i will post the outcome as and when

Just for the record I got my wife an NI number the following way.

phoned NI information centre for my area. In my case it took a couple re-directions before making an appointment.

Took along a few documents Ie proof of address bills, wifes passport etc.

Wrote out a couple of rejection letters from a few companies.

Made up a company letter head - wrote out a letter confirming minor part-time work at my comany and an offer of fulltime work starting the next month.

lady at NI dept took copies & filled out the form - Had NI no sent 2 weeks after.

Total time from beginning to end 4 weeks

Previously spent 2 months being bounced from job centre (get a job first) to apllying for jobs (sorry have to have full NI number)

quote:

Originally posted by RoyG:
... Wrote out a couple of rejection letters from a few companies.

Made up a company letter head - wrote out a letter confirming minor part-time work at my comany and an offer of fulltime work starting the next month.

lady at NI dept took copies & filled out the form ...

You may well get a visit from an Inland Revenue official seeking more infromation about the company!

Members should be bear in mind that 'using' a false instrument or document is a criminal offence - be warned!

My wife, Tik, applied for a national insurance number pretty much as soon as she started applying for jobs. She received a NI interview about a month later. At the interview (which I attended) she was advised to supply the replies to her job applications to the NI office (we hadn't received any replies, so kinda felt in a catch 22 situation). She was also advised that if she gained employment she should phone the local number (provided by the interviewing officer) with employer contact details, and she would automatically receive a NI number.

A few days after the interview, Tik got a job. We called the number provided by the interviewing officer, and about a week later, Tik got her NI number.

Tony & Tik

I tried Cliff's suggestion of emailing the Ninocentrecallplus last night and received the following reply today:

Dear Customer,

Thank you for contacting the London National Insurance Number Call Centre.

As from Thursday 06th of July 2006 the London NINO call centre will no longer accept any further email NINO application forms. This is due to the London NINO booking service being centralised in a National NINO Call Centre in Grimsby.

Customers can only contact the Grimsby NINO Call Centre by telephone on 0845 6000 643 or textphone 0845 6000 644.

Regards
London NINO Call Centre

Next stop Grimsby then....!!!

Good luck
colin244