A National Insurance (NI) number is the equivalent of the Personal Public Service (PPS) number in the Republic of Ireland.  Please note that to apply you must be living or working in Northern Ireland.

What is a National Insurance number?

Your National Insurance number is unique to you and you keep the same one all your life. It makes sure that the National Insurance contributions and tax you pay are properly recorded against your name. It also acts as a reference number when communicating with the Northern Ireland Social Security system and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

When and how to apply for a National Insurance number

If you live in the UK you’ll normally receive a National Insurance number automatically at age 16 if a parent has filled in a Child Benefit claim for you.

If you don’t already have a National Insurance number you will need to apply for one if you need to claim benefits or when starting work or setting up as self-employed.

You can apply online or telephone the National Insurance Number Processing Centre to make an application – 0800 587 0024.  (Outside UK: 00 44 191 203 7010)

If you have the right to work in the UK (e.g. are Irish and  live in the South) you can apply for job in the North without first having a National Insurance number.  If a prospective employer requests your number as part of the application process it is usually sufficient to say that it is NOT YET RECEIVED.

If you live in ROI and you’re working in Northern Ireland, you cannot apply for a National Insurance Number online. Instead, contact the National Insurance number application helpline (Northern Ireland)
Telephone: +44 (0)800 587 0024

If you’ve lost your National Insurance number card

If you’ve lost or can’t remember your number, you might be able to find it on official paperwork:

• your P60 (end of year tax statement, given to you by your employer)a payslip
• a copy of your annual Self Assessment tax return
• other official correspondence

If you still can’t find your number, you can view it online via the Government Gateway or applying by post by completing the HMRC form CA5403

HMRC cannot confirm your National Insurance number by telephone. They will write to you instead.

Frontier workers

Please note that the National Insurance number is only valid in Northern Ireland. To work in the Republic of Ireland you will need to apply for a PPS number. Please see the following Border People page for further information: Personal Public Service (PPS) Number – Ireland

See also:

• NI Direct National Insurance Numbers 
• Border People – National Insurance Contributions in Northern Ireland 

Page last checked: June 2023

This webpage is for general information purposes only and while we endeavour to keep it up-to-date, errors may occur. It is very important that you check with the relevant body to ensure the information is current and is applicable to your situation.

If you would like to suggest amendments or highlight new information that could be useful to others please don’t hesitate to get in touch.