Tax and National Insurance

• Tax and National Insurance payments are taken out of your wages through Pay As You Earn (PAYE)

Your pension

• Claiming the State pension

Jobseeker's Allowance

• Claiming Jobseeker's Allowance

Housing benefit

• Claiming housing benefit.

Apply for your NI number as soon as possible

It can take weeks or months to get a number, so it is important to apply as soon as possible.

! Before you start work:

You do NOT need an NI number while you are looking for work.

! After you start work:

You DO need an NI number when you start work.

No NI number? No work!

Many employers will only give you a job if you have your NI number.

If you can't get a job because you have no NI number, tell Jobcentre Plus. Show them evidence that you have been trying to find work. Ask them for help.

Phone 0845 600 0643 and you will hear a recorded message

You will hear a recorded message:

"Welcome to the Jobcentre Plus National Insurance Allocations Service... please hold and you will be connected to an agent."

Wait to be connected to an agent

If there are many customers using the telephone, you may have to wait some minutes.

If necessary, ask for an interpreter

If you don't speak much English, ask the agent for an interpreter: say, for example, "Please may I have an interpreter. My language is Kurdish."

You will be asked some questions

The telephone agent will ask you some questions. For example:

• What is your full name?
• What is your date of birth?
• What is your postcode and full address?
• Have you been to the UK before? If yes:
  • when?
  • did you work in the UK?
  • who did you work for?

Getting an NI number: an interview at the Jobcentre Plus office

Then you have to attend an interview at the Jobcentre Plus office near to your home.

The telephone agent will give you a date for the interview. You must write this date in your diary.

You will be interviewed in person (face to face)

The face-to-face interview takes half an hour. You need to take with you:

Who you are

• proof of your identity and nationality - a passport or other document as evidence of nationality

Your immigration status

• proof of your immigration status - a passport or a letter from the Home Office which shows your immigration status

You must be looking for work

• proof that you are looking for work - for example, letters from employers saying 'sorry no job', or application forms for jobs

You must have an address

• proof of your address - for example, a telephone bill showing your name and address, or other bills and letters

! You can be refused an NI number

You can be refused if you don't bring proof with you. So you may have to wait longer to get a job.

You should get a decision within a month

You will get a decision about your NI number within 30 days from the date of your interview.