The National Insurance Number is a personal code which you need in order to live, work and be part of the National Health Service in the UK. Moreover, if you are planning to stay here for a lifetime, you will need it to be able to retire.

Good news: it is not a hard job to get it!

All you need to do is make a call, book an appointment and after a short interview, wait a couple of weeks to get the letter with your N.I.N.

In order to book an appointment you need to be in the UK, to call from an English number and to provide an address where you will receive a letter with all the details of your appointment. If you don’t yet have a permanent place to stay you can give the address of your hotel, B&B or hostel. Any address is fine so long as you are sure you will receive the letter.

You can call them from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday.

The number to call is 0800 141 2075.

You will be asked a few personal details so, try to be prepared before you make the call. The call will be with a person from a call centre and their call is scripted in exactly the same way every single time.

Here you have the pattern:

A recorded voice:

“Welcome to Job Centre Plus, part of the Department for Work and Pensions. Please be aware that this call may incur a charge. You will be charged at the rate set by your service provider. This is the National Insurance Number allocation service. Your call may be monitored or recorded for legal or training purposes and to help us improve our services.

If you have already applied for a National Insurance Number, please press 1.

For all other enquiries, please press 2″

[Press 2]

“If you need to apply for a National Insurance Number, please press 1.

If you need to re-book an appointment or have an enquiry regarding a National Insurance Number appointment you have already made, please press 2.

For all other National Insurance Number queries, including if you have lost your National Insurance Number, press 3″

[Press 1]

(From now on you will talk to a real person)

  1. Morning, [Operator`s name] speaking, how can I help?

Morning, I would like to apply for my National Insurance Number.

  1. Ok, are you in the UK at the moment?

Yes I am.

  1. Perfect. Have you applied before?

No, it is the first time.

  1. Ok, so why do you need the National Insurance number please?

I am looking for a job and I need the number to work.

  1. No problem. What nationality are you?

I’m Italian/Spanish/French/Polish

  1. Do you have any other nationalities?

No I don’t/ Yes I do.

  1. How long have you been here? When did you come to the UK?

A few days ago / Last week / Two weeks ago

  1. Ok. So what is your surname please? Your last name.

Give your surname and be ready to spell it.

  1. Ok. What is your date of birth please?

They will appreciate if you will give it in this order: Month, day, year. (Eg. April the 2nd 1990)

  1. Ok. What is your first name please?

Again, be ready to spell it properly.

  1. Ok. And your post code please?

You need to give the exact one, which will be made of both letters and numbers. Eg. BS5 2HG

  1. Ok. And what is your address please?

Number and then street name

  1. Thank you. And have you got a contact telephone number please?

Give your British number.

  1. Thank you. So, are you looking for a job at the moment?

Yes I am.

  1. And do you have any disabilities or health problems?

Yes I do./No I don’t.

  1. Ok. So I just need to give you a reference number first of all for your application, so would you write down this number please?

Ok.

  1. The reference number is: …

Ok.

  1. So I am going to see what appointments we have available, ok? Bare with me please.

Ok. (write it down)

  1. The nearest place you can have the appointment done is the job centre in ….

Ok. (write it down)

  1. The next available appointment we have is on the [day] at [time].

Ok. (write it down or, if it is not good for you try to get another appointment)

  1. Do you know where the Job Centre in [name of the street] is? Or would like the address?

Yes please, tell me the address.

  1. The post code is […]and the address is […].

Ok, thank you.

  1. Ok, when you go there you must bring your passport and a proof of address, and anything that you have from where we can get your identity.

Ok, no problem.

  1. So just to remind you, the appointment will be on the [day] at [time] in the Job Centre in [street], is that ok?

Yes, it’s ok.

  1. Ok perfect. Thank you for your call. Bye.

Bye!

Now you have the appointment! During the short interview they will just double check your documents and ask you a few questions to verify the details you have given over the phone.