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Original poster

How to teenagers find out their National Insurance Number?

47 replies

helloworlditsme · 15/09/2020 19:58

I remember back in the day being sent my national insurance number on the old style red and blue plastic card........I felt so grown up 😂.

Anyway my DC are now both teenagers and I’ve no idea as to how they would get notified of their NI number. I’m assuming there’s someone with more knowledge than me on here who could let me know.

OP posts:
BiBabbles · 15/09/2020 19:59

My DS got a letter emailed to him a few weeks before his 16th birthday.

BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze · 15/09/2020 20:00

My son got it sent to him some time around his 16th birthday. It’s just a letter with the number on, no card anymore.

Tavimama · 15/09/2020 20:00

My twins got letters just after their birthday.

BiBabbles · 15/09/2020 20:00

*mailed not emailed, obviously Grin Blush

Heptember · 15/09/2020 20:01

Are yours 16 yet?

Mine received brown envelope letters.

daisypond · 15/09/2020 20:01

Yes, it’s sent through the post.

BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze · 15/09/2020 20:01

*Sent in the post to him, not email.

ListeningQuietly · 15/09/2020 20:01

Letter

Original poster
helloworlditsme · 15/09/2020 20:02

My DD is 17, I’m assuming I must have missed the letter in that case

OP posts:
Undies1990 · 15/09/2020 20:02

They will get a letter nowadays rather than a NI plastic card. I am told the letter should arrive before their 16th birthday but there is a backlog due to Covid.

Original poster
helloworlditsme · 15/09/2020 20:02

I’ll have to look into how to get it resent

OP posts:
hedgehoglurker · 15/09/2020 20:02

Were received a letter to parents approx 4-6 months before 16th birthday.

DeadDoorpost · 15/09/2020 20:03

I never got a letter, I had to apply when I was 18. Nonidea why, so don't feel bad OP.

I joke that the government didn't know I existed...

Original poster
helloworlditsme · 15/09/2020 20:04

That makes me feel slightly less like an irresponsible parent, thanks DeadDoorpost!

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 15/09/2020 20:05

www.gov.uk/lost-national-insurance-number

daisypond · 15/09/2020 20:06

It’s sent to the child. It’s tied to the child benefit system, so if you don’t get that, you might have to apply for it yourself.

Littlebelina · 15/09/2020 20:06

You only get assigned one if you parents registered you for child benefit. If not you have to apply for number.

Afolnerd · 15/09/2020 20:07

It should be sent to them around their 16th birthday. I finally realised at about 16 1/2 my ds hadn’t had his.
Quick phone call to them and it arrived a few weeks later.

Quick tip. Don’t lose the letter, they need to show the actual letter to employers etc and a replacement is £70! One of my ds mates found out the hard way.

BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze · 15/09/2020 20:08

That makes me feel slightly less like an irresponsible parent, thanks DeadDoorpost!

My friend lost her sons letter. She called and another copy of the letter with the number on was sent out, it only took about a week. She and her son both took a photo of the number straight away when the second letter arrived. 😬

PickAChew · 15/09/2020 20:08

You get a letter before the 16th birthday but you get it before then if you need to claim anything like dla for them.

BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze · 15/09/2020 20:09

Quick tip. Don’t lose the letter, they need to show the actual letter to employers etc and a replacement is £70! One of my ds mates found out the hard way.

My friend was definitely not charged.

dementedpixie · 15/09/2020 20:10

You get a letter with it automatically before their 16th birthday if you claimed child benefit for them. If you don't claim child benefit then you may need to apply for it instead

Rhinobabe · 15/09/2020 20:13

Mine has a national insurance number attached to their child trust fund - I recently noticed it when I was checking it online. They are nowhere near 16.
So you could look there?

Rhinobabe · 15/09/2020 20:14

ie the one the government gave money for when they were born ( was a certain cohort of kids, doesn’t happen any more)

siddlydiddly · 15/09/2020 20:14

When a parent claims Child Benefit the child is allocated a reference number and that usually becomes their NI number. If any parents haven't claimed Child Benefit due to earning over £60K, they should claim it and then opt out of receiving the Child Benefit payment.