If you don't claim child benefit ...

[woodfiller]

... was your child sent their NI number when they turned 16?

We used to claim child benefit, but stopped when it became means tested (which I think was 2013). I'm sure our DS1 got an NI number letter when he turned 16 in 2020, but DS2 definitely didn't get one in 2022.

This Northern Ireland gov website says 16 year olds only get the National Insurance number letter if their parents claim Child Benefit: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/national-insurance-numbers. Can anyone confirm if it's the same in England?

When DS2 needed the NI number for his part-time job, we got it from the Child Trust Fund account he was given by Government when he was born (because we read on Mumsnet that it was the same number), and he hasn't had any trouble being paid.

However, recently, when he turned 18, he got a Lifetime ISA account. He opened the account ok, and deposited some money, but the provider said they couldn't claim the Government Bonus. They told him to double-check his NI number and registered name/DoB with HMRC. He tried, and couldn't reach an HMRC human, but their AI directed him to their app, where he verified his identity with passport etc. When he eventually got in, the NI number and other details were identical to what he had given the LISA provider.

So, he has asked the provider to try claiming the bonus again, hoping that having now made "contact" with HMRC it will work.🤞 (DS1 has a LISA too and had no trouble with this process).

Anyone had similar issues?

You still need to register any new children for child benefit (and then opt out of claiming), can you remember doing that?

They get an NI number when they’re born. Have a look in your red book.

Mind had them on a sticker list.

Did you still register your 2nd child for child benefit and opt out of payment? I opted out of payment when dh started earning over the top limit and both my kids got their NI numbers just before they turned 16 (I'm in Scotland)

Is that not their NHS number?
I only knew my kids NI numbers as I found out the CTF number was the same as the NI number. That was confirmed when they received their NI letters.

We must have registered DS2 for child benefit, because he was born in 2006 and the means testing didn't start until 2013. (We stopped claiming when means testing began).

Also, DS2 got a CTF, so he must have been registered.

Another thought - I do wonder how HMRC know where to send the NI Number letters. We moved house in 2018. DS1 got his letter in 2020, but we may have still been having our mail redirected at that point.

That’s not true. I’ve never registered as I’ll never be eligible to receive child benefit. I’ll enquire about a NI number for my DC when they are approaching 16.

They get the NI letter automatically if you register for CB. You can opt out of payment if you are over the earnings threshold (£80k I think)

It’s less hassle to wait until DC is nearer to 16 and apply for a NI number then than applying now and refusing payment and/or having to declare stuff in self assessment returns for 16 years.

I didn't say you had to, but for the NI number to be auto-generated so you don't need to chase it, you do need to register.

In the OP's case, it does sound like it might be a case of not having the correct address registered.

It's so worth registering for CB without the payment so that you acquire your NI allowance for the child years (up to 12? Might be wrong on that).

I was over the threshold by child 2 and have paid my full installment of NI contributions every year since I was 16, but you never know when you might be out of work and it all counts towards receiving full state pension which currently stands at 35 years of NI contributions.

Yep - both should work - but we didn't do either, because we had the NI number from the CTF. I guess most people won't know they have it, so will apply anyway, (and in any case the CTF scheme closed in 2011).

I’d already got nearly 30 years of full contributions before DS even starts school and have continued to work so I’ll be way over 35 years worth of NI contributions but agree that could be an issue for those who aren’t working for a sustained period of time.

You just say you don’t want the payments. It’s extremely easy.

You literally tick a box to say you don't want payments so nothing to pay back.

@woodfiller same prob here. cannot register to vote without ni number. cannot get a part time job for weekend. have a passport, birth cert, bank a/c but ni ni number.

I had to call up for my daughter, we also don't claim child benefit and they sent it through quickly

Hang in, what about kids who aren’t eligible whether you can claim or not (ie my fourth child)?

I hadn’t ever considered this. I’ve claimed for my older three but stopped when it became means tested. My youngest wouldn’t have been eligible even if we were, iykwim.

Child benefit is not capped, if you are under the earnings threshold you can claim child benefit for every child you have.

What? I thought you could only claim for two now? Have I gone insane?

Well to sort it out your DC first needs to register for a Government Gateway account here: https://www.gov.uk/log-in-register-hmrc-online-services ... then at some point in the process it will tell them they need to "confirm" their NI number by phoning the HMRC helpline. But if they phone the HMRC helpline it will just be a bot which tells them to install the HMRC App. They log into the app with their Government Gateway login details, and have their ID checked via passport and driving licence details. Then they are given their NI number.

Complicated, but that's what my DC did. Now he's just waiting to see if it solves the LISA issue.

You're thinking of other benefits.
Child benefit can be claimed for any number of children

Thank you! Well I never. I just googled it 🤦🏻‍♀️

Yes I don't get child benefit and my son got his NI number x