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Original poster

Is it possible to derive at a year of birth from a National Insurance Number?

37 replies

MrsBigD · 19/06/2006 10:36

Here's the deal, somehow we have an employee who managed to avoid telling us his birthday since he started working for us a few years back. Never seemed to be an issue as he had a valid NI number. However now for some legal reason we need to work out how old he is but have no idea as he's not forthcoming with the info.

I saw him this morning and he could be anything from late 40's to late 50's.

Thanks for any help you can render :)

OP posts:
MrsSpoon · 19/06/2006 10:40

Don't know how you would go about finding out but I do payroll and was interested to see recently that someone born the same month and year as me had the same first two letters on their NI number so there must be some connection between date of birth and at least the letters issued.

hasbean · 19/06/2006 10:40

If it is for a legal thing can you not ask to see his passport or birth certificate

hasbean · 19/06/2006 10:42

We could try to see if there is a system Mrs Spoon
My NI number starts NE I was born in Nov 1970

Blackduck · 19/06/2006 10:44

HB mine starts NE and I WASN'T born in 1970......

hunkermunker · 19/06/2006 10:45

\link{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_insurance\stuff about NI here, but it seems it is a bit hit and miss and won't tell you the year of birth. Why can't you ask him?}

hunkermunker · 19/06/2006 10:45

It's only the first letter that approximates to the month of birth kind of from that link.

Norah · 19/06/2006 10:46

Well I thought that the year of birth was the 5th then the 3rd letter/number of the number !

That works for mine - haven't got dh's here to check - see if it works for you !

MrsSpoon · 19/06/2006 10:46

Ah well that's scurpered that theory! Grin

MrsBadger · 19/06/2006 10:46

www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/nimmanual/nim39110.htm might be handy
NI numbers aren't based on date of birth as such - no idea how you can find out his age!

Blackduck · 19/06/2006 10:46

If it's a legal requirement for you to know I think you are totally within your rights to ask for proof.

Norah · 19/06/2006 10:48

Actually - now I think of it I think I am thinking of drivers number - but the theory still works on my NI number - coincidence ??

Also on my NI number digit 4 is my date of birth and digit 6 is month of birth !

Weirdly spooky or by design ???

MrsSpoon · 19/06/2006 10:49

Totally agree though that you are quite within your rights to ask for proof of his age. I generally try saying that we need it to run the payroll properly. Employees aren't generally that happy with my made up dates of birth when it comes to year end. Grin

zippitippitoes · 19/06/2006 10:50

I'm nosey about the reason! I thought employers couldn't ask for date of birth of employees

MrsBadger · 19/06/2006 10:50

Norah, you're right re driver's number, but by that working my NI number says I should be drawing a pension by now!

MrsBadger · 19/06/2006 10:51

don't think they can ask the date of birth of interviewees (in case of age discrimination), but once they've employed you I can't think of any reason why they shouldn't know.

alexsmum · 19/06/2006 10:52

can yo tell me what the first 2 letters of his ni no are?

Blackduck · 19/06/2006 10:53

Lots of places want a photocopy of passport to prove you have the right to work in the country - has date of birth on it, so they get it by default...

MrsSpoon · 19/06/2006 10:53

My DH says that the NI office should be able to do some sort of trace on the guy and tell you his DoB, might be worth looking into.

Original poster
MrsBigD · 19/06/2006 10:56

wow didn't expect that many responses Grin

all I can divulge is that there might be a disciplinary and summary dismissal, but boss is a big softy so if the guy is close to retirement age he probably wont't act on it unless the person in question 'misbehaves' again.

The first 2 letters are WE

As for why they haven't asked him directly... well in the past they have asked but he hastn't told them and as for this very moment in time... beats me!

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsBigD · 19/06/2006 11:00

what I have been able to decude from all the NI official stuff is that each year has a new starting sequence but not necessarily in subsequent order (whereas car regs used to be)... then there was one part they took out due to data protection which I assume was a list of year per start sequence... they knew I was coming! LOL

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsBigD · 19/06/2006 11:01

MrsSpoon, I thought of that but won't the NI guys pull the data protection act on that?

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsBigD · 19/06/2006 11:05

ah I stand corrected, just spoke to boss to find out whey they don't just demand a copy of his passport... they already 'let him go' this morning... so next port of call I think will be NI department

OP posts:
Bramshott · 19/06/2006 11:10

I thought that the N numbers (i.e NA - NZ (but according to Wikipedia without NO) ran for birthdates from 1948 - 1973, and that since then we have J numbers. So if someone doesn't have one that starts with an N, they would either be born before 1948, or have one that was issued out of sequence for some reason (not born in this country etc etc).

Original poster
MrsBigD · 19/06/2006 11:16

hmmmm before 1948 is a definite possible :) thanks

OP posts:
MrsSpoon · 19/06/2006 11:18

Wondered that too MrsBigD, I suppose they wouldn't just tell you is DoB but would maybe look into him if there is some reason for pulling the wool.