According to DWP I do not exist. NI number fun.

dayzee_2

I am not British. I am an Australian citizen on an Ancestory Visa. When I first moved here I was given a temporary NI number by the DWP and was then sent my real number. During the time of the temp number I was working and paying emergency tax. When I was sent my real number I was back on to normal tax. (not sure how this effects the problem)

I left work at a major department store about a month ago and I never received my P45. I have since found a new job and they need my p45. So the new job said show us a national insurance card. Can't do that either. So I am then told get a new NI card, or get an offical letter with your NI number on it.

And this is where the fun begins.

So I called DWP to find out what I can do .... turns out I do no exist. I was using a temp NI number, and was then sent my real one but apparently that is not my number. According to the man I spoke to ... its a number for a male.

DWP have looked into what has happened and they have no record of me. No record of my interview, and no record of my NI number. As far as they are aware I do not exist.

I am being told I can have another interview in 3 weeks, and then 2 months time I will get my real NI number.

But in the mean time, this job will not wait for me. Nor can I work without proof of my number ..... does anyone have any idea what I can do?

I read online someone can get me a NI number in 2 weeks for £40 ... i know its dodgy but is that my best option?

Also how can I claim my tax back? Would this not be linked to my NI number?

jenniferpa

Have you asked your previous employers for your P45? I realise that that wouldn't solve your real problem, but it might allow you to take the new job and be sorting it out in the meantime. I have no idea if this would work, it's just a suggestion.

I've also had another thought. If you don't have a P45 (or you had one and you lost it) you and your new employer can fill out a p46. As I understand it, if you don't know your NI number, sending the p46 will automatically trigger a search for your NI number, and if it can't be traced they'll conduct a clerical trace. If they can't find a number that way, then you'll be told to apply for an NI number in the normal way (which you're already doing). I would think by the time all that's done, you'll have a new number anyway.

CIS

Dodgy NI numbers aren't the way to go, fraud will cost you more than £40 in the long run.

HMRC are responsiblefor administering NI numbers, so its probably best to contac them.

The accounts investigation dept should be able to deal with the tracing of your NI numbers, although a DCI/NIRS trace should have picked you up - they are able to search by surname,D.O.B etc e tc.

You can contact accts investigation on 0191 2135000(HMRC switchboard)

hjb123

How long did you work at your previous job? Did you get a P60 last year at all? What about old payslips?

Whatever you decide to do dont go for the dodgy national insurance number - you could get into alot more trouble that way!

dayzee_2

I have asked my previous employer for my P45 but according to them it was already sent to me.

I have tried to go down the p46 route, but the company will do not that because they want proof I do have a national insurance number etc etc. They will only accept a p45 or a national insurance card.

I only worked at the other job for 10 months, but left because this is a better job. Because of the length of time I did not get a p60.

I just contacted HMRC, and got the same response, we have no record of you. Apparently the person is looking into it more, but he doubts he can do anything for me.

So I guess its time to just apply for a new number and let this job go.

hjb123

Did you not get any payslips with your national insurance number on? How did you get paid from the previous job?

When did you leave the previous job? As they would surely provide you with a P60 as well as a P45 when you left? Tell them you would like a duplicate copy!

CIS

Usually if you've been issued with a NINO and its anywhere on the national insurance detals database (DCI), it should have shown up with a special trace (DCI 5) which traces using minimum details, failing that it should have shown up on the NIRS system (HMRC systm holding NI records).

If they dont try both systems they may never find you, both systems are supposed to feed into, and correct each other , but often accounts exist on one but not the other.

CIS

You need to find out from your previous employer as to what NI number they used to pay your NI Conts to, if they've got a number that isn't yours, then the conts are probably being credited to someone else's record.

A quick suggestion is, when you get a hold of the NINO your employer used, apply for a state pension forecast, this should give you an idea as to whether your contributions have gone on to an ccount in your name or not.