Why Has HMRC Given Me A New NI Number?

csnann

I have been trying to sort out a problem with my last years Self Assessment, HMRC sent me a letter called a SA302 showing my last years returns (2011-2012) and the letter that came with it has a different NI number. Its not a number that is slightly different to my old one, it is a totally different format - my old one was like AB 12 34 45 C, this new one is like 12A34567. Are they changing them all?

Davide123

No.... Are you sure it's the NI number and not something else....employer PAYE reference?

patanne

Is the third letter where you have put A actually a T because if so I believe that denotes a temporary number. I don't know how to post a link, but looked on Wikipedia for national insurance number and this was the last line of the section regarding temporary numbers. If you are filing self assessment you should also have a UTR number which is much longer.

System

NI number format has not changed. Unless there is a compelling reason then the NI number that you have been issued with will not change during your life.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ni/intro/basics.htm


Not sure what the new number is but it is definitely not an NI number

antrobus

A NINO is made up of two letters, six numbers and a final letter, which is always A, B, C, or D.

It looks something like this:

QQ 12 34 56 A

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/nimmanual/nim39110.htm

"12A34567" doesn't look like a NINO.

csnann

It says on the letter National Insurance Number, the letter is actually B. I have a Unique Tax Reference Number, that is totally different, that has ten digits, two blocks of five numbers. I am self employed and have been for years, so it can't be an employers reference.
It looks like I will have to phone them, anybody know what number to call?

Skint_yet_Again

The new one like 12A34567 - is not a change of NI number, it is a temporary NI number that HMRC allocated for some reason or other when your Self Assessment record was set up... see link below under "temporary numbers" (sorry wiki was only reference I could find to this) You may need to make sure HMRC has your correct NI number.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Insurance_number#Temporary_numbers

Davide123

It looks like your UTR and NI are not sync'd up... If you call them it should be sorted. I have seen this a few times, usually after marriages.

chrismac1

Another possibility is a "mixed record" where the database completely snarls up and two totally unrelated taxpayers' affairs get meshed together. Let's hope it's not that, getting those resolved is Jobsworth City Arizona. Either way it's up to HMRC to put this right. Your job is to ensure you have the evidence to show you told them about it, in case you later get penalties for some reason or another.

System

Its a temporary number created by HMRC for some reason.
You need to contact them and confirm the number you have been using and if that number is definitely yours ask them to merge the 2 records together.

dori2o

Have you been declared bankrupt in the past few years?

If so this may explain it. When you are declared bankrupt, for the purposes of SA, you start from a blank canvass in the year you become bankrupt and a new SA record is set up.

As you NI number will already be allocated to the old SA record the system allocates a temporary NI number against the SA record. This is noted in the permanent notes on the SA record.

Once the retruns on the old record are out of time then the correct NI number can again be linked to the SA record.