National Insurance Number and House Buying

rjrs0510

Any help would be appreciated:

I am currently working abroad and have signed power of attorney over to a family member to deal with a house I am buying in the UK. The funds are being transferred on Friday, and the solicitor now asking for my national insurance number. I have no idea what it is...or where it is. I have no P45 or any other document that would include it and I cannot find the card. I would need to be in my house at home to look in places, but that is impossible. There is no way for me to get this until I get back to the UK in Jan. or Feb. Does anyone know if this is a major deal? The house is being bought with cash, and it is in the final stages...I don't want insurmountable problems at this stage!

Thanks for any help you can offer!

rjrs

00ec25

don't forget google is your friend

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

rjrs0510

Thanks for that. I called my local social security office this afternoon and they said there was nothing they could do... I had to attend an interview. Maybe Northern Ireland has a different system, but I will call that national number tomorrow. Still, does anyone know if it is absolutely necessary to have the number for the house buying process?

Kynthia

Do you not have any old payslips or a p60 you could look at?

Guest101

DId you ever claim any benefits in the UK? It make be quicker to send a subject access request to the DWP, than dealing with hmrc etc.

£10 and they will send you all the information they have, which will include a NI number and could be used as proof (since they make NI contributions on you rbehalf)

yorkie3

You do NOT need an NI number. It is for the SDLT form and you can check guidance here: www . hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/sdltmanual/SDLTM62520.htm regarding question 49. A passport number alone is valid.

AnnieO1234

Are you perfectly positive they're not wanting this for a security check with you being abroad? (I don't precisely no why.)

I'm assuming they've never met you to identify you?

A

Richard_Webster

Solicitor may need it to compete the SDLT form - but some alternatives such as passport number with date of birth are available and he could try that if you can give him that information.

rjrs0510

Thanks everyone for your help... So many people cant seem to believe that I have lost the number and cant find it... I have never had a full time job in the UK, I have never claimed benefits, and have have worked abroad for the best part of 13 years... I am currently out of the UK, so I cant poke around my house and look. I signed the power of attorney documents and faxed them to the solicitor (whom I have never met), then I had to mail the original copy.... a family member is doing all face to face meetings and of course the solicitor has copies of my bank statements etc. Anyway, I will talk to the solicitor again, now that it is office hours, and see if the NI number is essential (I'm hoping no). Thanks to those who suggested the passport number as an alternative, I will bring that up with her.

Hopefully it will all work out:)

theartfullodger

Now of course, as the Daily Mail, Sun & others would have one believe, fake NI cards are easily bought in certain public 'ouses...
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/justice/1066028/The-Sun-Fake-ID-purchase-Exposing-terrorist-threat.html
&
http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/national-insurance-number.php

If you are missing NI contributions you'll be ineligible for various benefits if you ever need them, unless you start contributing ... and your state pension - based on current rules - will be way down... and having been working abroad many other benefits would be refused for 6 months..

Appreciate you don't expect to need them but you never know ...

Good luck with the property purchase!

xylophone

I have never had a full time job in the UK,

You had part time jobs? Did you pay NI? Might be worth a phone call here http://search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kb5/hmrc/contactus/view.page?record=OLul3tPejl4 ?