Claiming benefits - lost NI number

Stoodles

Thanks SH, that's useful to know. The first time round they simply said they couldn't do it without the NI number. Is there an effective way to push past this?

nannytone_2

Stoodles wrote: »

But there should be a clear record from the time he was working. It should be traceable, based on his date and place of birth.

He has always lived and when he was able, worked in the same town. He has been registered with the same GP, received treatment from the same two hospitals. It's incomprehensibly frustrating that it can take 11 weeks to achieve nothing and leave him with no way to pay rent or buy food.

so you expect the authorities to just be able to pull up one of millions of NI numbers ( including necessary checks to ensure the number matches the details of the person asking for it) yet don't feel it to be your relatives responsibility to look after 1? ( their own)

Stoodles

If they require it, then yes, they should have a way to identify it.

nannytone_2

they can ... but as you have found out.... it takes tiime!
you have to appreciate that there are important security issues that have to be dealt with ...
they can't just hand out NI numbers purely because someone asks ( the whole tax and benefit system is run using NI numbers) the implications of handing the wrong number to the wrong person could be potentially very harmful.
as i said .... all this would have been avoided if your relative had 'looked after' their own NI number

poppasmurf_bewdley

Stoodles wrote: »

If they require it, then yes, they should have a way to identify it.

They have. Your problem is that you don't like the way they do it, which entails making all the correct checks to ensure the NI number is allocated correctly.

Look at the situation this way. Your relative hasn't used his NI number in 20 years, so he hasn't been making any contributions to the benefits system via income tax, National Insurance, etc, etc., but now you seem to think it's urgent because he wants something out of the system.

Most of the rest of us don't.