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Applying For A Bus Pass - Asking For NI Number?
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Riverstone58
Posts: 106 Forumite
Hello!
I've started to apply for what is described as an "older person's bus pass" having reached state pension age.
However on the application it asks for your national insurance number. Is this normal as they ask for all the relevant ID relating to age, address etc? It's not even the county council who are administering the online application process but an outfit called 'SmartCitizen'.
Thanks.
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did you get to that website via the local council's one?I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Debt Free Wannabe and Old Style Money Saving boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
"Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.” Nellie McClung
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just checked and my council requires a NI no for the application but it appears to be done on the council site not an external one.
I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Debt Free Wannabe and Old Style Money Saving boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
"Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.” Nellie McClung
⭐️🏅😇0 -
Things that are differerent: draw & drawer, brought & bought, loose & lose, dose & does, payed & paid0
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Brie said:did you get to that website via the local council's one?Yes, which directs you to the Smart Citizens website who appear to handle applications for a number of county councils.The page that the council web link directs you to isn't branded for Smart Citizen as such but is shown in the URL.0
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I would have thought that providing your NI number will allow them to check your entitlement to the pass.
Things that are differerent: draw & drawer, brought & bought, loose & lose, dose & does, payed & paid3 -
oldernonethewiser said:I would have thought that providing your NI number will allow them to check your entitlement to the pass.Understandably they want proof of age, address etc etc but was curious as to why they also want your NI as well.It's not a DWP benefit that I'm aware of and they don't deal with any housing or council tax benefits.0
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Just checked my local council... they do ask for it too.
Possibly because it is a unique identifier and the only one we have... but also possibly to verify details."Do not attribute to conspiracy what can adequately be explained by incompetence" - rogerblack3 -
NI number (together with surname I think) is the key field for looking up records within DWP, so it could be that the bus pass system is validating against the DWP state pension system.Muttleythefrog said:Just checked my local council... they do ask for it too.
Possibly because it is a unique identifier and the only one we have... but also possibly to verify details.2 -
It's not a major deal but I found it a bit odd that they ask for proof of age and address, which is fine, but they also want your NI number.It's not a DWP benefit or connected to the local council for other benefits. In my dotage and life experience of the now surveillance stake, I'm highly suspicious of what I consider to be requests for more information than what I consider to be necessary.0
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What could be simpler.Muttleythefrog said:Just checked my local council... they do ask for it too.
Possibly because it is a unique identifier and the only one we have... but also possibly to verify details.0
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