Quick Answer
How can I find my National Insurance number? Check a payslip, P60, P45 or an HMRC letter. If none is to hand, use the HMRC app or your personal tax account to see it or download a letter showing it. HMRC cannot give it out over the phone or on webchat. Be wary of anyone who contacts you unexpectedly asking for it.
Key Takeaways
- The quickest routes are digital: the HMRC app and a personal tax account can show your number and let you download a letter that proves it.
- No phone call will do it. GOV.UK says HMRC cannot give you your number over the phone or on webchat, so anyone offering to is worth treating with suspicion.
- Some documents people expect to carry the number, such as a driving licence or a Universal Credit account, are not on GOV.UK’s list of places to look.
Where to look: how can I find my National Insurance number?
If you are asking “how can i find my national insurance number”, start with paper you already have. GOV.UK says your number may be on a payslip, a P60, or letters about tax, pensions or benefits.
Your number is made up of 2 letters, 6 numbers and a final letter, and GOV.UK’s example is QQ123456B. It stays the same for life.
| Where | What the sources say |
| Payslip | Listed by GOV.UK as a place to check |
| P60 | Listed by GOV.UK; the P60 page itself does not say whether it shows the number |
| P45 | GOV.UK says it includes personal details such as your National Insurance number |
| Tax return and tax letters | GOV.UK lists letters about tax; the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) names your tax return and a PAYE coding notice |
| Benefit or pension letters | Listed by GOV.UK |
| HMRC app | You can see your number if you live in the UK |
| Personal tax account | You can see it and download a letter |
| Apple or Google Wallet | Check here if you saved it there |
Online: the HMRC app and personal tax account
GOV.UK lists three digital places: the HMRC app (if you live in the UK), your personal tax account, and Apple or Google Wallet if you saved it there. LITRG adds that the app lets you view the number and save it to your phone’s digital wallet.
GOV.UK also has an online checker. It asks questions about your situation and suggests where to look or how to ask for your number. Your answers are not saved and it times out after 15 minutes of inactivity.
Check NI number on Universal Credit account
We found no source that says a Universal Credit account displays your number. Suffolk Building Society’s guide only notes that you need a National Insurance number to apply for Universal Credit. Check your personal tax account or the HMRC app instead.
National Insurance number on driving licence UK
None of the sources we read lists a driving licence as a place to find your number. Do not rely on it. Use a payslip, P60, P45, HMRC letter or your online account.
Letters and payslips
Is National Insurance number on payslip?
Yes, according to GOV.UK, which lists a payslip as a place to check. LITRG and Suffolk Building Society list payslips too. Check older ones if you are between jobs.
Where is NI number on P60?
GOV.UK lists the P60 as a place to look, and Suffolk Building Society says it appears there. GOV.UK’s own P60 page says the form shows the tax you paid on your salary in the tax year, but does not say whether it includes your number. Employers must provide a P60 by 31 May if you are still working for them on 5 April. If you have lost it, ask your employer for a replacement.
Find National Insurance number on P45
GOV.UK says a P45 includes personal details such as your National Insurance number. Your employer should give you one when you leave a job. You cannot get a replacement if you lose it. In that case, fill in a starter checklist for your new employer, and view or download your pay and tax details in your personal tax account or the HMRC app.
Do tax return letters show National Insurance number?
Often, but check. LITRG lists your tax return and a PAYE coding notice as places to find it, and GOV.UK lists letters about tax. Suffolk Building Society says older tax returns and HMRC letters often include the number. We did not find a source that confirms every tax letter shows it, so look through a few.
Requesting a letter
National Insurance letter download PDF
You can download a letter showing your number through the HMRC app or your personal tax account (GOV.UK). We could not confirm whether it downloads as a PDF in every case, so check what your account offers.
Get temporary proof of National Insurance number
The letter you download is the official proof route. GOV.UK does not set out what counts as proof, and LITRG says the same: the official letter from a personal tax account is the usual evidence. LITRG’s employer guidance says a number starting “TN” is temporary and will not be accepted by HMRC, so it is not a substitute for your real number.
You can usually start a job without the number in hand. LITRG says that if you are over 16 and employed, you can start work provided you can prove your right to work in the UK. Tell your employer you are waiting for your number and give it to them when you have it. Having the number does not by itself prove your right to work. Self-employed people need a valid number to register.
If you cannot get online
LITRG says you can ask HMRC to confirm your number by completing form CA5403 or contacting the National Insurance helpline. HMRC will write to you with the number rather than give it by phone. Suffolk Building Society lists the helpline as 0300 200 3500, which we have not verified against GOV.UK.
Student finance application lost NI number
We could not open GOV.UK’s student finance guidance, so we cannot say what happens if you apply without your number. Use the routes above to retrieve it first, and check the Student Finance service for its current rules.
Avoiding scams
Your number is useful to fraudsters. GOV.UK says: “To prevent identity fraud, do not share your National Insurance number with anyone who does not need it.” LITRG warns that scammers may try to get your number and other personal information.
Which? reported in June 2023 on HMRC scams, including calls claiming your number has been used in fraud. Its advice: unexpected contacts should set alarm bells ringing.
- End suspicious calls and do not press buttons.
- Do not click links in unexpected texts or emails. Log in to your tax account or HMRC app instead.
- Forward scam texts to 60599 (charges may apply) or 7726 (free), and scam emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk (Which?).
- If you lost money, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud.
We could not open GOV.UK’s own HMRC scam guidance, so check it before publication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find my National Insurance number?
Check a payslip, P60, P45 or letters about tax, pensions or benefits. If you cannot find it, use the HMRC app or your personal tax account to view it or download a letter. HMRC cannot give it by phone or webchat.
Is National Insurance number on payslip?
Yes. GOV.UK lists payslips as a place to look. If your current payslip does not show it, check older ones, your P60, your P45 or letters from HMRC, or use the HMRC app.
Can HMRC tell me my National Insurance number over the phone?
No. GOV.UK says HMRC cannot give it over the phone or on webchat. You can view it in the app or your personal tax account, or ask HMRC to write to you, for example using form CA5403.
Can I start a job without my National Insurance number?
Usually yes. LITRG says employees over 16 can start work if they can prove their right to work in the UK, then give the number when they have it. Tell your employer you are waiting for it.
What if I have lost my P45?
You cannot get a replacement, according to GOV.UK. Fill in a starter checklist for your new employer and use your personal tax account or the HMRC app to see your pay and tax details.
How do I know a request for my National Insurance number is a scam?
Be wary of unexpected calls, texts or emails asking for it or claiming it has been used in fraud. Do not click links. Log in to your own HMRC account instead, and report scams to HMRC.
