Who needs a National Insurance number?

Anyone working or claiming benefits in the UK needs a National Insurance number. It ensures your National Insurance contributions and tax are recorded against your name. EU citizens, non-EU workers, and students taking on part-time work may all need one.

How long does it take to get a NI number?

Standard applications typically take 2-4 weeks after identity verification. Fast Track applications may be processed sooner with active HMRC chasing.

Can I work before I have a NI number?

Yes, you can start work without a National Insurance number. Your employer will use a temporary reference until your NI number arrives. However, you should apply as soon as possible to ensure your tax and NI contributions are properly recorded.

What documents do I need?

You typically need your passport (or identity card for EU citizens), proof of your right to work or study in the UK, and your UK address details. The GOV.UK ID Check app can verify your identity using your passport or biometric residence permit.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 30 July 2026

1. Who we are

NI Apply is a trading name of Tax2U Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (Company No. 07687557). Our registered address is available on request via the contact details below.

We are an independent application assistance service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to HMRC, the DWP, or any government department. You can apply for a National Insurance number free of charge directly through the UK Government website at gov.uk.

2. What data we collect

When you use our National Insurance number application service, we collect:

Personal details: Full name, date of birth, nationality, and contact information (email, phone number, address)
Identity information: Passport details, biometric residence permit (BRP) details, right-to-work status
Application details: Previous NI numbers (if any), employment status, reason for needing an NI number
Payment information: We process payments via Stripe. We do not store your full card details — Stripe handles card data securely and in compliance with PCI DSS.
Technical data: IP address, browser type, and pages visited (for security and service improvement)

3. How we use your data

We use your personal data to:

Prepare and submit your National Insurance number application to HMRC on your behalf
Communicate with you about your application status and any follow-up steps
Verify your identity and documents before submission
Process your payment for our service
Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

4. Legal basis for processing

We process your personal data under the following legal bases (UK GDPR):

Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): You consent to us processing your data for the purpose of your NI number application when you complete our online form
Contract (Article 6(1)(b)): Processing is necessary to provide the service you have requested and entered into a contract for
Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)): We may need to process data to comply with legal requirements

5. Who we share your data with

We share your data only with the following parties, and only as necessary for your application:

HMRC: To submit your National Insurance number application
Stripe: To process your payment securely
Keap (Infusionsoft): Our CRM system for managing your application and contacting you
Supabase: Our database provider for storing your application data securely
Our parent company Tax2U Ltd: For identity verification via the Tax2U portal (you will be redirected to upload ID documents)

We do not sell your data to third parties. We do not share your data for marketing purposes.

6. Data retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to provide our service and comply with legal requirements. Application records are typically retained for 7 years after the application is completed, in line with tax record retention requirements. You may request deletion of your data at any time (see Your Rights below).

7. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including:

SSL/TLS encryption for all data in transit
Secure cloud infrastructure (Vercel, Supabase) with encryption at rest
Strict access controls — only authorised team members can access application data
PCI DSS-compliant payment processing via Stripe
Regular security reviews and monitoring

8. International data transfers

Your data may be processed by our service providers (Vercel, Supabase, Stripe, Keap) who may operate servers outside the UK. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including UK GDPR-compliant data transfer agreements and reliance on providers certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.

9. Your rights

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to:

Access your personal data (Subject Access Request)
Rectify inaccurate personal data
Erase your personal data ("right to be forgotten")
Restrict or object to processing
Data portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
Withdraw consent at any time
Complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@ni-number.co.uk or call 020 7118 0097.

10. Cookies

Our website uses minimal cookies and tracking technologies:

Essential cookies: Required for the application form to function (e.g. session tracking)
Google Ads (AW-446829884): To measure ad performance and conversions
Analytics: To understand how visitors use our site (if enabled)

We do not use cookies for third-party advertising or tracking beyond our own ad measurement.

11. Children's privacy

Our service is not directed at individuals under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page indicates when it was last updated. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

13. Contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:

Email: info@ni-number.co.uk
Phone: 020 7118 0097
Company: Tax2U Ltd (Company No. 07687557)