National Insurance number

Please could someone advise me about how necessary an NI number is?

My wife was told on Saturday that she needed one to open a bank account?!

On Monday I phoned the department for work and pensions to order a form to apply for one. They said she'd basically have to have an interview like British doll dossers do, in order to prove that she is actively looking for work. It was my understanding that you cannot work without an NI number.

Any help on this is very appreciated. My wife is Japanese and on a spouse visa.

It may vary from bank to bank. I was able to open a bank account without a NI number.

You can start employment without a NI number. My husband had a job as soon as he moved here and his employer made the appointment for him to get a NI number. You do have to make an appointment to go down and you have to provide either proof of employment or proof of looking for work.

The only way I know of to get a NI number without looking for a job is if you and your wife were to put in a joint claim for tax credits, if you were eligible. That application being submitted would then prompt an appointment to be made for her to get a NI number.

That said, I don't think it's mandatory at all to have one. If she isn't planning on working, and you won't be applying for tax credits and you find a bank that will let her open an account, there really isn't a reason for her to have one that I can think of.

Hi we got a Barclays Cashcard account without NI no. - just with is passport (no cheque book or overdraft but it's a start). Hub is self-employed then we applied for an NI no. through Job Centre Plus 3 weeks' ago (you need to phone for appointment 0845 600 0643) had to show passport, utility bill, driving licence, marriage cert. (not heard anything yet). Good Luck

yankeegirl wrote:It may vary from bank to bank. I was able to open a bank account without a NI number.

You can start employment without a NI number. My husband had a job as soon as he moved here and his employer made the appointment for him to get a NI number. You do have to make an appointment to go down and you have to provide either proof of employment or proof of looking for work.

The only way I know of to get a NI number without looking for a job is if you and your wife were to put in a joint claim for tax credits, if you were eligible. That application being submitted would then prompt an appointment to be made for her to get a NI number.

That said, I don't think it's mandatory at all to have one. If she isn't planning on working, and you won't be applying for tax credits and you find a bank that will let her open an account, there really isn't a reason for her to have one that I can think of.

Lloyds TSB opened a bank account for my non-EU husband without a National Inurance number when he first arrived in the UK. When we opened our joint account later on with Nat West they didn't request a
NI number from either of us.

Thanks a lot guys. That's really helpful. I think it was because the bank account pays good interest as long as your pay-cheque is over 1000 pounds per month. My wages would cover that so it shouldn't have mattered about my wife. But that's life...

Thanks again