NI number & tax record allocation mix up

[Big A]

To all you helpfull moderators and senior members,
I applied for a permanent national insurance number at the beginning of this year. After much waiting, I finally received it at the end of April this year. Prior to this I used a temporary number (TN dd/mm/yy M). I applied for my ILR, and I got that with no problems in May. I thought I'll check with the Inland revenue to see that all my Tax records and NI contributions are showing up against my new permanent NI number. To my utter dismay, there is absolutely nothing showing up against my new permanent NI number! I'm not sure if I should panic, as I need all my details in order for the past 8 years, as I'll be applying for naturilisation next May, after sitting "Knowledge of life in UK" test. The person I spoke to at the tax office told me that the NI office will eventually send through all my details, but he can't say when. He suggested that I write a letter to IR customer services to get my employment record, and to supply them with all my previous addresses as well. I did that ASAP, and am still awaiting a response from them (I only posted it a week ago) I've checked with my new company's accounts department, and they've been using my new NI number since April. My question to you is, should I leave it up to NI officials to eventually send through my details, or should I chase them up? When I receive my P60 for this financial year, should that be sufficient evidence that the NCS could go by? Or do they want every single P60 of mine, as my tax details are not up to date on the main IR database, as nothing is traceable under my current NI number. I know it is early days yet, but I would appreciate a response. Thank's to all of you in anticipation.

[John]

As regards the future naturalisation application ... stop worrying! You don't need to submit any P60s. Entries on the application form include your employer's name and address and also your tax reference and NINO. They will check you through those details.

However you do need to ensure that all the NI contributions paid by you are correctly credited to your account as such contributions will have an impact on some benefits you might get ... such as State Retirement Pension.

Do as HMRC suggest .... supply full details of your previous employments etc and hopefully the records will end up being corrected. But do expect it to take time for it all to happen. Suggest you might check again say six months after you send in those details to see how the task is progressing.

But you started work in the UK eight years and only applied for your NINO earlier this year? If that is the case I can't help thinking that you have made your situation far worse than it could have been. Suspect you have grounds for being thankful that HMRC told employers at the beginning of this calendar year that in PAYE end-of-year returns to be filed in April or May 2005 that temporary NINOs would not be accepted. That no doubt caused lots of employers to try to get hold of real NINOs from their employees where necessary.

[Big A]

John, thanks for the usefull info. I do however need to know if all the tax details need to be updated onto my new NI number before I can apply for Naturalisation? The only reason I did get a new permanent NI number was as you stated the new Law that was introduced to companies. If they can't see any records attached to my new NI number, this will possibly make my application drag on for a good few months, and this is what I want to try and avoid at all costs. I do realise that it was only this year that I needed a permanent NI number, as previously it took months before I could get an appointment, so I suppose the onis was on me to obtain a new one. I do have 2 reference numbers from the IR, but they only relate to last year unfortunately.

[John]

The NINO is only one of the references that the Tax Office uses to keep track of you. Every taxpayer also has a UTR .... a Unique Tax Reference ... although many people never know what theres is. Also for employed people, the employer's PAYE reference would be useful.

Dig out your P60s and P45s ... you should find that they all have the employer's PAYE reference on them. It is those records that now need to be allied to your tax record.

Seriously, stop worrying about this ... as far as the naturalisation application is concerned. Be more concerned that you might (eventually) lose out on some State Retirement Pension due to you.

[Big A]

John, Yet again thanks for your speedy reply. I'll stop worrying and I'll try and find all my old P60's and P45 info. Once again thanks for your help. I anyone else's had a similar experience, would you please share it with me. This site has been very helpful as ever, and I hope it will continue to do so for a very long time.