Obtaining National Insurance Number for reasons other than work.

Is it even possible to get a National Insurance number if you're not intending to work?  On the website (www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number), they tell you to phone 0345 600 0643 to apply for a NIN.  That number is for Jobcentre, and when you tell them you want to apply for a NIN, they ask why you need it.  None of the reasons I've given so far have allowed me to schedule an appointment.

I've now phoned Jobcentre, who directed me to HMRC, who directed me back to Jobcentre, who gave me the number to HMRC again... etc.  I've made six phone calls to two phone numbers today, and everybody is pretty adamant that they are not the people I should be talking to.

Advice is welcome.  This is my situation:
    I have a disability that makes walking difficult, so I want to obtain a Blue Badge so I can park closer to my destination on the rare occasion that we go into town.  I had a disability tag for my car in the US, and I have a well-documented medical condition, so I am sure I will be deemed eligible.  But I need a NIN to even start the application.
    I also just learned last night that a National Insurance Number is required to open one of the new Help To Buy ISAs, so now I'm even more eager to get my NIN sorted.  (If I'd known I would need the NIN to open the ISA, I would have pushed this even harder sooner... the Blue Badge is more of a want than a need since I can just not go out and the mobility issue is solved.  But we need the Help To Buy ISA!)

I got one of the people to go off-script today after I made him laugh, and he hinted that I might try my local authority for advice since I want the NIN for a Blue Badge application.

Adding to the awkward situation, I am here on FLR(M), but I just sent off my application for extension, so even if I am permitted to make an appointment, I don't have my BRP or passport.  I have other forms of identification, including my birth certificate, US-issued IDs, utility bills that show residence, and documents from UKBA/UKVI when my first FLR(M) was approved and my BRP was issued.

So... anybody know how I should go about applying for my NIN, and if it's even going to be possible before my visa gets approved and my BRP comes back in six to eight weeks (hopefully)?

Tell them you are looking for work.  You don't actually have to.   

I only have to be looking for work?  I thought I had to have a job offer or be applying for benefits to get my foot in the door.  I will try that!

Do you know if my temporary lack of BRP and passport will be a problem?  I know from reading in another thread that there's a number that they can call to verify my eligibility to work.  So if I just prove who I am and they check that I am allowed to work, that will be enough, right?

Tell them you are looking for work.  You don't actually have to.   

Why couldn't the man on the phone have told me this?!  He must have known it would be a valid reason and there's no way to disprove it!  I've been hitting so many dead ends this afternoon... Gah!

Thank you for the suggestion, KFdancer.  I now have an appointment for 9th of December, and I don't think I need to worry about the lack of passport/BRP... I explained my situation and she said to just bring in as much ID as I can, along with proof of my address.

As KFdancer said, you just need to be looking for work.

Be sure to bring your partner's National Insurance Number. It's something people often don't think to bring, but they usually ask for.

As KFdancer said, you just need to be looking for work.

Be sure to bring your partner's National Insurance Number. It's something people often don't think to bring, but they usually ask for.

Thanks, I'll be sure to bring it.  I'm sure that won't be in the appointment letter they send me.  This forum is always so helpful. 

Bring a copy of your passport and BRP.  Glad you got an appointment sorted!

Definitely being copies as kfdancer mentioned. It's definitely required.


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 A Help to Buy ISA bonus will be taxable income in the States, so you will want to consider that in your planning. On a similar theme, because the US tax system charges income tax on foreign currency gains on the repayment of Sterling mortgages you may want any future mortgage to be entirely in your non-American partner's name.

A Help to Buy ISA bonus will be taxable income in the States, so you will want to consider that in your planning. On a similar theme, because the US tax system charges income tax on foreign currency gains on the repayment of Sterling mortgages you may want any future mortgage to be entirely in your non-American partner's name.

The bonus isn't paid until/unless a qualifying house purchase is made, and it will be some time before there's enough bonus payable to even begin to worry about it affecting me tax-wise.

Meanwhile, can you clarify what you're saying about income tax charges on foreign currency gains on the repayment of a mortgage.  What foreign currency gains are realized by repaying a mortgage?  Are you referring to capital gains made from the sale of the property later (assuming it appreciates in value)?

The bonus isn't paid until/unless a qualifying house purchase is made, and it will be some time before there's enough bonus payable to even begin to worry about it affecting me tax-wise.

Meanwhile, can you clarify what you're saying about income tax charges on foreign currency gains on the repayment of a mortgage.  What foreign currency gains are realized by repaying a mortgage?  Are you referring to capital gains made from the sale of the property later (assuming it appreciates in value)?

When you sell a house and pay off a mortgage in a foreign currency the IRS insists that you convert the amounts to $US. So the capital gain ends up being dependent on the purchase and sales price and the exchange rate in the years the purchase and sale were made. To avoid this you would keep the mortgage only in your no-US partner's name. However, I wonder if that would cause problems when applying for the mortgage as if you arebn't on the mortgage would you get the Government bonus?

Ah, the capital gain. Yeah... It's easy to say now that we don't intend to sell whatever house we end up purchasing (we don't), but I do acknowledge that unforeseen things can happen and we may end up selling some day.  So this could be a real concern.

For now, though, we have a couple of years before the bonus will have accrued enough and we have saved enough for a significant down payment.  So we have plenty of time to research whether I can take the bonus without being named on the mortgage, or if there's any other precautions I need to take.

Meanwhile, can you clarify what you're saying about income tax charges on foreign currency gains on the repayment of a mortgage.  What foreign currency gains are realized by repaying a mortgage?  Are you referring to capital gains made from the sale of the property later (assuming it appreciates in value)?

I see you haven't had a complete response to your question. There are the section 121 rules on cap gains on the purchase price versus sales price of the property, but there is also the section 988 transaction rules relating to gains on the mortgage contract itself. Again, it's down to variations in exchange rates. See the following:

http://www.taxadvisorypartnership.com/blog/us-tax/foreign-mortgage-exchange-rate-gain/