HMRC has introduced a new service that makes it easier for individual taxpayers to access their national insurance confirmation letter.
It will offer millions of people the opportunity to securely store their national insurance number online.
The service has been called “Store my National Insurance Number” and allows taxpayers to access their national insurance (NI) confirmation letter online through their PTA or the HMRC app.
The new service has the potential to impact approximately 83 million individuals who have a valid national insurance number (NINO).
Easier access to your national insurance number
Store my national insurance number gives people the ability to get their NI details conveniently and without any delays.
Using the online solution means they no longer have to wait up to 15 days for an NI confirmation letter to arrive by post.
The number of individuals per year reaching out to HMRC via phone to verify their national insurance number is estimated to be around 519,000 calls.
Similarly approximately 53,000 people make contact through webchat for the same purpose.
These figures are high and are a drain on HMRC’s resources especially their telephone helplines.
By providing individuals with online access to store their national insurance number, it alleviates some of the burden on HMRC and eliminates the need for direct interaction with an HMRC adviser.
This not only benefits individuals but also eases pressure on the overall system.
How do I use store my national insurance number
After successfully logging into their personal tax account or the HMRC app and accessing the ‘Store my NINO’ service, users will have access to various features.
These include the digital wallet functionality, as well as a PDF view of their NINO letter that is easily accessible. Additionally, they will also have the option to print out this letter if needed.
The digital wallet gives the option of storing it in a digital wallet app like Google Wallet or Apple Wallet for future reference without needing to sign into their account.
While using any of these options HMRC advises taxpayers to protect any saved information with a security code or pattern on their device.
What if I don’t have a personal tax account?
You can set up a personal tax account through the government gateway portal. If you don’t have a government gateway account you can set one up.
A personal tax account is a good idea for many different reasons with it providing most of the tax information you need (including your NI number) in one easy to use and personalised online account.
Can I still call HMRC about my national insurance number?
It’s important to note that the how do I store my national insurance service is not mandatory, and individuals can still contact HMRC by phone if they prefer requesting NI details over the phone.
Check your tax code tool
Updated in June 2023 taxpayers can use the check your tax code service to interpret their payslip’s tax code.
Through a web based tool that presents a series of questions individuals can work out the significance of each letter and number in their tax code, and gain insights on what steps to take if they suspect an error in their tax code.
The check your tax code tool can be used as many times as you want and you can use it without having to log in to any government or HMRC platforms.
