NINO

Anyone had problems arranging new NINO for an EU citizen who is trying to claim UC? Or have a telephone number which a human answers? We rang various NINO enquiry numbers and were eventually told that the NINO would be organised as part of the UC claim. But client was told by a UC workcoach that they didn’t sort out NINO issues and client would need to speak to the NINO enquiry team…

This might be useful: https://cpag.org.uk/welfare-rights/judicial-review/judicial-review-pre-action-letters/national-insurance-numbers

You might not need to go for the JR, depending on how amenable the JCP staff is to read their own guidance (also in that link) you may be able to convince them informally.

I had this situation a month or so ago. As I understand it, if they have a job and are about to start work, they need to call the NINO line. If they need the NINO to claim benefits, this office will not issue a NINO and it is done by UC. Problem I had was that UC didnt know this, and like you, we were bounced between NINO line and JC. My clt had an habitual residency test first and once it was established that they were eligible, they were then referred for a NINO interview.  We had to get the partnership manager involved to resolve this. The referral was made by the service centre not the work coach.

I used information from CPAG https://cpag.org.uk/welfare-rights/judicial-review/judicial-review-pre-action-letters/national-insurance-numbers

There is some guidance which I sent to partnership manager which seemed to get everything resolved fairly swiftly

“CPAG have however received reports that Jobcentres are unaware of the internal process above. It may help to draw their attention to the following: NINo staff guide: Completing the eDCI1 form (http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-insurance-number-allocations... Published 13 December 2016)”