National Insurance Numbers

[DuncyBoy]

I work for the Civ and part of my job over the past couple of years has been stints on one of the National Helplines.

We use the National Insurance number to access ALL of our cases, but a surprising number of people call who don't know theirs and wouldn't have a clue how to find out what it is. A common belief is that if a child is under 16 they never have their own number, but if a benefit is claimed on their behalf they will be allocated one, no matter how old (or young) they are.

I was just wondering what the general consensus on here is?

Do you know yours?
Do you know where your NI card is?
Have you ever had to use it?

A little more reading here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_insurance#National_Insurance_number

 

[DuncyBoy]

I deal with NINO's all the time too, but our system also includes a last name search which is always good with some of the clients we get

I know mine, I know where it is and I think pretty much everyone has had to use it at one point?

We do have a search system that uses name, date of birth, postcode etc but customer's are "encouraged" to have their NINo to hand to cut call waiting time

Seems like the majority of people know theirs or can at least put their hands on it if need be. Wish more people like you lot rang our place

You get some corking answers on the Helpline sometimes though.

"Do you have the National Insurance number?"
"No, but I've got my NI card. Can you use the number on that?"

 

[DuncyBoy]

Loads of interesting replies on here, glad most people know what there's is and what it's for. I must just be really unlucky on Helpline!!!

"Can I take the customers surname, please?"
"13th of April."