What is a National Insurance (NI) number?
The National Insurance number is a personal number used in the administration of National Insurance, a type of social security, and taxation. It is made up of two letters, six numbers and a letter (e.g. AB 12 34 56 C), and employers need an employee’s NI number before they can start working for them.
How to apply for a NI number
Some Biometric Residence Permits (BRP) already have a NI number printed on them. If your BRP doesn’t have a NI number on it, and if you have a right to work in the UK, you can apply for a NI number once you have arrived in the UK on a current visa and you live in England.
You will need to telephone the National Insurance number application phone line to request a NI number. Visit the gov.uk website for the telephone number and opening hours.
Following this telephone call, it is likely that you will be required to complete an application form, and supply proof of identity and your right to work or study in the UK. Please be advised that once you have submitted this application form, it may take up to 8 weeks to get your National Insurance number.
Where to look for work
The BG Futures: Careers, Employability and Enterprise team at Bishop Grosseteste University can help you look for suitable work and provide you with bespoke one-to-one careers advice and guidance. The team are aware of local vacancies suitable for students, and you can contact the BG Futures team via email at bgfutures@bishopg.ac.uk, by phone on +44 (0)1522 583900, or by booking an appointment via their online careers system, BG Futures Online. You can access BG Futures Online via the Student Portal (click the ‘BG Futures’ tile, then click the ‘BG Futures Online’ tile) or via this link.
To keep up-to-date with local job vacancies, free webinars and workshops, and general careers information, by following the BG Futures team on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
There are a range of internal jobs on-campus every year, including roles such as Student Engagement Champions, Student Ambassadors and Library Shelvers. To find out more information about jobs at BGU, and in the local Lincoln area, keep an eye out for our annual ‘Jobs on Campus Fayre’, which runs every autumn (details will be launched via the Student Portal).
As well as the BG Futures Online service, you can also search for local jobs via national websites such as indeed.com, reed.co.uk and gov.uk/find-a-job.
Don’t forget, you can only work up to the maximum number of hours specified on your visa.