National Insurance Numbers for Children in Care

The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations.

Volume three: Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers, appendix E.

National Insurance Numbers

All young people should automatically receive a National Insurance Number at the age of 15 years and nine months. The National Insurance Number is sent to the address when Child Benefit is being claimed for the young person. As the majority of Children in Care do not have a child benefit claim, National Insurance Numbers do not automatically get issued. As the age of fifteen years and nine months the social worker for the young person should contact the New Registrations Section of the National Insurance Office, HMRC, to instigate the process of obtaining the National Insurance Number.

For detailed guidance see: Applying for a National Insurance Number for a Looked After Child (HMRC).

You should apply for a National Insurance Number as soon as the young person reaches 15 years and nine months. This saves time and complications later on. If you delay applying until the young person wishes to seek employment, claim benefits or attend Higher Education for example, you may find you can not get a number allocated straight away or you need to complete additional paperwork.

To apply for a National Insurance number for a Looked After Child you will need to:

Step One: Register your request with HM revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Step Two: After HMRC have received your initial application, they will send you form CA3530 to complete. For security reasons you must complete and return this form to confirm the child's name and address before HMRC can issue the National Insurance Number. You must return form CA3530 to HMRC within one month of receiving it. If you don’t, you will have to begin the application process once again.

Write to HMRC using Local Authority Headed paper - for validation and security purposes - and for all applications include the following information:

• Child's full name;
• Any previous names used;
• Child's Date of Birth;
• Date child went in to care;
• Child's current address;
• Your own contact details in order that HMRC can contact you if they need to.

If the child is a UK National also include:

• Any previous residential addresses, for example old parental addresses and the child's last address before they were taken in to care;
• A photocopy of one of the following: The child’s Birth Certificate, Care Order, Adoption Certificate, Change of Name Deed or the ID page of the child’s passport.

If the child is an unaccompanied asylum seeker minor (Home Office Case) also include photocopies of the child's Home Office Documents.

Send your letter and documents to:

HM Revenue and Customs
Looked After Children's Team
Room BP1002
Benton Park View
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1ZZ

You may also fax your letter and documents to the Looked After Children's Team on:

Fax: 0191 225 7384

Letters sent by fax and post are dealt within the same timescale.

HMRC will accept only one letter per applicant.