National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas Nationals

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Statistical Bulletin

22 May 2014

Coverage: UK

Theme: Migration

Issued by:

IGS

Department for Work and

Pensions

Telephone:

Press Office: 0203 267 5160

Website:

http://www.gov.uk/dwp

Statistician:

Steve Watkins

IGS

Department for Work and

Pensions

Kings Court

80 Hanover Way

Sheffield

S3 7UF

Telephone: 01142098387

Email:

[email protected]

Next release of NINo

registration data:

August 2014

National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas

Nationals Entering the UK – registrations to March 2014.

This annual report provides statistics regarding National Insurance

Numbers (NINo) allocated to adult overseas nationals entering the

United Kingdom (UK). A NINo is generally required by any overseas

national looking to work or claim benefits / tax credits in the UK,

including the self employed or students working part time.

The figures are based on recorded registration date on the HMRC

National Insurance Recording and Pay as you Earn System, i.e. after

the NINo application process has been completed. This may be a

number of weeks or months (or in some cases years) after

arriving in the UK.

Statistics on National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas

Nationals Entering the UK are full National Statistics;

Next release date 28

August 2014

Further information and statistics on NINo registrations to adult

overseas nationals can be obtained using the Department’s internet-

based interactive tabulation tool - Stat-Xplore (click here)

Headline Figures:

 The total number of NINo registrations to adult overseas

nationals in 2013/14 was 603 thousand, an increase of 40

thousand (7%) on the previous year.

 Within the European Union (EU) - The number of NINo

registrations from EU nationals in 2013/14 was 439 thousand,

an increase of 54 thousand (14%) on the previous year.

 The number of NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals

from EU2 nationals (Bulgaria and Romania) in 2013/14 was 65

thousand, an increase of 36 thousand (129%) on the previous

year

 Rest of the world

- The number of NINo registrations to adult

overseas nationals from outside the EU in 2013/14 was 162

thousand, a decrease of 14 thousand (8%) on the previous

year.

Contents Page

Definition of World Area 3

1 NINo Registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK

Time series

Fig 1.1 : time series by quarter (12 month total to the end of the quarter) January

2002 to March 2014

World area and nationality

Fig 1.2 : by registration year and world area, 2002/3 to 2013/14 5

Fig 1.3 : Top 20 countries 2013/14 6

UK area : geographical regions

Fig 1.4 : by UK region for 2013/14 7

Fig 1.5 : top 20 Local Authorities for 2013/14 7

2 Focus on: NINo Registrations to adult overseas nationals from the EU2

Background and headline figures 8

Fig 2.1: NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals from EU2 nationals by year

of registration - 2002/3 to 2013/14

Fig 2:2 Proportion of NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals by gender and

age group , registrations 2013/14.

Fig 2:3 Time taken between arrival in the UK and National Insurance number

registration - registrations between 1

January 2014 to 31

March 2014

3 Sources / Notes

Notes 11

DefinitionofWorldArea

For reporting purposes, countries have been grouped into ‘world areas’ based primarily on

geographical location. Throughout this document Europe is represented as 3 world areas reflecting

their status within the European Union (EU). These are :

Europe - EU excluding Accession Countries : (EU14) Founder members or countries acceding to

the EU prior to May 2004. These comprise of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,

Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden

Europe - EU Accession Countries : Countries acceding to the EU from May 2004.

Joined the EU 1

May 2004 – (EU8) Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Republic of Latvia,

Republic of Lithuania, Poland, Slovak Republic, Republic of Slovenia.

Cyprus and Malta (Joined the EU 1

May 2004 but not referred to as part of the EU8)

Joined the EU 1

January 2007 – (EU2) Bulgaria, Romania

Joined the EU 1

July 2013 - Croatia

Europe – Non EU : European countries that are not members of the EU at 1

April 2014.

Note : European Economic Area (EEA) comprises of the member states of the European Union plus

Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway

1 NINo Registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK

Time series

Fig 1.1 : NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK, registration time

series by quarter (12 month total to the end of the quarter), March 2002 to March 2014.

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

YE Dec 02

YE Mar 03

YE Jun 03

YE Sep 03

YE Dec 03

YE Mar 04

YE Jun 04

YE Sep 04

YE Dec 04

YE Mar 05

YE Jun 05

YE Sep 05

YE Dec 05

YE Mar 06

YE Jun 06

YE Sep 06

YE Dec 06

YE Mar 07

YE Jun 07

YE Sep 07

YE Dec 07

YE Mar 08

YE Jun 08

YE Sep 08

YE Dec 08

YE Mar 09

YE Jun 09

YE Sep 09

YE Dec 09

YE Mar 10

YE Jun 10

YE Sep 10

YE Dec 10

YE Mar 11

YE Jun 11

YE Sep 11

YE Dec 11

YE Mar 12

YE Jun 12

YE Sep 12

YE Dec 12

YE Mar 13

YE Jun 13

YE Sep 13

YE Dec 13

YE Mar 14

Registrations (Thousands)

Source: 100% extract from National Insurance Recording and Pay as you Earn System (NPS).

Notes :

1. Registration date is derived from the date at which a NINo is maintained on the NPS

Note : Caution should be taken in interpreting trends based on raw quarterly data, hence a ‘12

month to date’ rolling total is shown in fig 1.1 to better reflect trends in the annual series.

The raw quarterly time series of NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals shows a number of

peaks and troughs. The series is reflecting both seasonal effects in the registration of adult

overseas nationals entering the UK and operational factors in recording a NINo on the NPS

computer system.

The total number of NINo registrations to all adult overseas nationals entering the UK rose from

311 thousand in 2002, with a sharper increase from 2004 following the accession of the eight

eastern European countries (EU8) plus Malta and Cyprus, to the European Union, to a peak of

797 thousand in 2007. Since then they have fluctuated around 600,000, falling to a low of 519,000

in 2012. Latest data shows there were 603,000 registrations in the year ending March 2014.

Fig 1.1 has been derived from the quarterly time series available in Stat Xplore :

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/statistics#stat-xplore

World area and nationality

Fig 1.2 : NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK, by year of

registration and world area, 2002/03 to 2013/14.

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

2002/03

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

2009/10

0/11

1/12

2/13

3/14

Registrations (Thousands)

Australasia and

Oceania

The Americas

Asia and Middle East

Africa

Europe - non-EU

Europe - EU

Accession Countries

Europe - EU excluding

Accession Countries

source: 100% extract from National Insurance Recording and Pay as you Earn System (NPS).

Notes :

1. Registration date is derived from the date at which a NINo is maintained on the NPS

2. For consistency of reporting, EU Accession countries here refers to EU8, Malta and Cyprus and EU2(Bulgaria & Romania) for

the entire Back Series including the periods before Accession and after transitional arrangements have ended. (See notes)

3. Time Series - Year Of Registration Date Years are shown as 1st April - 31st March

Within the European Union (EU)

During 2013/14, 249 thousand NINo’s were registered to the Eastern European countries who

acceded to the EU in 2004 (for whom labour market restrictions were lifted across the EU as a

whole in May 2011) plus the more recent accession countries (Romania and Bulgaria) – an

increase of 40 thousand (19%) on 2012/13.

Registrations to other EU nationals (190 thousand in 2013/14) increased by 8%.

Rest of the world:

Outside of the European Union, annual registrations to all world areas have typically fallen to

lowest levels since the reporting period began (2002/03).

Those to European, non-EU nationals remained at 11 thousand.

84 thousand NINo’s were registered to Asian & Middle East nationals during 2013/14 – 12% lower

than in 2012/13.

Registrations to those from the Americas fell by 1% to 22 thousand.

Registrations from Africans fell by 4% (to 30 thousand) and from Australasia and Oceania fell by

9% (to 15 thousand).

Fig 1.3 : NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK, top 20 countries for

2013/14

Rank*

Country

2013/14

Total

(thousands)

% change

from 2012/13

2012/13

Total

(thousands)

2012/13

Rank

1 ● Poland 101.93 12% 91.36 1

2 ▲ Romania 46.89 163% 17.82 9

3 ▼ Spain 45.62 0% 45.53 2

4 ▼ Italy 41.95 28% 32.80 3

5 ▼ India 28.76 -8% 31.25 4

6 ▲ Portugal 27.26 11% 24.55 7

7 ▼ Hungary 23.62 -4% 24.67 6

8 ▼ Rep of Lithuania 22.44 -18% 27.32 5

9 ▼ France 22.28 5% 21.23 8

10 ▲ Bulgaria 17.75 71% 10.40 18

11 ● Rep of Ireland 16.37 5% 15.54 11

12 ▼ Pakistan 12.09 -25% 16.16 10

13 ▼ Slovak Rep 11.78 3% 11.48 15

14 ▼ Rep of Latvia 11.30 -17% 13.60 12

15 ▼ China Peoples Rep 11.13 -7% 12.01 13

16 ▼ Australia 10.70 -9% 11.78 14

17 ▼ Germany 10.52 -4% 10.95 16

18 ▼ Nigeria 10.28 -2% 10.51 17

19 ▲ Greece 9.04 4% 8.68 20

20 ▼ USA 8.69 -4% 9.03 19

*▲,▼ : indicates ranking movement from previous year, for example Italian registrations have increased by 28% on the previous

year but Italy has moved down to 4

in the ranked table compared to NINo registrations in 2012/13

Source: 100% extract from National Insurance Recording and Pay as you Earn System (NPS).

Notes :

1. Registration date is derived from the date at which a NINo is maintained on the NPS

2. Time Series - Year Of Registration Date Years are shown as 1st April - 31st March

Factors thought to be influencing the trends in terms of NINo registrations across different

nationalities / world areas are:

 The restrictions placed on non-EEA workers and students – India, Pakistan, China Peoples

Republic, Australia and Nigeria all showing continued falling trends since 2010/11.

 High unemployment rates, particularly from countries most severely impacted by the euro zone

crisis – Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy.

Note - Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union (EU) on 1 January 2007. Since then,

migrants from Bulgaria and Romania (collectively known as the EU2) coming to the UK were

subject to transitional employment restrictions, which placed limits on the kind of employment they

could undertake. These restrictions ended on 1 January 2014

UK area : geographical regions

NINo registrations are allocated to Regions (previously Government Office Regions), Local

Authorities and Parliamentary Constituencies using address matching software and matching to the

latest postcode directory. Figures reflect the best estimate of an adult overseas national’s locality at

the time of registering for a NINo.

In 2013/14, of the 603 thousand NINo’s registered to adult overseas nationals entering the UK, 243

thousand (40%) first registered within the London Region. Northern Ireland and the North East have

the fewest registrations, both with 1% of the UK total (Fig 1.4).

Of the top 20 Local Authorities (Fig 1.5) with the highest number of registrations in 2013/14, 16 are

in the London Region. Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester and Leeds represent the highest Local

Authorities outside of London.

Fig 1.4: NINo registrations to adult

overseas nationals entering the UK, by

Region registrations 2013/14

Fig 1.5: NINo registrations to adult overseas

nationals entering the UK, top 20 ranked

Local Authorities 2013/14

Region Thousands

London 243.03

South East 70.40

East of England 46.21

West Midlands 39.54

North West 38.55

Scotland 37.82

East Midlands 33.20

Yorkshire and The Humber 31.20

South West 31.12

Wales 11.01

Northern Ireland 9.06

North East 8.17

Overseas Residents 3.19

Local Authority Thousands

Newham 17.17

Brent 16.71

Tower Hamlets 15.24

Haringey 12.72

Waltham Forest 11.58

Ealing 11.35

Birmingham 11.18

Westminster 10.96

Lambeth 10.73

Southwark 10.72

Edinburgh, City of 10.49

Manchester 9.79

Barnet 9.42

Camden 8.75

Wandsworth 8.67

Hammersmith and Fulham 8.32

Hounslow 8.02

Islington 7.94

Hackney 7.65

Leeds 6.96

Source: 100% extract from National Insurance Recording and Pay as you Earn System (NPS).

Notes

2NINoRegistrationstoadultoverseasnationalsfromtheEU2

The EU2

Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union (EU) on 1 January 2007. Since then, migrants

from Bulgaria and Romania (collectively known as the EU2) coming to the UK were subject to

transitional employment restrictions, which placed limits on the kind of employment they could

undertake.

Transitional controls limit the extent to which nationals of acceding countries can access the UK

labour market. This report: (link) by the Migration Advisory Committee provides further details of

how transitional controls were applied in the UK. In the UK, migrants from Romania and Bulgaria

were only able to work in limited sectors or where they were self-employed. These restrictions

ended on 1 January 2014.

Headline Figures:

 Romania : The total number of NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK

from Romania in 2013/14 was 47 thousand, an increase of 29 thousand (163%) on the previous

year.

 Bulgaria - The total number of NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK

from Bulgaria in 2013/14 was 18 thousand, an increase of 7 thousand (71%) on the previous year.

 Registrations from EU2 nationals represent 11% of the total NINo registrations to adult

overseas nationals entering the UK in 2013/14. (Polish nationals represent 17%, Spanish nationals

8%, Italian nationals 7%).

Fig 2.1: NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals from EU2 nationals by year of

registration - 2002/3 to 2013/14.

2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7 2007/8 2008/9 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Registrations (Thousands)

Romania

Bulgaria

Source: 100% extract from National Insurance Recording and Pay as you Earn System (NPS)

Age and gender :

Fig 2:2 Proportion of NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals by gender and age

group, registrations 2013/14.

2.2a : European Union nationals:

30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Less than 18

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-59

60 and over

Percentage

MALES FEM ALES

2.2b : Bulgarian nationals:

30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Less than 18

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-59

60 and over

percentage

MALES FEM ALES

2.2c : Romanian nationals:

30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Less than 18

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-59

60 and over

Percentage

MALES FEMALES

Source: 100% extract from National Insurance Recording and Pay as you Earn System (NPS)

Chart 2.2a, European Union includes

EU2

 The gender split of NINo registrations (2013/14) from within the EU2 compared to within the EU is

broadly consistent with approximately 55% of registrations from males and 45% from females.

 Single largest age / gender group from EU2 nationals registering for a NINo is from males aged

25-34. The breakdown is distributed more evenly from within the EU as a whole for males and

females aged 18-24 and males aged 25-34.

Arrival and registration: In order to apply for a National Insurance Number (NINo), in the first

instance, a migrant worker makes an inquiry to a Job Centre. They must attend an "Evidence of

Identity interview" at a local DWP Jobcentre Plus office where they must be able to prove that they

are who they say they are and that they satisfy the criteria for needing a NINo. The figures are based

on recorded registration date on the HMRC National Insurance Recording and Pay as you Earn

System, i.e. after the NINo application process has been completed. This may be a number of weeks

or months (or in some cases years) after arriving in the UK.

Fig 2:3 Time taken between arrival in the UK and National Insurance number registration,

registrations between 1

January 2014 to 31

March 2014

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Spain Poland Bulgaria Romania

+ 1 Year

9-12 months

6-9 months

3-6 months

0-3 months

Source: 100% extract from National Insurance Recording and Pay as you Earn System (NPS)

The above chart shows the time taken from arrival in the UK to NINo registration date for EU2

nationals. For reference, Poland and Spain are shown alongside EU2 nationals as they represent

highest single nationalities for registrations (2013/2014).

Although January to March 2014 NINo registration series show large increases from EU2 nationals

on the same quarter of the previous year, of those registering for a NINo in the latest quarter (1

Jan

2014 to 31

March 2014) :

 over 30% of EU2 nationals had arrived in the UK over a year prior to registering for a NINo,

this is compared to around 4% for Polish and Spanish nationals.

 Approximately 22% of NINo registrations from EU2 nationals registered for a NINo with 3

months of UK arrival, this is compared to approximately 70% of registrations from Polish and

Spanish nationals.

This indicates that the EU2 NINo registration figures (January to March 2014) are actually

reflecting migration over an extended period: the majority of those EU2 nationals registering

for a NINo since transitional controls were lifted had arrived in the UK a number of months /

years earlier

Note – quarterly NINo registrations data is available through Stat Xplore: (Quarterly table)

3 Notes / Sources

Comparison of NINo statistics against Labour Force Survey (LFS) statistics

The NINo statistics represent a flow measure of new registrations by non-UK nationals registering

for a National Insurance Number The NINo statistics are not directly comparable to the LFS

employment estimates which indicate the stock of people working in the UK, nor do they necessarily

align well with migration flows.

NINo registration figures in January to March 2014 are representing migration over an extended

period: the majority of those EU2 nationals registering for a NINo since transitional controls were

lifted had arrived in the UK at least a number of months earlier.

Source :

DWP receive a quarterly cumulative scan from HMRC’s National Insurance Recording and Pay as

you Earn System (NPS) which contains details of all adult overseas nationals allocated a NINo.

This is used to produce these National Statistics.

The registration date referred to in this report represents the date the information on the individual

was processed on HM Revenue and Customs’ National Insurance Recording and Pay as you Earn

System (NPS) i.e. after the NINo application and allocation process has been completed. This may

be a number of weeks or months after arriving in the UK. The registration series is not subject to

any future change.

The DWP NINo data covers people allocated a NINo for all types of work – including the self-

employed and students working part-time – and whatever the length of stay in the UK. It also covers

adult overseas nationals allocated a NINo to claim benefits or tax credits. In addition, the data is a

100% sample held at case-level data sources.

The DWP NINo data does not show when overseas nationals subsequently depart the UK, nor does

it show length of stay in the UK. The DWP figures are therefore a measure of inflow of overseas

nationals registering for a NINo. It does not measure outflow or overall stock of overseas nationals

in the UK.

The definition of migrants in this publication – adult overseas nationals allocated a NINo – differs

from other published statistics in the area, such as International Migration statistics derived from the

International Passenger Survey (IPS), and statistics on foreign workers derived from the Labour

Force Survey (LFS). The various definitions of migrants mean the data sources may have different

numbers of migrants for the same time period.

The figures reflect adult overseas nationals allocated a NINo through the adult registration process.

In addition there will be a small number of overseas nationals (aged 16-19 yrs) allocated a NINo

automatically through the Juvenile Registration scheme. This occurs when the individual has

previously been allocated a child registration number. These juvenile cases are not captured by the

statistics.

Other statistics on migration

The Migration Statistics Quarterly Report provides a comprehensive picture of the various sources

of migration statistics available and analysis of trends and includes headline NINo statistics.

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=15230