英國打工度假－工作稅務之必須，申請 National Insurance Number

在英國工作必須擁有一組 National Insurance Number (NI Number)，用來處理工作收入的報稅問題。但雖說持有 Tier 5 YMS 簽證能允許在英國工作，但不像 Tier 2 工作簽證那樣，在 BRP 背面已有申請好的 NI Number，而是得自行跑流程申請。本文紀錄這次申請的流程與步驟。（若持有 Tier 5 YMS 簽證沒有計劃在英國工作的話，是可以不必申請 NI Number。）

打電話申請

由 UK gov 網頁中，Apply for a National Insurance number，獲取申請 National insurance Number 的步驟與方法，從網頁中可以獲取該免費電話專線的號碼 0800-141-2075，在其營運時間 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm，直接打電話到網頁所記錄的專線。

有幾點要注意：

• 必須在英國才能申請，專線一開始的語音說明強調這一點
• 可能需要等待一段很長的時間
  • 自己經驗需等待將近 30 分鐘才與專人接上線
• 英文聽力不習慣需要多準備，對方口語的連音讓自己理解不能
  • 自己講到有點掉漆⋯⋯
• 將可能的問題準備好，以下是這次被問到的問題
  • Are you living in the UK now?
  • Why you need a national insurance number?
  • Have you apply for insurance number before?
  • What’s nationality are you?
  • Can I take your surname, your last name?
  • What is your date of birth?
  • Can I take your first name?
  • Do you have a middle name?
  • Can I take your postcode? (address)
  • Can I take your telephone number?
  • What date did you arrive in the UK?
• 準備紙筆以方便寫下 reference number，或是電話錄音來事後確認

[Call on 24 July, waited for 26 mins]

Staff: Good morning, this is the department for working pensions [Staff Name], may I help you how?
Me: I want to apply for NI number
Staff: OK, it just needs to go through several questions and take about five minutes
Me: OK

Staff: Are you living in the UK now?
Me: Yes, I am living in

Staff: Why you need a national insurance number?
Me: I have tier 5 visa, and I want to find a job

Staff: Have you apply for insurance number before?
Me: No

（當初聽不是很明白 Nationality，不確定 Job Centre 該針對國籍註記是什麼，護照由 Republic of China 所發，依照中華民國憲法說是 Chinese 似乎也是沒什麼問題，但從 UK Gov 一個中國政策來看，Chinese 國籍應該是指 People of China 呢。但注意 BRP 上的註記是 Taiwanese。最後又花點時間糾正）

Staff: What's nationality are you?
Me: I come from Taiwan, I am Taiwanese
Saff: Japanesenaliy?
Me: Pardon
Staff: Do you have any nationality?
Me: (confuse) I don’t know what’s nationality?
Staff: Do you have any nationality, or you are just Chinese
Me: (confuse) I'm Chinese (Chinese blood)
Staff: OK

Staff: Can I take your surname, your last name?
Me: Yes, my last name is Wang, W-A-N-G

Staff: Thank you, and your date of birth?
Me: 19th of May, 1987

Staff: Thank you, and can I take your first name?
Me: first name..., sorry?
Staff: Your first name
Me: yes, Siyuan, S-I-Y-U-A-N

Staff: Do you have a middle name?
Me: No, I don’t have a middle name.

(My address is [FALT NO] Ritchie House, Howland Estate, London, SE16 7BL)
Staff: Can I take your postcode?
Me: SE16 7BL
Staff: 7PR?
Me: I'm sorry, I said that again, SE 16 7BL, B for Bravo
Staff: Whats for the last letter?
Me: I'm sorry
Staff: I don't understand what the last letter you said
Me: Oh, yes, L for Lima
Staff: Thank you
Staff: Is that Russell Place?
Me: No, house
Staff: So, S for .., E for, 16, 7, P for Pasta, L for Lima
Staff: is that right?
Me: (confuse), I think not.
Me: Sorry, May I recheck the postcode?
Me: SE16, right?
Staff: Ya
Me: 7 BL, B for Bravo, L for Lima
Staff: B for Bravo, L for Lima
Me: Yes
Staff: Howland Estate
Me: Yes, that's right, Howland Estate
Staff: What's the flat number?
Me: the Flat number is [FALT NO]
Staff: Sorry?
Me: [FALT NO]

Staff: Can I take your telephone number?
Me: My telephone number is [TELEPHONE NUMBER]
Staff: Thank you

Staff: And what date did you arrive in the UK?
Me: (Tired) It is about..., Ten July.
Staff: Theth July this year, ya?
Me: Yes, this year
Staff: Ya, thank you

Staff: Ok, I need to give a reference number, do you have pens to write-in down?
Me: Yes

Me: But before that, May I recheck my nationality?
Staff: Chinese
Me: Can I correct it? I come from Taiwan, so I think it might be marked in Taiwanese, or be Chinese in the UK gov?
Staff: OK..., thank you

Staff: So you need to write down, its one zero two
Me: 1 0 2
Staff: Four six three
Me: 4 6 3
Staff: [LAST THREE NUMBER]
ME: [LAST THREE NUMBER], is that my reference number?
Staff: Yes, that right

Staff: But you need to book an appointment for the job centre
Me: OK
Staff: So it will be City Tower job centre
Me: City Tower, OK
Staff: Ya, on Wednesday twenty-second August, eleven thirty.
Me: (twenty se-con-dau-gest? confuse) I’m sorry, Is Wednesday...?
Staff: Wednesday twenty-second August
Me: Twenty third August..., OK
Staff: twenty-second, ger

Staff: You can last the next five days to confirm the appointment
Me: Hmm
Staff: You need to take with your valid passport national ID card
Me: Hmm, ok
Staff: Proof of your address
Me: Yes
Staff: Proof of employee if you are working
Staff: And your reference number
Me: Yes

Staff: So have any other questions?
Me: So I will receive a mail that contains all form...
Staff: that's right
Me: I mean..., will I receive a mail, it says I have an appointment?
Staff: That right, yes
Me: So I just need to wait for receiving the mail and wait for the appointment, right?
Staff: That's correct

Me: OK, thank you very much
Staff: Thank for calling, bye
Me: Bye, have a good day
Staff: You're so, bye

(end the call in 7 mins)

第一次面試

在打電話申請 NI Number 時，對方預約在住宿地點附近的 JobCentre 面試，於是根據指示的時間前往面試，並帶著所需要的文件 (細項請見第二次面試)。

但由於沒有收到來自於 JobCentre 的確認信，便帶著上次電話中所給的 reference number。

在外頭便可以看到排隊人潮，由於中心有人數管制無法直接進入，得等工作人員安排。向門外的工作人員說明來意後，因為沒有收到 appointment letter，得額外填寫一張表格，然後排隊等待工作人員指示。

排隊填寫的表格

好不容易進入 JobCentre，自己的名字很快便叫到，只是承辦人員一開始就說錯過預約時間，是早上 10: 15 而非所記錄的 11:30，給電話號碼請我去詢問接下來該怎麼辦，也許是重新預約時間 (rebook) ⋯⋯。

當下只能先行離開，並在 JobCentre 外直接打電話重新預約，原以為也得等跟第一次申請一樣長的時間，但擁有 Reference number 可以走不同的線路，根據電話語音的指示，大概 30 秒就有專人接聽，基本上重複之前申請的流程，持續確認資料，取得新的預約時間。

Staff: Good morning, this is the department for working pensions, may I help you how?
Me: I’ve booked the appointment, but he said I missed today, so I  need to rebook a new appointment date.

Staff: What is the reference number for you?
Me: My reference number is 102-463-xxx.

Staff: I need to confirm, what's your middle name?
Me: My middle name? I don't have a middle name.
Staff: That's ok, what's your first name?
Me: My first name is Siyuan
Staff: And your last name?
Me: Wang
Staff: What's date of birth?
Me: 19th of May, 1987
Staff: What's sort of the postcode, please?
Me: My postcode, SE16 7BL
Staff: And what is the first one of your house number?
Me: Flat [NO], Richie house
Staff: Please say that again?
Me: Flat [NO], Richie house
Staff: OK, wait a moment, please

Staff: I need ask some simple questions beneath, Are you living the UK now?
Me: Yes
Staff: Why do you need a national insurance number?
Me: I need to work, so I need a national insurance number
Staff: Have you apply before?
Me: Yes, I apply on July
Staff: What's your nationality?
Me: Taiwanese
Staff: Taiwan?
Me: Yes
Staff: And when did you arrive in the UK?
Me: 10th of July this year
[Staff sounds impatient...]

[Staff talked about what sort of documents need to take]

Staff: 17th of September and 11: 55, is that ok for you?
Me: Yes
Staff: And also I will send you the confirmation mail, you will receive in 3 to 5 days, you need to turn into one to one interview, is that ok?
Staff: Do you have any questions?
Me: Currently not
Staff: You're welcome, thanks for calling today
Me: Thank you, have a good day.
Staff: Have a good day, thank you.

(end the call in 6 mins)

第二次面試

在上次重新預約面談後，兩天內便收到 JobCentre 的來信，裡頭清楚標示 Reference number、預約時間與地點、以及所需要的證明文件等等資料。

預約信

因此在第二次出發前往面試之前，先準備好以下文件列表。

• Appointment letter
• Valid passport national ID card
  • 護照
  • BRP (Biometric residence permits)
• Proof of your address
  • 租屋合約 (Licence contract)
• Proof of employee if you are working

順帶一提，第二次的面試之前便已經開始工作，因此是在上班時間到 JobCentre 去面試，此外也向老闆要份僱傭證明 (proof of employee)，該封信件格式由老闆撰寫準備，大致上信件內容為以下，薪水資料是要證明有能力在倫敦生活，而地址是要求後才一起加上去：

[Employer's Name],
[Company's Name],
[Company's  Address]

30th August 2018

Re: Verification of Employment for Si-Yuan Wang

To Whom it May Concern,

Please accept this letter as confirmation that Si-Yuan Wang has been employed with [Company's Name] since 23/08/2018. Currently, Si-Yuan:

- Holds the title of Software Engineer,
- Earns a per annum salary of £[Salary], payable monthly,
- Works on a full-time basis of forty hours per week,
- Has signed the contract under his registered address: [FALT NO] Ritchie House, Howland Estate, London, SE16 7BL

If you have any questions or require additional information, please give me a call on [Employer's Phone], or email on [Employer's Email].

Best regards,
[Employer's Signature]
[Employer's Name]
[Employer's Title]

第二次到相同的 JobCentre，雖然持有 appointment letter 不用填寫表格，但還是會很緊張，擔心如果沒能趕上時間或是預約時間又不對該怎麼辦⋯⋯。

幸好這次一切順利，再進入 JobCentre 等待後，不像上次承辦人員一開始說錯過預約時間，而是給一張 ticket，並有告知到哪邊的座位等待。

Ticket

之後有另外一位承辦人員叫號，並根據他的指示，到指定位置進行面試。流程算是蠻輕鬆的，一開始把所有文件都放在桌上，護照、BRP、租屋合約、雇主信件、以及預約信，承辦人員相當熟練的拿取各個文件，確認內容資料並謄寫到紙本 Form 中。

中途也是會穿插詢問問題，並且還很親切的閒聊，詢問有沒有去哪裡玩啊，還叮嚀說這簽證 (Tier5) 應該要旅行出去玩，不應該只有工作而已。筆記以下有被詢問到的問題：

• 確認之前有沒有改過名字
• 是否第一次入境英國嗎？或是之前有入境過？
• 入境時間確認（查看護照的臨時英國簽證）
• 確認國籍為 Taiwanese，並詢問有沒有持有他國的國籍
• 詢問婚姻狀況
• 詢問英國聯絡電話號碼

其後為部分承辦人員寫錯修正的部分簽名，簽上 BRP 上的簽名樣式。之後會從承辦人員拿到申請確認文件 application for a national insurance number，並且說明 NI number 只是用來處理稅務問題，不包含保險等等 (only for tax, not for insurance)。此外沒有 NI number 也能工作，若雇主詢問 NI Number 可以直接展示該證明文件。

最後說明什麼時候會收到 NI Number 信件，至少需要等待四個禮拜，最長不會超過六個禮拜，若等超過六個禮拜請再打電話確認。

離開前的尷尬，另一位工作人員要將拿去影印完的 BRP 還給我時，為了確認是該 BRP 持有者，詢問：「What’s your birthday?」，但不知道為什麼的一時沒有搞懂，工作人員還唱起生日快樂歌呢，最後才明白在問些什麼⋯⋯。

申請確認文件

收到 NI 信件

NI 通知信還沒有到，但工資單 (payslip) 卻先行收到了，從薪資單發現稅項只有少少的 £26.80，猜想是公司因為沒有 NI number，因此還沒有完整報稅吧。

在面試結束後，歷經約 25 天的等待，終於在 2018-10-12 收到通知信件，信件除了有重要的 NI number 外，也有些注意提醒事項，例如要把該號碼給雇主等等。

下個月應該就得繳交正確的稅項了呢，基本就是薪資的 20% 呢。

收到申請 NI 結果的來信