HC Deb 22 February 1995 vol 255 cc248-50W
Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many national insurance numbers were in existence in 1965; how many have been issued since; how many in each category have been cancelled by the death of the owner or for other reasons; and what is the total number of people currently(a) eligible for and (b) holding a national insurance number.

Mr. Arbuthnot

There were approximately 28.5 million numbers in 1965. Up to 16 February 1995 a further 36.9 million have been issued.

National insurance numbers are not cancelled following the death of the owner because the record continues to he needed for a variety of reasons, for example to support payment of a widow's pension. The record is noted with the date of death. We currently hold approximately 9 million such records.

Information is not held on the number of national insurance numbers cancelled for other reasons.

Information on the total number of people eligible for a national insurance number is not maintained. However, figures supplied by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys advise that at mid 1992 the adult population of the United Kingdom was an estimated 46.6 million.

There are approximately 56 million national insurance numbers in issue. This figure includes numbers issued to people:

  1. (a) who live abroad and are in receipt of retirement pension;
  2. (b) who live abroad and have not notified the Department: and
  3. (c) who may now be deceased but whose death has not been notified to the Department.

Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if a national insurance number is cancelled once it is shown that the person to whom it has been issued is fictitious;

(2) in what circumstances a national insurance number may be cancelled.

Mr. Arbuthnot

For security purposes, national insurance numbers are not cancelled when it is shown that the person to whom it has been issued is fictitious. This is to prevent applications for a national insurance number being made under the same fictitious identity details at a later date. All such records are collated and held centrally.

National insurance numbers may be cancelled when:

  1. (a) a juvenile has died prior to age 16; or
  2. (b) a national insurance account has been set up erroneously.

Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the verification procedure for issuing national insurance numbers, detail the changes in verification since 1965 and the minimum level of proof which is required of identification before a number is issued.

Mr. Arbuthnot

The verification procedure for allocating national insurance numbers can be divided into two main elements, namelyEstablishing a person's identity and

establishing that the person does not already have a national insurance number.

Everyone who applies for a national insurance number is interviewed by a DSS officer in order to establish their identity. At the interview the customer is asked to provide documentary evidence to support their application. The level and scope of the interview is determined by the amount and type of documentary evidence the customer provides.

Whilst the acceptability of certain documents has altered since 1965 the basic procedure for establishing a person's identity has not.

In September 1994 the Department introduced a new guide to establishing a customer's identity, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The handbook, entitled "Evidence of Identity", introduces a change of emphasis. Whilst recognising the value of certain documents such as current valid passports, it encourages staff to adopt a broader view and suggests a method for building up a picture of the person and their circumstances rather than relying solely on documentary evidence. This was seen as essential as some customers legitimately have no documentation at all.

Given that the Department's customers come from a wide variety of backgrounds it is not possible to prescribe a minimum level of proof in terms of the types of documents that are acceptable. It is only possible to ask officers to make a judgment on each customer's circumstances.

Having established a person's identity a variety of clerical and automatic checks are made to ensure that the person does not already have a national insurance number.