On its own, a National Insurance (NI) number is not proof of right to work in the UK. While a NI number may support a right to work check, employers must verify original documents from the government approved lists to prove an employee or potential employee’s right to work in the UK.
For British or Irish citizens, acceptable documents which provide proof of the right to work in the UK are:
- a British passport
- an Irish passport or passport card
Passports or passport cards can be current or expired.
If the individual does not have a passport or passport card, they can prove their right to work with one of the following:
- a UK birth or adoption certificate
- an Irish birth or adoption certificate
- a certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen
This must be accompanied by an official letter or document from a previous employer or government agency. For example, a letter from HMRC, the DWP, or the Social Security Agency in Northern Ireland. The letter must show the person’s National Insurance number.
For non-British or Irish citizens, proof of the person’s right to work in the UK can be obtained by:
- A share code – which can obtained online
- Immigration documents
Employers can use the employer checking service to ask the Home Office to check an employee or potential employee’s immigration status if they cannot show their documents or online immigration status.
For a full list of acceptable right to work documents, please visit the government’s website.
