Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department determines which refugees automatically get a National Insurance number as soon as they receive their refugee status; and if he will make a statement.

For those refugees granted leave to remain as a result of a successful asylum claim, a joint fast track National Insurance Number (NINo) application process operates between DWP and the Home Office. This process has been in place since 2005 but only included the main asylum applicant. This was extended to cover all adult dependants (aged 16 or over) in the refugee’s family from 15 January 2018.

Additionally from this date the NINo is now printed on the reverse of the refugees Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).