Client applied for N.I. no' in order to pursue Tax Cr claim. Was given interview date and told they needed to provide three pieces of evidence to support claim.

They applied for drivers licence, enclosed passport, but this was not processed in time, and they have also not yet had their passport returned. Interview was yesterday.

They did have a photocopy of their passport but were told this may well not be enough. Today they received drivers licence and have been told they are likely to get passport back in a day or two.

I don't have experience of such situations but can anyone who does please tell me what they can do. Can they send of the documents when they have them or take them to a Jobcentre or HMRC Enquiry office or anything.

In mean time they have to wait for a decision which will take six weeks and could well be negative.

There was infomation about about applying for a nino in news section of the rightsnet back in 20.12.2005.
Why can I remember this - I write useful bits from the NEWS section in my little note book.

It was called - NI numbers and people subject to immigration control I think.
Have a look for this - it might help you to see if in this case they are following DWP guidance or not.

Thu 21-Sep-06 10:48 AM by ken

The 20 December 2005 rightsnet news story highlighted the issuing of DWP guidance on the action decision makers should take pending the outcome of Secretary of State's appeal to the Court of Appeal in Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v Wilson.

The Court of Appeal has since issued its judgment and, in brief, ruled that the claimant had claimed housing benefit in respect of his wife, despite her having no recourse to public funds, because her capital and income would have been taken into account in determination of any HB award.

In consequence the condition that she had either -

• provided a national insurance number (NINO), or
  
• given information to enable a NINO to be ascertained, or
  
• applied for a NINO