National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals to December 2020
Updated 14 June 2021
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-insurance-numbers-allocated-to-adult-overseas-nationals-to-december-2020/national-insurance-numbers-allocated-to-adult-overseas-nationals-to-december-2020
The latest release of these statistics can be found in the collection of National Insurance number allocations statistics,
This summary contains statistics on National Insurance numbers (NINos) allocated to adult overseas nationals, covering the period from January 2002 to December 2020.
A National Insurance number (or NINo) is generally required by any adult overseas national looking to work or claim benefits and tax credits in the UK.
These Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) statistics show a count, by individual nationality, of the number of NINos registered to adult non-UK nationals each quarter, irrespective of the length of stay in the UK. The statistics are not a count of the number of adult non-UK nationals currently residing in the UK.
1. Main stories
In quarter 4 (Q4) of the 2020 calendar year, there were 64,000 NINo registrations: a 66% decrease compared to the same quarter in 2019, this is the lowest number of registrations recorded for Q4 since the beginning of the time series. This decrease in registrations is primarily due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
EU registrations in Q4 2020 were the second lowest they have been in a quarter since the start of the time series in Q1 2002 at 3,200 registrations, with Q3 2020 being the lowest. 61,000 registrations to Non-EU nationals were recorded in Q4 2020. Whilst this is lower than registrations in Q4 2019 (79,000), it is substantially higher than registrations recorded in each of the previous two quarters of this year. Non-EU registrations continued to outnumber EU registrations for the fourth quarter in a row and had a much larger increase than EU registrations when comparing to Q3 2020. Prior to 2020, the last time Non-EU registrations outnumbered EU within a quarter was Q4 2010.
320,000 NINos were registered in the twelve months ending December 2020: a 58% decrease on the twelve months ending December 2019. Registrations to Non-EU nationals in the twelve months ending December 2020, outnumbered registrations to EU nationals for the second time in the annual data since 2010. In the twelve months ending December 2020 registrations to non-EU nationals outnumbered registrations to EU nationals by 90,000.
EU registrations decreased by 340,000 in the twelve months ending December 2020: a 75% decrease on the previous year. This change was due to a decrease in registrations to all EU countries, with decreases in registrations to nationals from Romania, Poland and Italy accounting for more than half of the total decrease of EU registrations during this period. In January 2020 the UK officially exited the EU, although until the end of the transition period, on 31st December 2020, the rights of EU nationals remained unchanged.
Non-EU registrations decreased by 100,000 in the twelve months ending December 2020: a 33% decrease on the previous year. 36% of the decrease of registrations to Non-EU nationals in the twelve months ending December 2020 was due to a decrease of registrations to nationals from India, China, the United States, Australia and Pakistan during this period.
It is important to acknowledge that due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, NINo operations have been suspended apart from exceptional circumstances since mid-March. Demand for NINo services may have been impacted but this cannot be inferred from these statistics.
It is important to note that EU NINo services have been more heavily disrupted than Non-EU NINo services by the COVID-19 pandemic, this is due to the suspension of the ‘Evidence of Identity’ interview which EU applicants must attend. Where an applicant has already had their identity verified by another government department, for example through the Home Office visa process, a face to face identity check is not required.
The majority of NINo registrations to EU nationals in Q4 2020 are registrations made for benefit purposes and do not necessarily reflect the demand for a NINo from EU nationals. Extreme caution must be taken when using the EU registrations for the twelve months ending December 2020 and Q4 2020 for migration statistics, due to the larger impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the NINo allocation service to EU nationals.
The postal process for NINo applicants with a valid work visa, issued prior to their arrival in the UK, was reinstated on 1 June, after being suspended in March 2020, affecting applications from Non-EU nationals.
2. What you need to know
This summary contains statistics on NINos allocated to adult overseas nationals, covering the period from January 2002 to December 2020.
Re-designation of National Statistics Status
The UK Statistics Authority re-designated these statistics as National Statistics, at November 2020. This outcome is the result of work over the last 3 years undertaken by the statistics team responsible for the publication in order to address a list of recommendations the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) set out in in their judgement in January 2017, when they judged that the National Statistics status would be temporarily suspended.
The 2017 assessment of the statistics focused on eight requirements which DWP was to meet to ensure compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics and considered more broadly how the statistics meet the three pillars of the Code of Practice for Statistics: Trustworthiness, Quality, and Value and with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
Key developments include:
- introduction of quarterly data in the narrative
- a thorough quality report
- detailed methodology note and data journey
- new user engagement strategy
- new publication strategy
- move to HTML and a more accessible release
Once statistics have been designated as National Statistics it is the responsibility of the statistics team to maintain compliance with these standards.
What can you use these figures for?
The statistics provide:
- a 100% count of foreign nationals registered for a NINo in a quarter
- the nationality of foreign nationals at the time of registering
- where the foreign nationals registered
What you cannot use these figures for
The statistics cannot be used as a count of:
- quarterly or annual migration to the UK
- the number of foreign nationals who have started work or are currently in work
- the number of foreign nationals who are currently in the UK
The statistics show the number of people registered for a NINo in order to work or to claim benefits and tax credits and are one of a number of supplementary measures produced by government of in-migration to the UK.
Although quarterly registration figures are provided in the accompanying data tables, care should be taken when interpreting quarterly changes as they might reflect changes in operational activity. Annual year-on-year changes are more reliable to reflect longer-term trends.
The statistics are published as part of the scheduled timetable for the release of cross-Government migration statistics.
Read the background information note for further information, including detail on uses and limitations of the series.
Comparisons with other sources of migration
NINo statistics are not a direct measure of long term migration and therefore are not directly comparable with ONS long-term estimates of immigration.
On 7 March 2016, the ONS published an information note explaining the reasons why long-term international immigration figures from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) could differ from the number of NINo registrations.
This was followed by an analytical paper presenting analysis that has been undertaken across government to help understand why the 2 series are showing different trends, with focus on EU migration.
Transformation of Migration Statistics
Following the suspension of the International Passenger Survey (IPS) as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Office for National Statistics is in the process of developing international migration statistics based on alternative administrative data sources. These new migration estimates are in development and further information is available in the latest “Population and migration statistics system transformation – recent updates” publication available on their website. ONS will soon be publishing a detailed update on the development of these new estimates.
EU groupings used within migration statistics
The following EU groupings are used in the statistics:
- EU15 (these are the original EU members: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden)
- EU8 (these joined the EU in 2004: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia)
- EU2 (these joined the EU in 2007: Romania & Bulgaria)
- EU Other (Croatia, Cyprus and Malta)
For reporting purposes, countries have been grouped into ‘World Areas’ based primarily on geographical location.
Changes to the process of NINo recording in 2014
A change to the process of recording NINos during Q2 2014, means that the volume of NINo registrations recorded were lower in that quarter and then higher in Q3 2014 than would otherwise be the case. Therefore, NINo registrations over this period should be interpreted with caution.
Rounding policy
The rounding policy was reviewed for the May 2020 publication, as the publication now includes lower level figures. Data in the release has since been rounded as shown in the following table.
| From | To | Rounded to nearest |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1,000 | 10 |
| 1,001 | 10,000 | 100 |
| 10,001 | 100,000 | 1,000 |
| 100,001 | 1,000,000 | 10,000 |
| 1,000,001 | 10,000,000 | 100,000 |
| 10,000,001 | 100,000,000 | 1,000,000 |
All changes are calculated prior to rounding. Percentage changes are calculated prior to rounding and then are rounded to the nearest whole number. As all figures within this statistical summary have been rounded, they may not add up.
COVID-19
The NINo allocation process was disrupted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of NINos allocated.
The processing of NINo applications made for employment purposes was suspended in March 2020 to enable the redeployment of resources to other DWP areas to address the unprecedented demand for financial assistance, for example to help process new Universal Credit applications. Although new NINo applications made for employment purposes were not accepted, those already received and new applications made for benefit purposes were processed to completion. The postal process for NINo applicants with a valid work visa issued prior to their arrival in the UK was reinstated on 1 June, after being suspended in March 2020, affecting applications from Non-EU nationals. A date to restart processing of applications for those whose applications require an ‘Evidence of Identity’ interview, has not yet been agreed.
The impact of the operational disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be visible in the yearly data for some time after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. Once NINo services become fully available any change in demand for NINo services during the COVID-19 pandemic, currently not visible in the data, may start impacting the yearly NINo registration statistics.
Operational Changes: Apply for a NINo
On 15 October 2020, the NINo application service started testing a new digital platform to support the Face to Face process, named “Apply for a NINo”. This replaces the previous paper application form for most applications to DWP NINo services.
From the 7 December 2020 processes were put in place to verify the identity of individuals who have been granted EU Settlement Scheme status, enabling these individuals to register for a NINo. Although this might have had a small effect on the statistics reported in Q4 2020, it is anticipated that this may be reflected more in future publications.
EU Exit
This statistical release covers the period until 31 December 2020, when the UK was still in the EU transition period. It is important to note that the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020 ended free movement between the UK and the European Union on 31 December 2020 and on 1 January 2021, the UK implemented a points-based immigration system that prioritises skills and talent over where a person comes from.
Quarterly Data
For some nationality sub-groups, seasonal patterns in the number of registrations are visible in the quarterly figures. However, these are often heavily disrupted by various changes to policy, operations and other events such as COVID-19. Seasonal effects can also be suppressed at levels of data higher than individual nationalities, due to different countries having opposing seasonal patterns.
Q1 to Q4 refers to calendar quarters, starting from 1 January to 31 March for Q1.
3. How many people are registering?
In the twelve months ending December 2020, registrations to Non-EU nationals outnumbered registrations to EU nationals by 90,000 registrations.
320,000 NINos were registered in the twelve months ending December 2020: a 58% decrease on the twelve months ending December 2019. For the second time in a row, registrations to Non-EU nationals in the twelve months ending December 2020, outnumbered registrations to EU nationals in the annual data since 2010. In the twelve months ending December 2020 registrations to non-EU nationals outnumbered registrations to EU nationals by 90,000.
In Q4 2020, there were 64,000 NINos registered, a 66% decrease on Q4 2019.
The decrease in registrations is primarily due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with processing of new NINo applications made for employment purposes being suspended on 18 March 2020. Although new NINo applications made for employment purposes were not accepted between 18 March and 1 June 2020, those already received and new applications made for benefit purposes were processed to completion.
4. Where in the world are people registering from?
In the twelve months ending December 2020, 64% of registrations were to Non-European Nationals.
NINo registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020, change from previous year and annual percentage change
| World Area | Registrations to Dec 2019 | Registrations to Dec 2020 | Change from previous year | Annual Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU | 460,000 | 120,000 | -340,000 | -75% |
| Non-EU | 310,000 | 210,000 | -100,000 | -33% |
| Total* | 770,000 | 320,000 | -440,000 | -58% |
Note: * Due to rounding and the inclusion of unknown nationalities in the total, the total figure could differ from the sum of EU and Non-EU.
Registrations from EU and Non-EU nationals decreased year on year and total registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020 are the lowest they have been since the twelve months ending December 2002. In the twelve months ending December 2020, registrations to EU nationals decreased by 75%, compared to a 33% decrease in registrations from Non-EU nationals in the same period. This has driven a relative change in the balance of EU and Non-EU national registrations, with the EU registrations being lower than Non-EU registrations for the second time in a row in the yearly data since the twelve months ending December 2010. EU registrations accounted for 36% of the total registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020, compared to 60% of registrations in the twelve months ending December 2019.
NINo registrations in Q4 2020, compared to Q4 2019
| World Area | Registrations Q4 2019 | Registrations Q4 2020 | Change from Q4 2019 | Percentage Change from Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU | 110,000 | 3,200 | -110,000 | -97% |
| Non-EU | 79,000 | 61,000 | -18,000 | -23% |
| Total* | 190,000 | 64,000 | -130,000 | -66% |
Note: * Due to rounding and the inclusion of unknown nationalities in the total, the total figure could differ from the sum of EU and Non-EU.
In Q4 2020 both EU and Non-EU registrations decreased when compared to Q4 2019. EU registrations decreased by 97% from Q4 2019 to 3,200 registrations. Non-EU registrations decreased by 23% to 61,000 registrations over the same period.
EU registrations in Q4 2020 (at 3,200) were the second lowest they had been in a quarter since the start of the time series in Q1 2002, with Q3 2020 seeing the lowest quarterly registrations in the whole time series. 61,000 registrations to Non-EU nationals were recorded in Q4 2020. Whilst this is lower than registrations in Q4 2019 (by 18,000), it is substantially higher than registrations recorded in each of the previous two quarters of this year. Non-EU registrations continued to outnumber EU registrations for the fourth quarter in a row and had a much larger increase than EU registrations when comparing the previous quarter to this quarter. Prior to 2020, the last time Non-EU registrations outnumbered EU within a quarter was Q4 2010.
In Q4 2020 NINo registrations to EU nationals accounted for only 5% of all registrations, a decrease of 53 percentage points, from the 58% they accounted for in Q4 2019.
EU NINo services have been more heavily disrupted than Non-EU NINo services by the COVID-19 pandemic, this is due to the suspension of the ‘Evidence of Identity’ interview which EU applicants must attend. Where an applicant has already had their identity verified by another government department, for example through the Home Office visa process, a face to face identity check is not required. The postal process for NINo applicants with a valid work visa issued prior to their arrival in the UK was reinstated on 1 June 2020, after being suspended in March 2020, affecting applications from Non-EU nationals.
5. EU Registrations
The majority of NINo registrations to EU nationals in Q4 2020 are registrations made for benefit purposes and do not necessarily reflect the demand for a NINo from EU nationals. Extreme caution must be taken when using the EU registrations for the twelve months ending December 2020 and Q4 2020 for migration statistics, due to the larger impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the NINo allocation service to EU nationals.
The postal process for NINo applicants with a valid work visa issued prior to their arrival in the UK was reinstated on 1 June 2020, after being suspended in March 2020, affecting applications from Non-EU nationals.
5.1 Long term trends and changes in EU Registrations
In the twelve months ending December 2020, NINo registrations from all EU sub-groups continued to decrease.
Across the whole time series since 2002:
-
registrations from EU15 countries gradually increased from June 2003 until they peaked in the twelve months ending June 2015 (with 260,000 registrations that accounted for 38% of EU registrations), and declined since the referendum in June 2016 until they began to increase from the twelve months ending December 2018 until the twelve months ending December 2019 and have declined since
-
registrations to EU8 citizens drove the sharp rise in EU NINo registrations in 2004, when countries from the EU8 joined the EU. EU8 registrations peaked in the twelve months ending September 2007 (with 340,000 registrations that accounted for 71% of EU registrations), after which they declined until the twelve months ending March 2010. After a period of volatility EU8 registrations have again generally declined since the EU referendum
-
registrations to EU2 nationals were relatively low until the removal of restrictions on work for EU2 citizens drove the sharp rise in EU registrations in 2014. Some of this reflected individuals who were residing in the UK prior to 2014 and would only have been able to register for a NINo after that date (arrival to registration analysis on EU2 nationals for more about this.) EU2 registrations peaked in the twelve months ending December 2016 (with 230,000 registrations that accounted for 37% of EU registrations) and declined until the twelve months ending March 2019, and then increased again until the twelve months ending September 2019 and have declined since
NINo registrations by EU sub-group in the twelve months ending December 2020, change from previous year and annual percentage change
| EU sub-group | Registrations to Dec 2019 | Registrations to Dec 2020 | Change from previous year | Annual Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU15 | 200,000 | 55,000 | -140,000 | -72% |
| EU8 | 77,000 | 16,000 | -61,000 | -80% |
| EU2 | 170,000 | 43,000 | -130,000 | -75% |
| EU Other | 6,000 | 1,400 | -4,600 | -77% |
| Total EU | 460,000 | 120,000 | -340,000 | -75% |
In the twelve months ending December 2020, there were 120,000 NINo registrations by EU nationals. Of which:
-
55,000 registrations were to EU15 nationals, a decrease of 72% since the twelve months ending December 2019. EU15 registrations now account for 48% of EU registrations compared to 44% in the twelve months ending December 2019. In the twelve months ending December 2020 EU15 registrations (55,000) were the lowest they had been in any full year throughout the whole time series
-
16,000 registrations were to EU8 nationals, a decrease of 80% since the twelve months ending December 2019. EU8 registrations now account for 14% of EU registrations compared to 17% in the twelve months ending December 2019. EU8 registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020 (16,000) are the lowest they have been in a full year since the twelve months ending September 2003
-
43,000 registrations were to EU2 nationals, a decrease of 75% since the twelve months ending December 2019. EU2 registrations now account for 37% of EU registrations compared to 38% in the twelve months ending December 2019. Registrations to EU2 nationals for the twelve months ending December 2020 (43,000) are the lowest they have been since the twelve months ending December 2013. Restrictions to EU2 nationals were lifted on 1st January 2014
-
the largest number of NINo registrations to EU nationals were to nationals from Romania (33,000), followed by nationals from Italy (14,000), Spain (10,000), Bulgaria (10,000) and Poland (8,100)
Top 5 EU individual nationalities by number of registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020 and annual percentage change
| EU Country | Registrations | Annual Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|
| Romania | 33,000 | -75% |
| Italy | 14,000 | -73% |
| Spain | 10,000 | -73% |
| Bulgaria | 10,000 | -74% |
| Poland | 8,100 | -80% |
In the twelve months ending December 2020, total EU registrations decreased by 75% from the previous year. The decrease was driven by the decrease in registrations from all EU sub-groups, particularly from the EU2 and EU15. Registrations to EU nationals are the lowest they have been since the twelve months ending March 2004.
Romania, Italy, Poland, Bulgaria and Spain were the 5 EU countries that saw the largest decrease in the number of NINo registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020. Although these five countries saw the largest decreases in the number of registrations, they are also the five countries within the EU with the most registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020.
The decrease in registrations by nationals from Italy and Spain accounted for 46% of the decrease of registrations by EU15 nationals. The decrease in registrations to Polish nationals accounted for 54% of the decrease in EU8 registrations. The decrease in registrations to Romanian nationals accounted for 78% of the decrease in EU2 registrations.
EU individual nationalities with the largest decrease in registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020, change from previous year and annual percentage change
| EU Country | Registrations to Dec 2019 | Registrations to Dec 2020 | Change from previous year | Annual Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romania | 140,000 | 33,000 | -100,000 | -75% |
| Italy | 53,000 | 14,000 | -39,000 | -73% |
| Poland | 41,000 | 8,100 | -33,000 | -80% |
| Bulgaria | 39,000 | 10,000 | -28,000 | -74% |
| Spain | 38,000 | 10,000 | -28,000 | -73% |
5.2. Recent changes in EU Registrations
In Q4 2020, there were 3,200 NINo registrations by EU nationals, a decrease of 97% when compared with Q4 2019.
NINo registrations by EU sub-group in Q4 2020, compared to Q4 2019
| EU sub-group | Registrations Q4 2019 | Registrations Q4 2020 | Change from Q4 2019 | Percentage Change from Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU15 | 51,000 | 1,400 | -49,000 | -97% |
| EU8 | 17,000 | 410 | -17,000 | -98% |
| EU2 | 41,000 | 1,400 | -40,000 | -97% |
| EU Other | 1,600 | 20 | -1,600 | -99% |
| Total EU | 110,000 | 3,200 | -110,000 | -97% |
In Q4 2020 there were 3,200 NINo registrations by EU nationals, the second lowest number of registrations in a quarter to EU nationals since the start of the time series in Q1 2002, with the lowest being Q3 2020.
Compared to the same quarter a year ago, in Q4 2020:
-
registrations to EU15 nationals decreased by 97% to 1,400 registrations, the second lowest number of EU15 registrations in a quarter since the start of the time series, with registrations in Q3 2020 being the lowest
-
registrations to EU8 nationals decreased by 98% to 410 registrations, the second lowest number of EU8 registrations in a quarter since the start of the time series, with registrations in Q3 2020 being the lowest
-
registrations to EU2 nationals decreased by 97% to 1,400 registrations, the second lowest number of EU2 registrations in a quarter since Q4 2006, (with registrations in Q3 2020 being the lowest for the whole time series)
-
NINo registrations to EU15 and EU Other nationals had the largest decrease between equivalent quarters of consecutive years since the start of the time series
-
the largest number of NINo registrations in Q4 2020 were to nationals from Romania (960), followed by nationals from Bulgaria (460), Italy (390), Ireland (250) and from Spain (200)
Top 5 EU individual nationalities by number of registrations in Q4 2020 and percentage change from Q4 2019
| EU Country | Registrations in Q4 2020 | Percentage Change from Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Romania | 960 | -97% |
| Bulgaria | 460 | -95% |
| Italy | 390 | -97% |
| Ireland | 250 | -91% |
| Spain | 200 | -98% |
In Q4 2020, total EU registrations decreased by 97% from Q4 2019. This large decrease was reflected in all EU sub-groups.
All EU countries saw a decrease in registrations in Q4 2020 from Q4 2019. The decrease in registrations to nationals from Italy and Spain accounted for 45% of the decrease in EU15 registrations. The decrease in registrations to Polish nationals accounted for 49% of the decrease in EU8 registrations. The decrease in registrations to Romanian nationals accounted for 78% of the decrease in EU2 registrations.
EU individual nationalities with the largest decrease in registrations in Q4 2020, change in registrations and percentage change from Q4 2019
| EU Country | Registrations Q4 2019 | Registrations Q4 2020 | Change from Q4 2019 | Percentage Change from Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romania | 32,000 | 960 | -31,000 | -97% |
| Italy | 13,000 | 390 | -12,000 | -97% |
| Spain | 10,000 | 200 | -9,800 | -98% |
| Bulgaria | 9,100 | 460 | -8,600 | -95% |
| Poland | 8,500 | 180 | -8,300 | -98% |
6. Non-EU registrations
It is important to acknowledge that registrations to Non-EU nationals have been less severely impacted by disruptions to NINo services than registrations to EU nationals. The postal process for NINo applicants with a valid work visa, issued prior to their arrival in the UK, was reinstated on 1 June 2020, after being suspended in March 2020, affecting applications by Non-EU nationals.
6.1. Long term trends and changes in Non-EU Registrations
In the twelve months ending December 2020, there were fewer registrations to all Non-EU sub-groups when compared to twelve months ending December 2019.
Registrations to all Non-EU sub-groups have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a decrease in registrations across all Non-EU sub-groups in the twelve months ending December 2020, continuing the decreasing trend seen in the twelve months ending September 2020.
Across the whole time series which starts in 2002:
-
registrations from European countries not a part of the EU (Other Europe) have remained relatively low and stable from the start of the time series to the twelve months ending December 2018 and have declined since June 2020. Registrations from Other Europe have increased above those from Oceania since the end of December 2017
-
registrations from Asia generally increased until they peaked in the twelve months ending December 2010 (with 220,000 registrations that accounted for 64% of Non-EU registrations), and declined until the twelve months ending June 2014. Registrations from Asia were stable from the twelve months ending September 2015 until the twelve months ending December 2018, and continued to increase until the twelve months ending March 2020 and have declined since
-
registrations from Africa generally decreased from the peak in the twelve months ending March 2006 (with 74,000 registrations that accounted for 26% of Non-EU registrations) until the twelve months ending June 2014. Registrations from Africa were stable from the twelve months ending December 2015 until the twelve months ending December 2018, and have continued to increase until the twelve months ending March 2020 and have declined since
-
registrations from the Americas turbulently increased from the twelve months ending December 2002 until they peaked in the twelve months ending March 2009 (with 36,000 registrations that accounted for 12% of Non-EU registrations), and then declined until the twelve months ending June 2014. Registrations from Americas were stable from the twelve months ending December 2015 until the twelve months ending September 2018, followed by an increase until the twelve months ending September 2019 and have been decreasing since
-
registrations from Oceania peaked in December 2007 (with 35,000 registrations that accounted for 11% of Non-EU registrations), and have since fluctuated but generally declined
Overall, across the time series, nationals from Asia have always been the largest contributor of Non-EU registrations, followed by Africa. Amongst the other world areas there has been more variation across the time series, but on average, the Americas have had the third highest number of registrations, followed by Oceania then Other Europe.
The noticeable increase in registrations to Non-EU nationals after September 2018 until the beginning of 2020 is mostly due to registration for a NINo of adult dependants as part of certain VISA approvals.
NINo registrations by Non-EU world areas in the twelve months ending December 2020, change from previous year and annual percentage change
| Non-EU world area | Registrations to Dec 2019 | Registrations to Dec 2020 | Change from previous year | Annual Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Europe | 30,000 | 17,000 | -13,000 | -44% |
| Asia | 180,000 | 130,000 | -48,000 | -27% |
| Africa | 52,000 | 37,000 | -15,000 | -29% |
| Americas | 35,000 | 18,000 | -17,000 | -48% |
| Oceania | 15,000 | 6,000 | -9,300 | -61% |
| Total Non-EU | 310,000 | 210,000 | -100,000 | -33% |
NINo registrations by Non-EU sub-group in the twelve months ending December 2020, change from previous year and annual percentage change
| Non-EU sub-group | Registrations to Dec 2019 | Registrations to Dec 2020 | Change from previous year | Annual Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Europe | 30,000 | 17,000 | -13,000 | -44% |
| Middle East and Central Asia | 23,000 | 12,000 | -11,000 | -46% |
| East Asia | 24,000 | 12,000 | -12,000 | -48% |
| South Asia | 110,000 | 91,000 | -19,000 | -17% |
| South East Asia | 19,000 | 12,000 | -7,000 | -37% |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 41,000 | 29,000 | -12,000 | -28% |
| North Africa | 11,000 | 7,300 | -3,600 | -33% |
| North America | 19,000 | 9,900 | -9,200 | -48% |
| Central and South America | 16,000 | 8,200 | -7,700 | -48% |
| Oceania | 15,000 | 6,000 | -9,300 | -61% |
| Total Non-EU | 310,000 | 210,000 | -100,000 | -33% |
In the twelve months ending December 2020, there were 210,000 NINo registrations by Non-EU nationals, a 33% decrease (100,000 less registrations) than the 310,000 registrations in the twelve months ending December 2019. Of which:
-
17,000 registrations were to nationals from Other Europe, a decrease of 44% since the twelve months ending December 2019. Other European registrations now account for 8% of Non-EU registrations, compared to 10% in the twelve months ending December 2019
-
130,000 registrations were to nationals from Asia, a decrease of 27% since the twelve months ending December 2019. Registrations from Asia now account for 62% of Non-EU registrations compared to 57% in the twelve months ending December 2019
-
37,000 registrations were to nationals from Africa, a decrease of 29% since the twelve months ending December 2019. Registrations from Africa now account for 18% of Non-EU registrations compared to 17% in the twelve months ending December 2019
-
18,000 registrations were to nationals from the Americas, a decrease of 48% since the twelve months ending December 2019. Registrations from the Americas now account for 9% of Non-EU registrations compared to 11% in the twelve months ending December 2019
-
In the twelve months ending December 2020, registrations to North America (9,900) were the lowest recorded in a full year since the time series began, whilst registrations to Central and South America (8,200), during the same period, were the lowest since the twelve months ending June 2014
-
6,000 registrations were to nationals from Oceania, a decrease of 61% since the twelve months ending December 2019. Oceanian registrations now account for 3% of Non-EU registrations compared to 5% in the twelve months ending December 2019. Registrations to Oceanian nationals in the twelve months ending December 2020 (6,000) were the lowest they have ever been in a full year since the start of the time series
-
Other Europe, East Asia, South-East Asia, North Africa, North America and Central and South America experienced the largest year on year decrease in the number of registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020
-
The largest number of NINo registrations were to nationals from India (68,000), followed by nationals from Pakistan (14,000), Nigeria (12,000), China (7,200) and the United States (7,200)
Top 5 Non-EU individual nationalities, by number of registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020 and annual percentage change
| Non-EU Country | Registrations to the twelve months ending Dec 2020 | Annual Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|
| India | 68,000 | -13% |
| Pakistan | 14,000 | -28% |
| Nigeria | 12,000 | -10% |
| China | 7,200 | -50% |
| United States | 7,200 | -48% |
In the twelve months ending December 2020, registrations by Non-EU nationals decreased by 33% from the previous year. The decrease was the result of decreases across all non-EU world areas, with Asia having the largest decrease in the number of registrations.
Some nationalities within Non-EU did experience increases, however these increases accounted for small numbers of registrations and are not reflected at sub-group level. The three countries with the largest increases were El Salvador (increase of 30), Virgin Islands (British) (increase of 10) and Dominica (increase of 10).
The 5 countries with the largest decrease in registrations from the twelve months ending December 2019 to the twelve months ending December 2020, were India (decreased by 11,000), China (decreased by 7,100), the United States (decreased by 6,800), Australia (decreased by 6,600) and Pakistan (decreased by 5,500). The decrease in registrations by nationals from India, China and Pakistan, accounted for 48% of the overall decrease in registrations by nationals from Asia. The decrease in registrations by nationals from the United States, accounted for 40% of the overall decrease in registrations by nationals from the Americas. The decrease in registrations by nationals from Australia accounted for 71% of the overall decrease in registrations by nationals from Oceania. The decrease in registrations from nationals from Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana accounted for 41% of the overall decrease in registrations by nationals from Africa. The decrease in registrations from nationals from Turkey and Albania accounted for 40% of the decrease in registrations by nationals from Other Europe.
Non-EU individual nationalities with the largest increase in registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020, change from previous year and annual percentage change
| Non-EU Country | Registrations to Dec 2019 | Registrations to Dec 2020 | Change from previous year | Annual Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Salvador | 220 | 250 | +30 | +15% |
| Virgin Islands (British) | 10 | 10 | +10 | +100% |
| Dominica | 10 | 10 | +10 | +120% |
Non-EU individual nationalities with the largest decrease in registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020, change from previous year and annual percentage change
| Non-EU Country | Registrations to Dec 2019 | Registrations to Dec 2020 | Change from previous year | Annual Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 78,000 | 68,000 | -11,000 | -13% |
| China | 14,000 | 7,200 | -7,100 | -50% |
| United States | 14,000 | 7,200 | -6,800 | -48% |
| Australia | 11,000 | 4,500 | -6,600 | -60% |
| Pakistan | 20,000 | 14,000 | -5,500 | -28% |
6.2 Recent changes in Non-EU Registrations
In Q4 2020, registrations from all Non-EU sub-groups decreased when compared to Q4 2019.
NINo registrations by Non-EU world areas in Q4 2020, compared to Q4 2019
| Non-EU world area | Registrations Q4 2019 | Registrations Q4 2020 | Change from Q4 2019 | Percentage Change from Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Europe | 7,300 | 3,800 | -3,500 | -48% |
| Asia | 48,000 | 40,000 | -7,300 | -15% |
| Africa | 14,000 | 12,000 | -2,400 | -17% |
| Americas | 7,800 | 4,300 | -3,400 | -44% |
| Oceania | 2,600 | 890 | -1,700 | -66% |
| Total Non-EU | 79,000 | 61,000 | -18,000 | -23% |
NINo registrations by Non-EU sub-group in Q4 2020, compared to Q4 2019
| Non-EU sub-group | Registrations Q4 2019 | Registrations Q4 2020 | Change from Q4 2019 | Percentage Change from Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Europe | 7,300 | 3,800 | -3,500 | -48% |
| Middle East and Central Asia | 5,600 | 3,200 | -2,400 | -43% |
| East Asia | 5,800 | 2,900 | -2,900 | -50% |
| South Asia | 31,000 | 31,000 | -610 | -2% |
| South East Asia | 4,900 | 3,500 | -1,400 | -29% |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 11,000 | 9,700 | -1,500 | -14% |
| North Africa | 2,800 | 1,900 | -860 | -31% |
| North America | 4,200 | 2,600 | -1,600 | -39% |
| Central and South America | 3,600 | 1,800 | -1,800 | -50% |
| Oceania | 2,600 | 890 | -1,700 | -66% |
| Total Non-EU | 79,000 | 61,000 | -18,000 | -23% |
In Q4 2020 there were 61,000 NINo registrations by Non-EU nationals.
Compared to the same quarter a year ago, in Q4 2020:
-
registrations to Other European nationals decreased by 48% from Q4 2019 to 3,800 registrations
-
registrations to Asian nationals decreased by 15% from Q4 2019 to 40,000 registrations
-
registrations to African nationals decreased by 17% from Q4 2019 to 12,000 registrations
-
registrations to nationals from the Americas decreased by 44% from Q4 2019 to 4,300 registrations
-
registrations to Oceanian nationals decreased by 66% from Q4 2019 to 890 registrations, the second lowest number of Oceanian registrations in a quarter since the start of the time series, with the lowest being in Q3 2020
-
registrations to nationals from Other Europe, East Asia, South East Asia, North Africa, North America and Central and South America had the largest decrease between Q4 of consecutive years since the start of the time series
-
South Asia had the smallest decrease in registrations between Q4 2019 and Q4 2020 (-610 registrations) and accounted for the most registrations out of all non-EU sub-group (+31,000)
Top 5 Non-EU individual nationalities by number of registrations in Q4 2020 and percentage change from Q4 2019
| Non-EU Country | Registrations in Q4 2020 | Percentage Change from Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 24,000 | +5% |
| Nigeria | 5,200 | +28% |
| Pakistan | 3,700 | -25% |
| Philippines | 2,200 | +2% |
| United States | 1,900 | -38% |
The largest number of registrations in Q4 2020 were to nationals from India (24,000), followed by nationals from Nigeria (5,200), Pakistan (3,700), Philippines (2,200) and the United States (1,900).
In Q4 2020 the total number of registrations by Non-EU nationals decreased by 23% from Q4 2019. This change was the result of the decrease in registrations from nationals from all world areas, particularly from Asia.
Countries which had the largest decrease in registrations, between Q4 2019 and Q4 2020, were not from any one specific world area, and were countries which have previously had large numbers of registrations. Between Q4 2019 and Q4 2020, the decreases in registrations from China and Pakistan accounted for 43% of the decrease in registrations from Asia; the decrease in registrations from Australia accounted for 67% of the decrease in registrations from Oceania. The decrease in registrations from United States accounted for 33% of the decrease in registrations from the Americas.
Despite the overall decrease in registrations, some nationalities had an increase in registrations during the same period. Nigeria and India had the largest increase in the number of registrations between Q4 2019 and Q4 2020 (+1,100 each). Ukraine (+170), Zimbabwe (+80) and Bangladesh (+60) observed relatively small increases in registrations from Q4 2019 to Q4 2020.
Non-EU individual nationalities with the largest increase in registrations in Q4 2020, change in registrations and percentage change from Q4 2019
| Non-EU country | Registrations Q4 2019 | Registrations Q4 2020 | Change from Q4 2019 | Percentage Change from Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | 4,000 | 5,200 | + 1,100 | +28% |
| India | 23,000 | 24,000 | + 1,100 | +5% |
| Ukraine | 970 | 1,100 | + 170 | +17% |
| Zimbabwe | 500 | 580 | + 80 | +17% |
| Bangladesh | 1,500 | 1,600 | + 60 | +4% |
Non-EU individual nationalities with the largest decrease in registrations in Q4 2020, change in registrations and percentage change from Q4 2019
| Non-EU country | Registrations Q4 2019 | Registrations Q4 2020 | Change from Q4 2019 | Percentage Change from Q4 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 3,700 | 1,700 | -1,900 | -53% |
| Ghana | 2,100 | 840 | -1,200 | -59% |
| Pakistan | 4,900 | 3,700 | -1,200 | -25% |
| Australia | 1,800 | 660 | -1,100 | -63% |
| United States | 3,000 | 1,900 | -1,100 | -38% |
7. Where in the UK are people registering?
Almost half (47%) of all known UK registrations, in the twelve months ending December 2020, were in London or the South East.
All regions saw a year on year decrease in registrations.
In the twelve months ending December 2020, registrations to London and the South East were the lowest they have been since the start of the time series in 2002; registrations to Yorkshire and the Humber, East of England and the South West are the lowest they have been since the twelve months ending December 2002; Registrations to Northern Ireland are the lowest they have been since the twelve months ending March 2003. In the twelve months ending December 2020, Scotland had the lowest registrations in a full year since the twelve months ending March 2004, Wales the lowest since the twelve months ending June 2004, the East Midlands the lowest since September 2004 and the North West and West Midlands had the lowest registrations in a full year since the twelve months ending December 2004.
London experienced the largest decrease in registrations between the twelve months ending December 2019 and twelve months ending December 2020, with a decrease of 170,000 registrations. The North East experienced the smallest decrease in registrations, with a decrease of 4,500 registrations from December 2019. In the twelve months ending December 2020, registrations to the North East accounted for 2% of all registrations, the largest they have accounted for during the whole time series.
In the twelve months ending December 2020, all regions experienced the largest year on year decrease in registrations since the beginning of the time series.
EU and Non-EU NINo registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020, by region
| Region | Non-EU | EU |
|---|---|---|
| London | 71,000 | 46,000 |
| South East | 22,000 | 13,000 |
| North West | 19,000 | 8,800 |
| West Midlands | 19,000 | 8,500 |
| East of England | 16,000 | 9,900 |
| East Midlands | 12,000 | 7,400 |
| Scotland | 12,000 | 5,400 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 12,000 | 5,400 |
| South West | 8,500 | 6,100 |
| North East | 6,300 | 1,600 |
| Wales | 5,300 | 2,200 |
| Northern Ireland | 940 | 1,800 |
In the twelve months ending December 2020, there were 90,000 more registrations to Non-EU nationals than EU nationals. The distribution of NINo registrations to Local Authorities differed between EU and Non-EU world areas.
In the twelve months ending December 2020, the number of registrations to Non-EU Nationals outnumbered registrations to EU nationals. This difference was seen across most Local Authorities, including all top ten Local Authorities with the largest overall number of registrations.
Please note that the interactive version of the local authority map (updated annually with every May release), showing NINo registrations from different world areas by GB Local Authority, has not been updated since May 2019, due to a change in work environments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Top 10 Local Authorities by number of NINo registrations in the twelve months ending December 2020
| Local Authorities | Registrations |
|---|---|
| Newham | 10,000 |
| Birmingham | 8,800 |
| Tower Hamlets | 7,200 |
| Brent | 7,200 |
| Manchester | 6,800 |
| Ealing | 6,000 |
| Glasgow City | 5,500 |
| Leicester | 5,400 |
| Hounslow | 5,300 |
| Westminster | 4,800 |
8. About these statistics
National Statistics Status
The UK Statistics Authority re-designated these statistics as National Statistics, at November 2020, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics.
National Statistics status means that our statistics meet the highest standards of:
- trustworthiness
- quality
- public value
Once statistics have been designated as National Statistics it is our responsibility to maintain compliance with these standards.
World Areas
For reporting purposes, countries have been grouped into ‘world areas’ based primarily on geographical location. Countries are grouped according to current world area status for the entire back series.
| World Area | Sub-Group |
|---|---|
| European Union (EU) | European Union EU15 (original EU members), European Union EU8 (joined EU in 2004), European Union EU2 (joined EU in 2007), European Union Other |
| Non-European Union (Other Europe) | Other Europe |
| Asia | Middle East and Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, South East Asia |
| Africa | Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa |
| Americas | North America, Central and South America |
| Oceania | Oceania |
A detailed nationality breakdown for each world area is available in the supplementary data tables accompanying this release.
Where to find out more
Read previous releases of these statistics.
Read further information for this series, including detail on data sources, uses, quality and limitations of the series.
Full statistics on NINo allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK are available from Stat-Xplore.
Please note that the interactive map (updated annually with every May release), showing NINo registrations from different world areas by GB Local Authority, has not been updated since May 2019, due to a change in work environments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read about the NINo application process.
Enquires and feedback
DWP would like to hear your views on our statistical publications. If you use any of our statistics publications, we would be interested in hearing what you use them for and how well they meet your requirements: Send your comments by email to: [email protected].
Press enquiries should be directed to the DWP Press Office, telephone: 0203 267 5144.
Enquiries about these statistics should be directed by email to:
Producers of this release: [email protected] and [email protected]
Lead statistician: [email protected]
ISBN: 978-1-78659-292-7