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How can I enrol someone in a NEST pension without an NI number?

If your employee recently arrived in the UK, they should call 0345 600 0643 to register for an NI number.

While waiting for the number, you can enrol them as you would anyone else except:

  1. On their 'Pensions etc' tab, click to 'View' the membership details and check they have an 'Employee Identifier'.
  2. NEST won't claim tax relief unless you declare they are a foreign national awaiting an NI number.
  3. Our system automatically includes this declaration in the enrolment file.

If they are not a foreign national awaiting an NI number:

  1. Enrol them manually on NEST's website (don't create a file from our system).
  2. NEST won't claim tax relief for them.
  3. You may need to raise their pension contributions to compensate for the lack of tax relief.

If the employee has lost their NI number, HMRC can trace it for you.

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