Minor update around changes to frequency of published statistics following recent consultation.
Added the latest release: National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals to March 2026.
Information about when the 'User consultation on proposed changes to the frequency and timing of some DWP Official Statistics' ending.
Removed reference to the 'User consultation on proposed changes to the frequency and timing of some DWP Official Statistics' as it ended 12 May 2026.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this release has data to December 2025.
Added information to the page about a user consultation on proposed changes to the frequency and timing of some DWP Official Statistics.
Added the latest statistical release for National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals to September 2025.
The latest release of 'National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals to June 2025' has been added.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this release has data to March 2025.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to December 2024.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to September 2024.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to June 2024.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to March 2024.
Added a note to the page about the 'Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP working age benefit recipients statistics'.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to December 2023.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to September 2023.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to June 2023.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to March 2023.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to December 2022.
Added a note about future releases of the 'National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK' statistics. The next release will be published on 23 February 2023.
Updated the information on the page about the suspended release of the quarterly National Statistics. The issue that has caused the suspension has now been identified, and work is now being carried out to quality assure the data to make sure it is accurate and complete. Once we are content that the data is fit for purpose we will provide an update as to when we expect to be able to reinstate the statistical series.
Updated the information on the page about future releases of the statistics.
Updated the information on the page about future releases of the statistics.
Updated the information on the page about future releases of the statistics.
Added a note that the next quarterly release of statistics (due out on 25 November 2021) will be delayed.
Added links to the latest releases of 'National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals to June 2021' and 'Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP working age benefit recipients: data to November 2020'.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to March 2021. Also, updated the note on the page about migration statistics and the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to December 2020.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to September 2020. Also added notes about the migration statistics transformation journey and the impact of the coronavirus, and the re-designation of these statistics to National Statistics status.
Added the latest releases of 'National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK to June 2020' and 'Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP working age benefit recipients: data to November 2019'.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, this has data to March 2020.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, with data to December 2019.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, with data to September 2019.
Added statistics on 'National Insurance number allocated to adult overseas nationals to June 2019' and 'Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP working age benefit recipients: data to November 2018'.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, with data to March 2019.
Added a link to the latest release of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals statistics, with data to December 2018.
Changed the contact details for feedback and queries about these statistics.
Added statistics on National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals to September 2018.
Added statistics on 'National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals to June 2018' and 'Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP working age benefit recipients: data to November 2017'.
Added statistics on National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals to March 2018.
Added statistics on National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals to December 2017.
Added statistics on National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals to September 2017.
Added statistics on 'Nationality at point of NINo registration of DWP working age benefit recipients: data to Feb 2017' and 'National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals to June 2017'. Also added ad hoc statistical release 'Analysis of migrants’ access to income-related benefits'.
Added 'National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK to March 2017' statistics.
Added 'National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK to December 2016' statistics.
Published a note about the Office for Statistics Regulation report on the reassessment of NINo statistics.
Added National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK to September 2016.
Added statistics on 'National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals to June 2016' and 'Nationality at point of NINo registration of DWP working age benefit recipients to February 2016'.
Added National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK to March 2016.
Added related ONS publications note about why figures from International Passenger Survey differ from ONS ones.
Published statistics on National Insurance number (NINo) allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK to December 2015.
Published statistics on National Insurance number (NINo) allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK to September 2015.
Published statistics on National Insurance number (NINo) allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK to June 2015 and Nationality at point of NINo registration of DWP working age benefit recipients to February 2015.
Published National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK to March 2015.
Published latest statistics with data to December 2014.
Published latest statistics with data to September 2014.
Published latest statistics with data to June 2014.
Published statistics to March 2014.
Statistics to December 2013 published
Statistics to September 2013 released
First published.
This collection includes quarterly statistics on National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK.
Changes to frequency of published statistics
The department has considered the feedback received during the recent consultation on the frequency and scheduling of some of the departments administrative based statistical releases.
Following a review of the feedback in response to the consultation the release schedule for the “National Insurance Numbers Allocated to Overseas Nationals” statistics will change to annual. The next release will be September 2027.
For more information see this response document. We are grateful to all those who took the time to respond.
Latest release
Find further breakdowns of these statistics on Stat-Xplore, the dissemination tool for DWP statistics.
Previous releases: Nationality of DWP benefit claimants
The August 2021 publication of Nationality at point of National Insurance number registration of DWP working age benefit recipients was the last in the series.
This follows our assessment that these statistics no longer met the purpose for which they were created. The nationality for Non-UK nationals is recorded at the point of NINo registration and cannot be used as a proxy for current nationality or nationality at birth.
Held nationality records are not updated, therefore these statistics reflect nationality only at the time of NINo allocation and include data on Non-UK individuals allocated a NINo from 1975 onwards. Over this time period, many people will have changed nationality, however the data we currently hold is not able to quantify this.
This statistical release had always from the outset had been clear on this definition, with a strong caveat about the use of these figures. However, once we became aware that the scale of difference between nationality at the point of NINo allocation and nationality or citizenship status at the point of receiving benefits is likely to be substantial, and likely to be misleading, after consultation with stakeholders and users, the decision was taken for the statistical series to be discontinued. For more information about this see What you need to know – Nationality in the August 2021 publication.
The MWS data is also used to create the Registration and Population Interaction Database (RAPID), with the MWS providing information on the nationality of those in the dataset.
The ONS release ‘long term international migration estimates’ which uses RAPID as the main component of estimates of EU+ migration. Home Office Border Systems data is used to produce estimates for non-EU+ nationals and RAPID provides a useful comparator for quality assurance purposes. The latest release of estimates up to the year ending December 2024 was released on 22 May 2025. ONS will continue to update users on progress of the transformation to a new admin-based system.
The GSS brings together information from across government on migration statistics into an experimental dashboard, which is regularly updated.