Hi,
There's been discussion somewhere on the board about getting the NI number pronto, or you can be taxed at a ridiculous rate (called 'Emergency Tax Rate') -- something like 50%.
I'd read at other websites that you need to make an appointment for the NI number. I was concerned about getting my NI appointment quickly enough upon arrival to avoid this tax, so of course I emailed our fine staff at Bluewave. Got a good answer an hour later, and hope it's reaassuring to others.
"As you are coming to the UK on a work permit, you do not need to make an appointment for your NIN. You can complete a fast track application. In your welcome pack you will have a letter with a phone number on to call. They will send out a form. You then complete this form, the school must stamp it and then you send it off with a number of documents. This must be done within 30 days (ish). They will then send you your National Insurance card (the number id printed across the middle)."
So, of course we'd get this info in our packets upon arrival, but I'm one of those who sleeps better at a time like this, knowing how everything will fall into place. So, as long as we get on this immediately, and our school understands the importance of not delaying on it, we should be fine. I will be at a school that employs many foreign teachers, so I'm sure they're used to this matter.
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| I still don't have my NIN, nor does my partner who isn't a teacher, and we haven't had any ridiculous amounts of tax taken out of cheques...if you don't count the regular amount as ridiculous! What a chunk! |
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Well, I got my NIN at about the same time as our first paychecks (last week, the 27th of September), and my tax was better than fine. When I asked why it was so much more than I had expected (I thought I'd bring home about 75% of my gross, but I got 90%), I was reminded that the first 5,060 is not taxable, so there is no tax taken out this month or next, until I hit the threshold (they did of course deduct for NHS). Not sure how accurate the answer that I was given is, but that's what I was told -- just relaying it. WOrks for me!
How did everyone else's pay turn out? I think it's important (as you can all probably tell!) to put factual information here, rather than the horror/scare stories we've all had to read! Let's encourage others to come here, not discourage them.
And keep reading the blog -- I hope that's encouraging to future teachers as well:
boundforengland.blogspot.com/
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| I also got my NIN about the same time as my first paycheck. Just so you know, if you come over on a work permit you can get your NIN by filling in a form and then having your school fill in the last section before mailing it in. This MUST be mailed in within 28 days or you have to do it the "hard" way: make an apt. at the office, be interviewed, blah, blah, blah.... Yeah, do it the easy way. The kicker is that I've heard of a number of schools 1)not knowing about the form, 2)not filling in the form correctly, or 3)not mailing the form on time or at all. This means that YOU will need to be organized and proactive. Small price to pay though for peace of mind. It's really pretty easy. |
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