Students urged to download HMRC app to help complete vital documents
STUDENTS due to start university in September are being encouraged to download the HM Revenue and Customs app to help them complete important documents.
HMRC said the app gives people access to the National Insurance and tax information they need to complete their student finance applications.
Anyone applying for a student loan for the 2024/25 academic year is encouraged to start their application now and to get the essential details they need, including their National Insurance (NI) number via the HMRC app.
HMRC data shows that in the 12 months to March 2024, more than 112,000 customers called the National Insurance Helpline asking for a lost or forgotten National Insurance number of which nearly 50 per cent were from customers aged between 16 and 20.
It also shows May was the busiest month with more than 6,400 young people calling the helpline for their National Insurance number, coinciding with students applying for their student loans.
HMRC is encouraging students to save time by downloading the free and easyto-use HMRC app for instant access to the details they need.
Suzanne Newton, HMRC’s director general for change delivery, said: “Getting your NI number is simple with a tap of HMRC’s app and young people should take advantage of it.
“Download the HMRC app today straight from your phone’s app store to get all the info you need quickly and easily.”
As well as their NI number, students applying for finance will also need a working email address, a bank account in their own name, a valid UK passport and course details.
Students can also apply for finance to help with cost-of-living expenses. How much they receive is dependent on household income – as well as where they live while they study. Parents or the partner of students will also need to have their NI number to hand.
Any details missing from an application could cause a delay and may also mean a delay in receiving any loan payments in time for the start of the students’ course.
Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said: “Downloading details from the HMRC app will speed up the process of applying for a student loan.
“Preparing for higher education can be a time-consuming process for sixthform students so we are pleased this will help to reduce the administrative burden on young people.”
Searching for NI information is one of the most popular searches on the HMRC app with almost 900,000 views in the last year and more than 430,000 National Insurance card downloads to customers’ digital wallets.
There was a total of 2,862,620 higher education students in the UK in 2021/22, which was four per cent higher than in 2020/21, according to official HESA student data.
Figures showed that there were two million undergraduate students in 2021/22, and 1.9m were on their first degree.
In 2021/22 there were 820,310 postgraduate students.
This figure includes 558,255 students who were on a taught masters, and 104,645 who were doing doctorate research.