RealityCheck

To my fellow frustrated citizens, This is what I did to finally get my 18 digit reference number. Go to the gov.uk website, find 'National Insurance: general enquiries' page, then click on: 'Ask HMRC’s digital assistant' then enter 'advisor' into the typing space shown. You may have to enter the word 'advisor' more than once in the typing space in response to whatever they reply to get directed to an actual live advisor. Good luck!

I would like to add, to this growing list, my utter frustration in trying to contact HMRC to get my 18 digit reference number. I have waited on hold at the number given to obtain this information (0300 200 3500 ) for more than 3 hours, been cut off after waiting for more than an hour on two occasions, been cut off immediately after listening to their menu selection. The Future Pension Centre is the same, impossible to contact. I am approaching my retirement age in a couple of months, I have read all of the online information and still cannot get the information I need. Quite frankly this is unacceptable.