To apply for a UK PDU1 certificate, submit an application to HM Revenue and Customs through the GOV.UK online service, or request a paper form from the National Insurance helpline if you cannot sign in from abroad. You can only apply once you have already left the UK or plan to leave within the next two weeks, and HMRC says processing takes up to six weeks. The certificate records your National Insurance contributions and UK employment history so the unemployment office in an EU or EEA country, or Switzerland, will count that time toward local benefit eligibility.
Who Can Apply
You are eligible if you worked in the UK within the last three years and are relocating (or have already relocated) to an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland. HMRC will not process an application unless you have already moved abroad or plan to leave within two weeks of applying.1GOV.UK. Get a PDU1 Certificate or a National Insurance Contributions Statement
Both employed and self-employed workers qualify. UK nationals and foreign nationals who worked in the UK are treated the same; what matters is a verifiable National Insurance record, not citizenship.
What to Gather Before You Apply
Missing or inconsistent details are the main reason applications get delayed. Check dates and employer names against your official records before you start.
- Your National Insurance number, found on payslips, P60s, or HMRC correspondence.
- The dates you lived in the UK, particularly covering the last three years.
- A full employment history for the last three years: names and addresses of every employer, start and end dates, and any gaps.
- A document showing why you left your last job, such as a termination letter, redundancy notice, or resignation acceptance.
- Earnings evidence from your most recent position: final payslip, P45, or P60.
- Dates and nature of any self-employment during the last three years.
- The date of your last claim period if you received Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit.1GOV.UK. Get a PDU1 Certificate or a National Insurance Contributions Statement
The three-year window matters. HMRC asks for employment and self-employment details spanning that period, and the termination document must relate to a job you left within the last three years. Earlier UK employment may not be covered.
How to Apply
As of February 2025, HMRC removed the previous CA3916 online form, but an online application route still exists through GOV.UK. Sign in with a Government Gateway user ID or a GOV.UK One Login. The service lets you save progress and return later, and you can create sign-in credentials during the process if you don’t already have them. Applicants without a UK postcode need their National Insurance number to sign in for the first time.1GOV.UK. Get a PDU1 Certificate or a National Insurance Contributions Statement
If the online service doesn’t work for you, for example because identity verification fails from abroad, call the National Insurance general enquiries helpline and ask for a paper form. The number is 0300 200 3500 from inside the UK, or +44 191 203 7010 from overseas.2GOV.UK. National Insurance Enquiries HMRC posts the paper form to you, and you return it by mail once completed.
Processing Time and Delivery
HMRC says it can take up to six weeks to process a PDU1 and post the certificate.1GOV.UK. Get a PDU1 Certificate or a National Insurance Contributions Statement Start the application before you actually need to file an unemployment claim in your new country, because waiting until you are at the foreign benefits office leaves you without proof of your UK contributions for over a month.
The certificate arrives by post at the mailing address you provide, so give an address where you can reliably receive mail abroad. HMRC does not typically provide instant confirmation or tracking, so keep copies of everything you submit in case you need to follow up.
Using the Certificate in Your New Country
Take the PDU1 to the unemployment or social security office in the country where you are claiming. That office uses it to verify your UK insurance periods and combine them with any local contributions.
One condition catches people out. The receiving country will aggregate your UK periods only if your most recent qualifying period was completed under its own legislation.3Travers Smith. Protocol on Social Security Coordination – Article SSC.56 If you fly from the UK straight to France and never work a day there, France may still require a recent period of insurance under French rules before it will count your UK time. Some countries accept a single day of local contributions; others set longer minimums. Check with the local unemployment office before you travel so you know what to expect.
Fixing Errors on the Certificate
If the certificate arrives with wrong dates, a missing employer, or other mistakes, call the National Insurance general enquiries helpline to request a correction. Have your original application details and supporting evidence ready, such as payslips, a P45, or employer letters, since HMRC will verify the correct information against its records before reissuing the certificate.
Errors usually come from discrepancies between what you reported and what HMRC has on file, for instance an employer reporting slightly different dates or contributions credited under a different employer name after a merger. Resolving the mismatch may add time on top of the standard six-week window, which is another reason to apply early and review the certificate as soon as it arrives.