The Department for Education is preparing to test integrating NHS numbers into school management information systems, as part of government plans for a single unique identifier for every child.

Ministers want the NHS number to become the consistent identifier used to share information about children across schools, social care and police. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 gave the government the power to introduce the identifier, which is expected to be brought in through secondary legislation by the end of this Parliament in 2029.

The department has described the NHS number as a "likely option" since December 2024 and has already tested its use in pilots with Wigan and other local authorities. The DfE piloted the number with Wigan council in April 2025, although no evaluation has been published and the work was described as resource intensive, taking almost nine months to work through information governance issues.

Now the department is seeking two school management information system providers to take part in the next phase of testing. The suppliers would connect their platforms to a DfE-hosted "get an identifier" service, allowing authorised access to NHS numbers and GP details from NHS England's Personal Demographics Service.

Data privacy experts have raised concerns about the plan, warning about the security of the numbers and the possible consequences if they are lost or exposed. Supporters argue that a single identifier would make it easier for professionals to share information and spot children who need help earlier.

Children's Commissioner Rachel de Souza has long called for the introduction of a single unique identifier, and has begun her own pilot while waiting for the government's scheme to move forward.

[Source: schoolsweek.co.uk](https://schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-to-test-integrating-nhs-numbers-into-school-systems/) | [Source: winacontract.co.uk](https://www.winacontract.co.uk/contracts/682206)