New FCA regulations require insurers to collect information on all employers covered by an employers liability insurance policy, including details of their Employer Reference Number (ERN).
As a result of impending legislative changes, as of the 1st April 2012 a business will require an ERN when purchasing employers liability insurance. This is in order to definitively identify at which firms an employee has worked in the event of a claim occurring significantly after the event.
An ERN is given to every business that registers with HM Revenue and Customs as an employer. It is a unique set of letters and numbers used by the tax man and others to identify a firm. It is often referred to on tax forms as an employer PAYE reference.