In the subject heading, the OP states that he was Disqualified in NI, and in the body of the OP states that he received a "12 month ban with resit requirement".
Having recently been burned by taking an OP's statements at face value, I am wary of being "fooled twice", but NJ's research does appear to tally with the OP being disqualified by an NI court, with a requirement to pass his test before re-becoming a qualified driver.
Perhaps the OP can clarify which court (NI or GB) disqualified him, and that the disqualification was explicitly "until test passed", before others that ought to know better wade in to advise on the basis of reasonable implication from the words used.
AIUI, under English law, if he had been driving other than in accordance with a provisional licence, in England while subject to such a disqualification from an English court, he would be guilty of driving whilst disqualified, regardless of what other licence he might have held - the disqualification applies until the test(s) is passed, with the exception of being able to drive in accordance with a provisional once the fixed period of the disqualification had expired.
I would be very surprised if the same did not apply to driving in NI while subject to a disqualification until test passed.
Ordinarily, one might have scant sympathy for a driver who had been told that he must not drive until passing his test but did so anyway - but for the DVLA's uncharacteristic* intransigence.
*Noting that sarcasm is not always well conveyed without inflections of the voice, facial expression, or being familiar with the context of the DVLA acting as they are a law unto themselves.
