In the system?

So, I think I'm finally in the system. I decided to be a good girl the other day, and apply for a National Insurance number, which is needed if you want to work in this country. Unlike the Scandinavian countries, you don't seem to need to inform the government about where you live etc (unless you want to vote, but then I'm not eligible for that here anyway) although they seem really picky about having the right people paying council tax and the like. Can't say I really understand the system... Until now, I have been sort of in a limbo: my name and address are on our bank statements and I actually have a NHS number (National Health Service); but no name on a rent contract or any utility bills (for some reason the Brits seem slightly obsessed with utility bills).

Anyway, I called two days ago, and was scheduled in for an interview (!) today. The woman I talked to said everything would be sent in the mail - but it not arrive until 45 mins before I had to be there - in Tooting! (Panic! Where is Tooting???) Had quite an argument with Tim yesterday about the things I needed to bring. Papers they had asked for included proof of address (as I said: don't have any official ones) and our marriage certificate (do we have one? Have we ever seen one? Will the archbishops sign of approval be good enough?). Well, I managed to find my way to the 'jobcentreplus', as it is so nicely called. (A name which in my eyes indicate a complete desperation for work, so it felt a bit awkward.)

I was a few minutes late, but ended up having to wait almost an hour anyway before anyone had the time for my interview. The woman I talked to was super friendly, and bank statement worked fine, and she did not ask for marriage certificate. 15 minutes later it was all over, and I am now waiting for my number to pop down in the mail in two weeks. It probably sounds really harsh, but I think they were probably happy to see such an 'easy case'. There were so many people there with hardly no knowledge of the language* and those who seemed really desperate for benefits (something handled by the same department). It is often easy to forget what an advantage it is to have 'Scandinavian good looks', be fluent in English and have a British surname.

(Something similar also happened to Tim when he applied for a permit to stay and work in Norway. He was taken out of a queue of about 100, and went straight up to the counter, just because of his nationality (and western European looks). Scary, when you think about it!)

*I felt truely sorry for a man who had to explain to his client over and over again that the number he had been given was only a reference number, and not his NI-number!