Potential Bran New Worker - Scared As Pie

The Rant:
So I live in a place called Chafford Hundred, which is all brand new sterile houses and apartments, built as a moni-commuter land for London. I don't drive, so I have to walk everywhere. The nearest place to walk is the mall, Lakeside Mall, which was a real novelty for a while but now I miss having "real" shops like a charity shop, antique store, whatever.   So I knew I needed a job (now that I'm legal) and put in loads of applications at Lakeside. No one wanted me. Until today, and it's the job I didn't really want: it's a waitressing position at Pizza Hut. I've waitressed a lot in the past and I love it, so normally I'd be happy about it, but I've got mixed feelings.   It's a 30 minute walk there. Every day. Good exercise yes, unless it RAINS, and oh, it *never* rains in England. Plus, it's a full time job at weekend and evening hours. David works 12 hours a day 6 days a week so we probably won't see much of each other. But I need a job (I suppose) because we're saving up money to IMmigrate to America in the next 6 months. Which brings me to my questions:

The Questions:
1. So I have to call someone about applying for a NIN, right? Who do I call? When? What if I don't have any utility bills or anything in my name (they are all under David's name)?
2. What if I apply for a NIN and then we move to America, can I just call them up and sort of "cancel" it?

I'm not trying to be pie-in-the-sky and wistful about moving to America, but it's something that David and I have really decided to put all of our energy into doing in the next 6 months for a couple of practical reasons, specifically his job. Who knows what will happen.

God, I have SUCH mixed emotions about this, it's unreal.   I guess what will be will be, right?

Thanks in advance for any help, suggestions, blah blah blah!  


And if I haven't done it enough in this message...

Yay, I can answer this since I just did it.

You go to Social Services. You ask to apply for a NIN (they ask you why) You tell them because you're working.

They take a bit of information and then a few days later you get a letter saying they've booked you an appointment. Be there or be square.

At the appointment you give more information.

Here's the stuff I needed to bring:

Marriage cert
birth cert
any and all payslips.
letter from employer stating when I started, how much I earn... blah blah blah.
Proof of residence. this can be a council tax bill (which, btw, you should have in your name as well). if you rent, bring your rental agreement.  Bring any recent bills you have, even if they're not in your name, they'll be in hubbys name and that might help. You'll have to bring proof of residence for every place you've lived in since you've been in the uk.
ID- this means passport, drivers license anything you have. I even brought my SS card. They loved that.

They do give you a list of what you need to bring. Took me an hour and all she did was fill in an application, made copies, chatted with me then said it'd take 3-4 months to get the number.

You don't need to worry about cancelling the number. It's yours for life, whether you use it or not. Kind of like a SS#.

If you move before you get the card with the number on it, inform the office you applied at about your change of address, they'll send the info to your new address. Better to have it in case you move back than to have someone steal your mail, use your number and generally get you in trouble.  

For the time being, use a temporary number. Your work should provide you with one. They're easy to create.

And I totally understand about walking so far to work. My first job was 20 minutes away and it was up this huge steep hill. By the time I finished the job, I was well used to it and actually looked forward to the walk to work. (even in the dark, because it was winter, and the rain, and the snow, it was just so nice to be out and about. woke me up)

Good luck on the job. And welcome back!

.... I'm not trying to be pie-in-the-sky and wistful about moving to America, but it's something that David and I have really decided to put all of our energy into doing in the next 6 months for a couple of practical reasons, specifically his job. .....

Been there, done that, .... If I, or "Val", can be of any help give us a shout.  

Well here's new news... so no one called me forever then on the same day PH called me, then I got another call this evening for another job, and I'm taking that one instead! Goodbye smelling like pizza every night... I'm gonna work at Principles! Woo hoo! Now I'm actually excited about all of it. Have my 1st deal tomorrow at 10, I'll let you know how it goes!

And well, I got the job! I'm happy happy about working at Principles, I'll be selling shoes, and it's only about 17-20 hours a week so I still have time to do things around the house, get on the train, watch my soap! Amazing how my mood changed... I just really didn't want to come home smelling like pizza every night, especially since I low-carb! Ak! It would have been eeee-vil. Anyway.... I start on Wednesday!

Fantastic news!! So perfect for you!
Oh, and the 'smelling like pizza' bit...my step daughter works weekends at McDonalds. She smells like McDonalds, her clothes smell like McDonalds and the next load of laundry after she's done hers smells like McDonalds. I can be walking down the High Street and get a whiff of someone who walks past and know they've been at McDonalds. It's horrid.

Congrats on the new job!  And oooh, Lakeside!  Land of cinnabunn!  

wench