Job Centre

When I crossed a bridge, the river Brain was rising after the heavy rain yesterday. I went to a Job Centre to ask about National Insurance number today. According to the HM Revenue & Customs,  British people will be sent a National Insurance number automatically just before your 16th birthday. But if you don't have the number, and start work or set up as self-employed in the UK, you must apply for it. The officer in the Job Centre opened a file and transferred a telephone number to a note. He gave me the note and said just follow an instruction. So after I came back home, I made the call. It was an auto-answered inquiry service number... After I followed the information and press a button, it gave me another telephone number very very kindly... Why didn't he give me this number?

Anyway, on the phone, I was asked some questions and was told I need to have an interview. He gave me the date and time of interview and said I need to bring a passport, visa and a proof of address. The date is more than a week ahead. Most things don't go ahead smoothly here...