In possession of dependent work permit: questions remain

[qvtch]

Hello! In 2006 my father was granted a 5-year work visa for the UK, and I as his daughter was able to obtain a dependent's work visa for 5 years as well--this all occurred before the change over to a tiered system, so I am unsure of my classification therein--but my visa states as follows:
entries: multiple, "work permit dependent".

I visited my father in the summer of 2006, and was stamped at the airport as being on a 6 month visitor's visa--they had not flipped the pages to see my work visa, and me being a naive 16 year old on their first trip overseas did not think to point this out at the time. I was able to leave the UK after a few months without issue, I did not overstay and my work visa remains completely unstamped, but valid until mid-2011. No one ever pointed out that I was mis-stamped, so I assume that it is an open-and-shut situation. I arrived, was stamped incorrectly (even though it ended up being correct, as I did not in fact take a job), and left the country in a few month's time. Will this 4 year old mistake prove to be a problem when I arrive this year on my work visa's merits, not just a 6-month traveler's visa?

I had not applied for work during my visit in 2006, and my father returned to the United States in late 2007. His visa is still valid, as is mine, until 2011.

Cut to present day, and I'm looking to move to Britain from the United States. I'll be able to establish residency and a contact, as I'm moving in with my boyfriend.

The following, however, worry me as potential obstacles for this move:
1. My father no longer resides in the UK.
2. My work visa was not stamped in 2006 upon arrival in Britain, but it was also never utilized while I was there. Meaning, the stamping of a temporary holiday visa was completely accurate for my stay in 2006--but it won't be accurate for 2010, being that I do intend to get a job while there.


That's about it, really. While it seems pretty cut-and-dry to me, that I'm holding a work permit visa that won't expire for another year, that I should have no trouble being eligible to work in Britain--I definitely defer to the greater shared experiences of this forum. If I should provide any further information, let me know! Thank you for considering my specific potential issues.

[Wanderer]

You are not eligible to work in the UK, as your visa is a dependant's visa and the WP holder is not working in the UK.

[qvtch]

That, unfortunately, makes sense, however, I hold my own work permit as well--it was just received under the grounds that, at the time, my guardian was also working overseas. That was the condition under which I was able to obtain my own WP, but technically, I am also a work permit holder. Since that condition from 4 years ago is no longer met, that invalidates my permit entirely? My father no longer maintains the same job he transferred to the UK to do, however his work permit is still entirely valid.

I know that if circumstances change for a visa (such as initial custodian of what was initially a dependent is no longer a resident of the UK) immigration has to be made aware, I just don't know if these circumstances would render worthless my work permit.

He's no longer my guardian, nor am I his dependent. It just seems like this work permit is pretty clear; valid from __/__/2006 until __/__/2011. No conditions or exceptions, of course, that isn't to say they don't exist... Thank you so much for your response, it's definitely not the one I was hoping, or even really expecting to get, but it does make sense.