Living and working in the UK can be fantastic, from the depth of history through to the food and drink, beautiful countryside and vibrant cities. There are also great professional and personal development opportunities that are hard to find elsewhere. However, it’s not as simple as jumping on a plane and heading over to work, as there are some practical elements that you need to get in place to make sure everything goes smoothly. We’re here to cover 5 of them!
Visas
First up, you need to get a visa to enable you to work in the UK. There are a few different ways to do this; one of the most common is if you’re moving to the UK and are continuing to work for the same company you currently do but in a UK-based office. Often you can get a visa through this path when you’re staying with the same company. Skilled work visas are also popular if you have a specific profession, which includes either working for a government-approved UK employer, doing a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations or being paid a minimum salary in the UK. As part of this, you must also be able to speak, read and write English.
Another option is to choose an industry that’s in demand to get a visa that way, which is mainly the Health and Care Worker visa. There are plenty more examples of different types of working visas you can get, but before you make any plans to move to the UK, your priority should be identifying which visa is best suited to you and making sure it’s secured. Working with immigration Lawyers London-based is an ideal way to get the right visa and to take some of the stress away from you!
Tax
Something else to consider before your move to the UK is tax. When you move to the UK, you will need to start making contributions to the tax system, either through the Pay As You Earn scheme, where tax will automatically be deducted from your salary through your employer, or by declaring your own tax if you work for yourself. Ensuring this is correctly set up when you’re living and working in the UK is really important, as you don’t want to end up with a hefty and unexpected bill at the end of everything!
Driving
If you rely on driving for work or life in general, you need to make sure you’re looking into whether your license is valid. In general, if you’re moving from a country in the EU to the UK, you can drive for up to 3 years on that license and then you’ll need to change to a UK license if you want to continue to drive. For non-EU countries and licenses, the same rules apply, but you have 12 months before you need to change your licence. It’s important to note that often you’ll need to retake a theory and practical test in the UK, and the waiting list is currently around 6 months, and it’s quite difficult to pass. So, it’s advised that if you only have 12 months and rely on driving for work, you start the process as soon as possible when you move to make sure that you’re covered!
Cost Of Living
Another thing to consider when moving to the UK is the cost of living. This will vary massively depending on where you’re living in the UK, as if you moved to a quiet house in the countryside or a small village, then your cost of living will be quite affordable. However, if you’re wanting to move to a city, then you can expect to be paying significant amounts of money on rent and the cost of things like socialising, food and drink, gym memberships, etc.
For example, living in a double bedroom in a shared house in London can set you back anywhere from £800-£1000 living quite a way outside of the centre, or closer to £2,000 in central London. It goes even higher if you opt to live on your own or to live with just one other person. So, we’d recommend that you look at the kind of place you want to live and do a bit of research into the cost of living, then look at your salary and decide if it’s going to be comfortable for you to live.
Childcare
Last but not least, if you’re moving to the UK with a young family, the cost of childcare must be considered. The average cost of a nursery in the UK for a full-time space (50 hours a week) is £305 per week. Children of British citizens are entitled to 30 hours of free childcare a week once their child turns 3, and then, regardless of immigration status, every child living in England gets 15 hours free once they turn 3. However, this is still expensive with the subsidy so if you have a young family, taking this cost seriously is important, particularly if you have more than one child.
Culture
The best part about the UK is that it’s home to many different cultures and people from all over the world. This is the perfect place to move to without feeling like you’ve left your whole culture behind. From different cuisines and food markets to whole little towns dedicated to people who are from the same country, the UK acts as a home for all.
This will make adjusting to the norm of the Western world so much easier and with people in the UK from your home, you can connect and find a sense of community no matter where you stay.
Transportation
The UK has invested millions of pounds in creating the most optimal transport links from the MET and tram to free buses. There are vast options for you to remain in touch with places beyond your new home and at such great prices, this is just an extremely convenient aspect of the UK, whether you are a student, moving for a job or rejoining your family.
Especially if you are moving for work, you are going to be met with reliable transport choices that allow you to navigate your self back and forth seamlessly.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to working in the UK, you have the conveniences of reliable travel and familiar cultural habits but there are important legal things you need to take into consideration, such as tax and visa requirements; however, these can all be handled very easily so your transition into a new country and a new job goes as smoothly as possible.