“To be [a Londoner], or not to be [a Londoner]: that is the question.”
That’s what Will was on about, right?
Landed a job in London? Congrats! You must be quite chuffed, eh?
We’ve already covered how a move to the Big Smoke can boost your tech career and all the costs of living associated to it. Now, if your flight is booked and your bags are starting to increase in weight by the minute, it’s time for a detailed checklist of what you really need to do during your first month as a Londoner:
✓ In the home stretch: find a flat and close the deal
It’ll take you a bit of time to find a flat that meets your standards. If you have any friends/family in London, crash at their place for a few days and invest some time visiting flats to rent for yourself — it’s crucial to visit every single one of them to avoid nasty surprises.
If you’ve already dived into flat hunting websites and finally managed to find a place with a decent landlord, brilliant! Your very own 6-character London postcode! We’re so proud.
Make sure you ask your landlord to add your name to at least one utility bill (water, gas, electricity) to serve as proof of address, because it’s essential for so much else. With it, you can open up a bank account, apply for a National Insurance Number and start halving the money you spend on transport.
If you want a room to stay, but don’t know where to look, you can always count with our partners at Uniplaces, and use the promo code “LANDINGJOBS” to get a 50% discount in their first month fees!
✓ A numbers game: national insurance number and taxes
New address, check. Now you can move on to the next step: getting a National Insurance Number, or an NI number. This is equivalent to a social security number, and it’s what will enable you to start working in the UK.
To do so, you will need to contact the National Insurance number application phone line *pause for breath*. Because every UK resident automatically receives an NI number, you will need to book an interview at Jobcentre Plus, an employment agency and social security office funded by the government, where you will be asked about your circumstances and why you need a number.
You’ll need your passport or national identity card, and questions will consist of asking whether or not you are currently employed and what you are doing in the UK. No need to worry, you’re not at risk of being deported — completely standard procedure!
You’ll be told how long it’ll take to receive a letter with your NI number in your post box (usually around ten days), so keep a lookout.
You can start working while you’re waiting for it to get to you. Just make sure you can legally work in the UK and tell your employer that you’ve applied to get an NI number. As soon as you have it, let your company know.
Alas, there’s no moving away from taxes, and the UK is no exception. Your NI number will be used by your employer to deduct the two main taxes from your salary: the Personal Income Tax and National Insurance.
Most people pay Income Tax through PAYE, Pay As You Earn. This is the system your employer will use to take Income Tax and National Insurance contributions before they pay your wages, and they will show up on your payslip every month.
Here are this year’s tax rates, which are paid on the amount of taxable income remaining after allowances (which is the amount of income you can earn before you pay tax, which is £10.6k in 2015–2016):
BandRateIncome after allowances 2015 to 2016Basic rate20%Up to £31,785Higher rate40%£31,786 to £150kAdditional rate45%Over £150,001
Snore. Here’s a little help. Say you’re a Senior Back-End Developer earning £50k. This is what you will pay and how you get there:
20% * (31,785) + 40% * (50,000–31,785–10,600) = £9,403
There, that’s easier.
✓ It’s all about the money, money, money: opening a bank account
Time to start thinking in pounds and to open an English banking account. A bank account and its associated debit/credit card are usually free in the UK. A few of the largest English banks are Lloyds, HSBC, Barclays, and NatWest.
Typically, all you need is a utility bill that proves you’re a UK resident, and your national identity card. In 2–3 days you should get your card in the post and you’re good to go.
Some banks require more documentation than others when opening an account, others take far too long to do so. Take an afternoon to figure them all out and go with the one that allows you to open an account automatically (HSBC may be the safest bet).
For personal banking, there are two kinds of accounts: a current account and a basic bank account. A current account is what most people use to manage their day-to-day money, pay bills, receive salary, pay for things with a debit card, withdraw cash free of charges (yes, some ATMs can charge you!), pay for goods/services online, and have access to overdraft facilities.
Opening one of these is where it might get tricky, though. Most current accounts require you to have a good credit history (or credit score), which is taken from things such as paying bills on time, using credit cards, having borrowed money in the past, etc.
Since you’ve just moved to the UK, there is no way of having a credit score of your own. Fortunately, the good guys at HSBC, Barclays and Santander take this into account and specialise in setting up accounts for expats.
The alternative to a current account would be a basic bank account, which is usually reserved for people with poor or no credit history, allowing you to receive money, pay bills by direct debit or standing order — not all banks provide a debit card with this kind of account.
With HSBC, for instance, as long as you hold £500 per month in a current account, it allows you to pay in money, set up direct debits and standing orders, have overdraft facilities, and it provides you with a chequebook and a debit card — the fancy contactless one that you can use as your Oyster card.
✓ The London is your Oyster (sorry)
We’ve covered all the means of transportation and their respective fares, and now that you know which Tube/Bus zone you’ll be living in, it’s time to equip yourself with an Oyster card.
The Oyster card is valid all across London, including on the London Underground, London Buses, the Docklands Light Railway, the London Overground, trams, some river boat services, and most National Rail services within the London fare zones.
You can easily create an account online and receive an Oyster card in the post, or get one at any station (with a £5 refundable card deposit) and register on the website later to top up.
If you happen to get a contactless card when opening your bank account, you won’t need an Oyster card at all, you can pay-as-you-go with your debit card! No self-respecting Londoner has time to do it the old way.
Download Citymapper on your smartphone so you can quickly get used to your commute and strolls along the city. Don’t always assume the Tube is the fastest route; sometimes it’s actually quicker to walk. Charing Cross to Embankment is just 300m and Leicester Square is just 250m from Covent Garden. Easier to walk and no need to use your Oyster card credit.
✓ Doctor Who? The National Health Service
Ah, the NHS. The largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world, primarily funded through taxation, the NHS is now following a one-way road to privatisation and all-around doom. The country is currently divided between keeping it alive or making health insurance mandatory. One of the many issues you will most likely become very opinionated about when you’re a full-on Londoner.
If you do happen to catch a stubborn cold that refuses to blow over, you’re still in luck. You only need your identity card to have access to the General Practitioner system in your town and see a doctor free of charge. For more serious cases, the GP assigns your case to a hospital specialist, and that could be pricey.
However, as in many countries which provide free healthcare, the NHS has long waiting periods, so many people opt to buy private medical insurance that lets them take advantage of the UK’s private hospitals with reasonable payments. If health insurance isn’t part of your contract benefits, you may want to look into that. Top private medical insurance providers include BUPA, PruHealth, Aviva, and AXA PPP.
You’ll need your strength and energy in London, so here’s to your good health!
✓ A foggy day in London town: invest in rainwear
Isn’t it mildly annoying to carry an umbrella around all day only to be greeted with a sunny sky in the end? Yeah, that won’t happen in London. If it’s going to rain, it’ll rain.
So why not invest in rainwear? Take your first paycheck and treat yourself to London’s selection of rain jackets, waterproof coats, trench coats, the works.
To clear things up, it’s not called an “umbrella” over there, it’s a “brolly”. Same goes for the “rubber boots” that gladly step on the puddle-filled pavements — “wellies” is the appropriate term.
You’re welcome.
✓ Check-in: Once a Londoner, always a Londoner
Checked the whole list? You’re all set to move and start your IT career in London! Who knows whether you’ll end up staying there for good after having a solid and successful career?
Actually, after 5 years you can apply for permanent residency and even citizenship. If you manage to stay long enough, you’ll even be entitled to get a very royal treat (seriously, not mucking about).
To the lucky 6 that will be winning our London Calling competition, we hope these latest guides have transmitted the excitement of one day moving to one of the best cities in the world, no matter what comes clinging to it.
Want to be one of the lucky winners? Apply here!
0 Comments