If you’re considering moving to the UK for work, there are a few things you need to be aware of.
National Insurance & Income Tax
Residents & professionals working within the UK must pay National Insurance & Income Tax. Once you have set these up, the allocated amounts will be withdrawn from your wages every month. We can provide assistance in understanding National Insurance & Income Tax and their initial set up.
- National Insurance: http://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number
- Income Tax: http://www.gov.uk/income-tax
Your Pension
Employers within the UK are required by law to enrol their employees onto a workplace pension, unless you choose to opt out. Should you remain opted in, a percentage of your wage will be automatically put into your allocated pension scheme. Often, your employer will add a contribution towards your pension too.
- Find out more here: http://www.gov.uk/workplace-pensions/about-workplace-pensions
Childcare
Should you have children, you may need to consider childcare when working in the UK. If so, there are many options to choose from to suit your individual needs.
- Find out more here: http://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/childcare-costs
Rent & Living Expenses
Depending on where you choose to live in the UK, rent can be quite costly. Popular areas such as London are of course going to be more expensive than rural towns, but offer a different lifestyle. Choosing what you can afford and where you’d like to live is an important part of relocating to the UK. As such, our consultants are on hand to help you consider your options.
Utility Bills & Council Tax
In addition to rent, there are a number of utility bills and council tax to consider. Depending on where you live, you may need to pay water, gas and electricity bills on a monthly basis. Depending on your size of accommodation, the amount of people in your family and your usage needs, these costs can vary significantly.
UK residents must also pay council tax. Council tax is determined by the area you live in as well as the energy efficiency of your home. When looking for a place to live it’s important to ask about which council tax band you will fall in.
- Find out more: http://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/gas-and-electricity/
- Find out more: https://www.comparethemarket.com/energy/
- Find out more: http://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands
TV Licence
Though a TV licence is optional, most households will require one. If you are intending on watching any TV programmes as they are broadcast or watching live TV from any device you must have a TV licence. Furthermore, if you choose to watch any programmes on BBC iPlayer whether live catch up or demand, the licence is required.
- Find out more: http://www.gov.uk/tv-licence
Owning & Running a Car
Whilst many areas of the UK have great public transport, you may want to have your own car. As with any car, there are associated costs to own and run it.
- Insurance http://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance
- Tax http://www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax
- MOT http://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot
Public Transport
Many people in the UK commute to work via public transport. Buses, trains, metro, taxis and the tube are all possible options to get where you need to go. We’ve provided some information that should give you an idea of what to expect.
- Transport for London http://tfl.gov.uk/
- Trains http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
- Metrolink http://www.metrolink.co.uk/Pages/default.aspx
Your Mobile Phone
Mobile phones have become an essential part of many of our daily lives. Within the UK there are a wide range of operators to choose from and hundreds of offers and deals to benefit from.
- Find out more: http://www.moneysupermarket.com/mobile-phones/