Moving from Ireland to the UK, what will the taxes/cost of living be like?

QuiteInterestin

Hi, I'm working in Ireland at the moment but not sure how much longer it is going to last. I'm beginning to look at options in the UK and was just wondering if anyone knew much about the tax system in the UK i.e. how much of what you earn do you actually take home with you? From what I can tell, I will probably be taking a significent pay cut if I do have to work in a similar field over there, (which I don't mind, just want to be working ) but its hard to know exactly how much when I don't know what the tax system is. Am I likely to be paying a similar/greater/lower rate of tax over there?
Also how do people who have moved over recently find the cost of living/quality of life in the UK compared to Ireland?

bakedbean

I've worked both in the UK and Ireland and, in general, the cost of living is lower in the UK. It does depend where specifically you are moving to though. Traditionally London, the home counties (e.g. Surrey, Kent etc) and south-west England can be quite expensive.

With regards to tax, you could check out the HMRCwebsite for more information: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/migrantworkers/index.htm

Also, a cost-of-living guide may help you make your decision: http://www.finfacts.ie/costofliving.htm

Good luck!

QuiteInterestin

Thanks, I'll give them a look!