Moving To/Living In London Megathread - ALL QUESTIONS TO GO HERE

seachto7

djpbarry wrote: »

No disrespect to anyone who went through 4 or 5 years of college, but you can’t expect anything above a basic income until you’ve accumulated some experience and demonstrated a mastery of the skills and knowledge that you’ve learned.

I'm 37, it's not as if I've been idle for the last 15 years, and to be honest, if I knew I could get more money working in a factory, I'd probably apply for a job in a factory.
This will come across badly, but if I made the effort to study and put in the effort for 4 or 5 years of college, do I deserve more money than someone who *may* not have given 2 sh*ts at school, and walked into a job on the lines at a factory after school, because times were good and jobs were plentiful? Certainly more than £18,000 in a city like London.
Saying that, a lot of the time working in a factory, you don't have to put up with a lot of the bullsh*t or w*nkers you encounter in a "professional" environment.
At the end of the day, it's all about making a few quid, and being reasonably happy doing so.
I wouldn't refuse a job in a factory right now.

djpbarry

seachto7 wrote: »

This will come across badly, but if I made the effort to study and put in the effort for 4 or 5 years of college, do I deserve more money than someone who *may* not have given 2 sh*ts at college, and walked into a job on the lines at a factory after school, because times were good and jobs were plentiful?

In my opinion, it's not a given, no - at the risk of sounding harsh, you don't get a higher salary just because you think your education warrants it.

seachto7

That is true, but anyone who comes out of third level should be guaranteed the average industrial wage (whatever the starting point would be for that)

Fysh

seachto7 wrote: »

That is true, but anyone who comes out of third level should be guaranteed the average industrial wage (whatever the starting point would be for that)

I disagree. If the degree you've got doesn't automatically provide you with demonstrable skills that make you useful to an employer, why should you have that guarantee? Unfortunately, degrees are of variable utility based on both subject and issuing body, and the ability to undertake a four-year degree course in any given subject doesn't mean you'll be able to find well-paid work in that field upon completion.

All of this is why I think that the education/employment strategy of "send people to college/university, make them get a degree, then in many cases farm them out into a working world where the vast majority of what they've learned during their degree will turn out to be irrelevant to their working life".

danotroy

seachto7 wrote: »

That is true, but anyone who comes out of third level should be guaranteed the average industrial wage (whatever the starting point would be for that)

You may be 30 odd but your thinking like a fella just out of leaving cert. Have you ever heard of graduate roles and wages?

If your ideal would happen I would of went down to FAS down a carpentry course and got the average industrial wage after I did my Mickey mouse course. Your degree is your first step towards a career your first rung on the ladder not half way up.

Muffinman1

Can I ask anyone with the answer please.
Looking in to going to London or UK. I've good experience bookkeeping (5years +) and well would be looking for job in that sector. I know it'd be tough with living there regards expenses etc and I'd be prepared for that but in terms of finding a job where would be best place to look and what are prospects of finding a job there?

danotroy

djpbarry wrote: »

It’s actually about £540 per month, but let’s say you want to put away 10% of your income for a rainy day, that leaves £96 per week for food, clothes, toiletries, household essentials, etc. I’m not including entertainment in the list because, let’s be honest, there’s not going be much entertainment in trying to get by on £96 a week.
A social one?
So you’ve been paid, what, about £2,800 over the last 3 months and you’re trying to tell us that this has covered rent, bills, food, toiletries etc., 4-5 meals out, “many” visits to the pub, several new items of clothing, a few gigs and even a holiday?

You’re obviously a very cheap date.

The first 2 months I was here I had a partner that brought rent down considerably but for the last 2 months I have been living alone at the rent previously stated (600 including bills), I have had to throw 400 quid in savings onto that to help as I wasn't expecting becoming single. Work also pay for all my work related travel.

All im trying to say is that it is possible to start a life in london on sub 25k which some posters here think is impossible. I do not hope to be on 18k for long but 6 months would be fine. I know friends who pay 650 + for a ****ty room in parts of Hackney where my new place is 450 next to Homerton overground station. Thats about 3,000 difference over the course of a year.
These guys also go to the pub wednesday night after football and for dinner and drinks on a thursday. Its easy to see where over the course of a year that can amount up to somewhere in the region of 3 thousand pound. Theres 6,000 pound right there I know one of my mates spends more than me without even batting an eye lid and he earns 24,000.

I don't think its entirely reasonable for a recent graduate to expect a luxurious lifestyle straight out of college. We all live with our means and as I mentioned earlier if you start off with a great salary when are you going to learn to budget.

To take your snipe literal about the very cheap date.... who needs money when you have got tinder. Every single one of the females I've met on there is far more interested in doing something outdoors/tour/picnic than going to a pub or restaurant.

danotroy

One important thing which my argument may not fully address is that if someone was earning 30,000 euros in an industry back at home it would be unreasonable to assume that they would have to drop their salary an entry level wage in order to move to London as I suspect they would struggle.

djpbarry

danotroy wrote: »

The first 2 months I was here I had a partner that brought rent down considerably but for the last 2 months I have been living alone at the rent previously stated (600 including bills), I have had to throw 400 quid in savings onto that to help as I wasn't expecting becoming single. Work also pay for all my work related travel.

Right, well, that’s all going to make a pretty big difference, isn’t it?

danotroy wrote: »

To take your snipe literal about the very cheap date...

It wasn’t a “snipe”, I was saying that your figures didn’t really add up (and you revealed why in your last post: partner, savings, free transport). You were claiming to be have lived on £221 per week for the past few months, but in that time you’d been to pubs and restaurants fairly regularly. I had to conclude that you were not spending a whole lot on your visits to said pubs and restaurants.

danotroy wrote: »

…who needs money when you have got tinder. Every single one of the females I've met on there is far more interested in doing something outdoors/tour/picnic than going to a pub or restaurant.

Based on what I know of Tinder, most people who use it are far more interested in a particular indoor pursuit.

FTA69

djpbarry wrote: »

Based on what I know of Tinder, most people who use it are far more interested in a particular indoor pursuit.

Lucky them. I went on one date off it and she started crying at the end of the night because she missed her ex. Zero rides were had. Deleted the f*cking thing after that palaver.

BrokenArrows

FTA69 wrote: »

Lucky them. I went on one date off it and she started crying at the end of the night because she missed her ex. Zero rides were had. Deleted the f*cking thing after that palaver.

Jesus you were that bad of a date you sent her running back to her ex!!

seachto7

danotroy wrote: »

You may be 30 odd but your thinking like a fella just out of leaving cert. Have you ever heard of graduate roles and wages?

If your ideal would happen I would of went down to FAS down a carpentry course and got the average industrial wage after I did my Mickey mouse course. Your degree is your first step towards a career your first rung on the ladder not half way up.

True, and I have to accept that unless I want to go back to what I was doing.
But £18,000 in London?

How so Joe

^this whole discussion just depresses me. I don't even want to think about what my actual annual earnings are. PhDs do not pay well.

FTA69

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Jesus you were that bad of a date you sent her running back to her ex!!

Ha it was gas. We went to a Greek gaff in Camden, (Andy's Taverna - highly recommend it) and the host kept swinging by our table making really inappropriate comments about when we were getting married and how he could tell we were madly in love. He asked to know what part of Ireland I'm from and announced I was a "Republican" when I said I was from Cork. I tried to explain that that term had political connotations but he kept clapping his hands and laughing. Half way through dinner he then demanded I follow him whereupon he marched me over to some other couple who were also having a first date. She was from Dublin. He announced "Two Republicans eh??" and then left me awkwardly standing next to a well-heeled woman in her late 30s. By the time I got back to my own table your one was having a whinge.

Not to worry though, I met some youngone I went to school with in Camden Road Station and we all went to Dalston and got totally ball-bagged and I got the maul off her friend from Tyrone.

All in all a quality evening.

ballsymchugh

FTA69 wrote: »

Not to worry though, I met some youngone I went to school with in Camden Road Station and we all went to Dalston and got totally ball-bagged and I got the maul off her friend from Tyrone.

All in all a quality evening.

o_O

there you go. essential welcome to london info!!

FTA69

ballsymchugh wrote: »

o_O

there you go. essential welcome to london info!!

It is essential. People need to realise that this is a city where anything can happen to you. It's possible to duck out for a pint and go missing for two days.

djpbarry

FTA69 wrote: »

...I met some youngone I went to school with in Camden Road Station and we all went to Dalston and got totally ball-bagged and I got the maul off her friend from Tyrone.

Isn't that a line from a Carpenters song?

RiseToMe

So the job centre wouldnt let me make an appointment until i had a uk address, which i now have, but the only next available appointment is the day i start work which i cant take obviously. so its a bit of a disaster.

A little googling as lead me see that the money i lose in emergency tax cannot be claimed back which is really frustrating as its their flawed system thats resulting in this, is this correct? as it stands I will be emergency taxed on about 3 months pay by the time i get this sorted.

Grandpa Hassan

RiseToMe wrote: »

So the job centre wouldnt let me make an appointment until i had a uk address, which i now have, but the only next available appointment is the day i start work which i cant take obviously. so its a bit of a disaster.

A little googling as lead me see that the money i lose in emergency tax cannot be claimed back which is really frustrating as its their flawed system thats resulting in this, is this correct? as it stands I will be emergency taxed on about 3 months pay by the time i get this sorted.

That is not correct. You get your emergency tax back. Whether that is by a rebalancing of your tax deductions, or a tax refund, I don't know.

But it is not going to happen immediately in any case. It has gone for now, so look at it as a future benefit

djpbarry

RiseToMe wrote: »

So the job centre wouldnt let me make an appointment until i had a uk address, which i now have, but the only next available appointment is the day i start work which i cant take obviously. so its a bit of a disaster.

It really isn't. Just explain the situation to your employer - I'm sure this has happened before and they'll understand.

RiseToMe wrote: »

A little googling as lead me see that the money i lose in emergency tax cannot be claimed back which is really frustrating as its their flawed system thats resulting in this, is this correct?

I don't know where you've read that, but it's complete nonsense! If you pay too much tax in your first month, for example, this is taken into consideration when future tax deductions are made, exactly the same as in Ireland.

Harps

RiseToMe wrote: »

So the job centre wouldnt let me make an appointment until i had a uk address, which i now have, but the only next available appointment is the day i start work which i cant take obviously. so its a bit of a disaster.

A little googling as lead me see that the money i lose in emergency tax cannot be claimed back which is really frustrating as its their flawed system thats resulting in this, is this correct? as it stands I will be emergency taxed on about 3 months pay by the time i get this sorted.

You can claim your tax back..?

You might not get it until next April but you'll definitely get it back. Once you have your details sorted and have a paycheck just call HMRC and get your code changed

What's your problem exactly with the job centre? If it's to get a NI number you can do that any time, you should get a temp code issued within a week or two of doing the interview

RiseToMe

apparently they dont issue temp numbers anymore, so ill just have to wait it out and see what the damage is.

Glad to hear that website wasnt right tho!

Harps

Since when? I only moved here last September and got one after 10 days or so, had no issues being paid once I had the temp number and got my tax back at the end of the tax year in April

RiseToMe

according to the woman on the phone in the job centre, its emergency tax until you get your number, no temp number

Grandpa Hassan

RiseToMe wrote: »

according to the woman on the phone in the job centre, its emergency tax until you get your number, no temp number

unless I recall incorrectly, you would have got charged emergency tax on a temp number anyway.

Marcusm

RiseToMe wrote: »

So the job centre wouldnt let me make an appointment until i had a uk address, which i now have, but the only next available appointment is the day i start work which i cant take obviously. so its a bit of a disaster.

A little googling as lead me see that the money i lose in emergency tax cannot be claimed back which is really frustrating as its their flawed system thats resulting in this, is this correct? as it stands I will be emergency taxed on about 3 months pay by the time i get this sorted.

You've been badly informed; the UK uses a PAYE system very similar to Ireland - they used to be identical but Ireland moved away from tax free allowances and changed to tax credits but it has mostly the same effect. After registering for a NINO (national insurance number) your employer will be given your tax coding (like your statement of tax credits) which will tell it how to operate PAYE and NI on your pay. Except in very unusual circumstances this is done on a cumulative basis meaning that when you start out mid year (year starts 6 April not 1 January) you have accumulated tax free allowances and will receive more net pay for a period of time and then it will level off.

As you don't have a P45, your employee will try to get "starter information" from you and this will enable them to apply a tax code until they receive the appropriate code from HMRC. It is recognised that not everyone will have P45s etc.

You should aim for a status of A - meaning that you have not had any other job since 6 April and have not been in receipt of any state related benefits. If your employer accept this, they would operate tax code 1000L which is £10k tax free (and is the normal code).

If your employer does not accept this, they will likely operate a week 1/month 1 basis which will result in you overpaying until they get the correct coding.

Irrespective, you should not have to wait until April to have it regularised.

RiseToMe

Marcusm wrote: »

You've been badly informed; the UK uses a PAYE system very similar to Ireland - they used to be identical but Ireland moved away from tax free allowances and changed to tax credits but it has mostly the same effect. After registering for a NINO (national insurance number) your employer will be given your tax coding (like your statement of tax credits) which will tell it how to operate PAYE and NI on your pay. Except in very unusual circumstances this is done on a cumulative basis meaning that when you start out mid year (year starts 6 April not 1 January) you have accumulated tax free allowances and will receive more net pay for a period of time and then it will level off.

As you don't have a P45, your employee will try to get "starter information" from you and this will enable them to apply a tax code until they receive the appropriate code from HMRC. It is recognised that not everyone will have P45s etc.

You should aim for a status of A - meaning that you have not had any other job since 6 April and have not been in receipt of any state related benefits. If your employer accept this, they would operate tax code 1000L which is £10k tax free (and is the normal code).

If your employer does not accept this, they will likely operate a week 1/month 1 basis which will result in you overpaying until they get the correct coding.

Irrespective, you should not have to wait until April to have it regularised.

Thanks a million.

I presume as I have never been resident or employed in the UK I am good to tick that I haven't been in employment since April?

Marcusm

RiseToMe wrote: »

Thanks a million.

I presume as I have never been resident or employed in the UK I am good to tick that I haven't been in employment since April?

Absolutely but remember to state that you haven't been in receipt of any UK benefits either. As a recent arrival to the UK intending to remain here in permanent or indefinite employment you qualify for "split year treatment" meaning that whatever you have earned or has accrued to you prior to the date of your arrival is not taken into account for UK tax. Therefore, even if you have been earning in Ireland up until a couple of days before, it is irrelevant. Equally, Irish citizens are entitled to a full years personal allowance - for some people it can be restricted to UK/Worldwide income.

RiseToMe

Thanks a million for that. I was only looking at my starter form this afternoon and was unsure what to put down. My contract runs from July to July and following that the company splits from the university and comes back to Ireland with me so it is literally just one year that I will be UK based for.

BrokenArrows

Marcusm wrote: »

Equally, Irish citizens are entitled to a full years personal allowance - for some people it can be restricted to UK/Worldwide income.

Ah yes I remember this. It was sweet to be working for nearly 5 whole months without paying tax. Then on the 6th month the shock of how much tax I would be paying. lol.