Considering moving to the UK

Rebel Boy

Not sure if there is a similar thread out there.

I'm 25 and currently working full time one of the lucky ones I suppose. I've been in my place of employment now for 2 years and I'm considering moving to the UK around the Manchester area. I've been there tons of times for the football and weekends away. DO many people know what the economy around that region is at the moment as I'm very keen to move there and how much would you reckon I have spending money wise to get my self set up, ie rent etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

ancapailldorcha

Hi OP,

Would you be happy with any job or is there a specific area you're looking to gain employment in? Manchester would be the capital of the north of England and probably your best bet if you're looking to find work. The cost of living isn't too bad and there are some very nice areas.
Regarding startup capital, I'd advise a months rent, a deposit (usually a month's rent) and some spends while you get sorted. I wouldn't advise moving over with less than £1,500 to be safe.
It'd be useful if you could sort out a National Insurance number (UK equivalent of PPI no.) before you came over but it's not essential. Gumtree and Spareroom would be your best bets in finding accommodation.

Hope this helps.

Rebel Boy

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Hi OP,

Would you be happy with any job or is there a specific area you're looking to gain employment in? Manchester would be the capital of the north of England and probably your best bet if you're looking to find work. The cost of living isn't too bad and there are some very nice areas.
Regarding startup capital, I'd advise a months rent, a deposit (usually a month's rent) and some spends while you get sorted. I wouldn't advise moving over with less than £1,500 to be safe.
It'd be useful if you could sort out a National Insurance number (UK equivalent of PPI no.) before you came over but it's not essential. Gumtree and Spareroom would be your best bets in finding accommodation.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for that. I'd do any type of work. Most of my work background has been in call centres and retail work, with a small few kitchen hand jobs when I was in Australia. Do I need to have a UK address to sort out my NIN number?

ancapailldorcha

I had 2 housemates working here: http://www.lbm.co.uk/
They both left but it could be a starting point. I don't think you need a UK address to sort out the NI number as you'd already be able to work here legally. It's more of a tax thing. It might mean you need a day off work and I suggested it as convenience measure.

NoCrackHaving

You don't need an NI number to start work in the UK but you have to apply for one within 2 weeks of commencing employment or something along those lines. It usually takes a week or so to get an appointment and a further two weeks before your number is issued. As far as I know there's no equivalent to emergency tax in the UK thankfully, there wasn't for me anyway.

Fratton Fred

NoCrackHaving wrote: »

You don't need an NI number to start work in the UK but you have to apply for one within 2 weeks of commencing employment or something along those lines. It usually takes a week or so to get an appointment and a further two weeks before your number is issued. As far as I know there's no equivalent to emergency tax in the UK thankfully, there wasn't for me anyway.

There is, no NI number means no tax allowances.

Rebel Boy

Fratton Fred wrote: »

There is, no NI number means no tax allowances.

Do you know if I can apply for a N.I.N from Ireland or do I need a UK address? I'd love to have it sorted before I move over.

ancapailldorcha

Rebel Boy wrote: »

Do you know if I can apply for a N.I.N from Ireland or do I need a UK address? I'd love to have it sorted before I move over.

I sorted mine in one session with a Job Centre employee. This might help.

horace456

id advise that you have enough for your deposit and first months rent and a decent chunk of food money and b and b or hostel money to keep you going while you look. it would be worth trying somewhere like couch surfers and other sites like woofers to see if theres somewhere temporary you could stay for a week or two till you get sorted. I've known people who have put people up in dublin who were moving to ireland and they had the added advantage of a local person there to ask advise directions etc. if not that then at least find a nice hostel with helpful local staff it can be disorientating trying to find your way around. id also get a uk phone and a laptop as a priority. i think 1300 is not enough for all of that and england isn't like ireland where you can manage without money and rely on the irish hospitality. if you really can't manage to save another grand then sort out as much as you can on the net first hooking up with people who will put you up and even feed you while you get settled. best of luck

walshm800

I got my national insurance appointment booked when I was in Ireland! and it took 3 weeks in total for it to be issued

Rebel Boy

walshm800 wrote: »

I got my national insurance appointment booked when I was in Ireland! and it took 3 weeks in total for it to be issued

How did you go about it may I ask?

Lemming

Rebel Boy wrote: »

Do you know if I can apply for a N.I.N from Ireland or do I need a UK address? I'd love to have it sorted before I move over.

walshm800 wrote: »

I got my national insurance appointment booked when I was in Ireland! and it took 3 weeks in total for it to be issued

I suspect that walshm may have been incredibly lucky in that their application was entertained prior to moving, and even more so in the time it took to get processed.

You need to be 'resident in the UK' before you will be entertained for applying for a NI number. You do not need one to start a job, but the quicker you get it sorted, the quicker you get your tax rates sorted. You will also face a waiting time; most people seem to get it around the four week mark, mine took the full six weeks (that was in Leeds) so it's a bit hit & miss.

As well as Manchester, you could also consider Leeds; it's a nice place.

Michael D Not Higgins

I luckily had a job lined up before I moved over but the process I followed was:
do some research on nice areas and bang out emails to gumtree ads for viewings
fly over and view apartments (took about 3 days, although the second one I saw on the first day was the one I chose), fly back,
pack up the car, drive over on the ferry, move in,
apply for NI number, start work, apply for bank account, get NI number meeting about a week later,
get NI number after about 2 weeks, just before payroll cutoff so I avoided emergency tax.