Moving to the UK

Mrs Garth Brooks

I will be moving to the UK after Christmas. Hoping to make the move at the end of January or start of Febuary.

Edinburgh is my first choice but il go wherever the work is. Which is pretty much all over the UK. I won't be on the best of wages so London is out as its meant to be expensive.

Just looking for information on things I need like a tax number and setting up a bank account. And information on how to find a place to rent, houseshares.

I have heard its meant to be a nightmare to set up a bank account. You need proof of address and utility bills. Can I open a bank account in the north, would this be easier?

How much would I need to set myself up with rent and deposit.

Any information would be great.

Play To Kill

A passport or driving licence is all you need to set up a bank account with TSB or Lloyds. You can work while your waiting for a national insurance number, it takes 2 - 3 weeks to get one. Bringing enough living expenses for 3 months would be good idea.

NoCrackHaving

Play To Kill wrote: »

A passport or driving licence is all you need to set up a bank account with TSB or Lloyds. You can work while your waiting for a national insurance number, it takes 2 - 3 weeks to get one. Bringing enough living expenses for 3 months would be good idea.

This depends on what Jobcentre you're dealing with, it took me 4 weeks for mine while another person I know in Bristol was waiting for 6 weeks.

Lemming

NoCrackHaving wrote: »

This depends on what Jobcentre you're dealing with, it took me 4 weeks for mine while another person I know in Bristol was waiting for 6 weeks.

Mine was pretty much on the estimated disclaimer of four to six weeks - mine being six weeks, and that was in Leeds city centre.

OU812

If you're with Ulster Bank, you can set up an account in one of their NI branches by post/online (docs have to be signed & returned by post)

Play To Kill

When I called to arrange an appointment for NI number I was initially given an appointment for 4 weeks, I asked were there appointments available elsewhere and got one for the following week at a job centre closer to where I was living than the original appointment.

ancapailldorcha

When I moved over, I set up an account with the then Lloyds TSB using just my passport and a friend's address. A Northern Irish won't be sufficient as I had one at the time and was told I needed an English account to be paid. The UK isn't as United as you'd think.
As has been said, you'll need to go to a Job Centre to sort out a National Insurance (NI) number.
Try using Spareroom and Gumtree to sort out flatshares. Also, Rightmove and Zoopla are useful if you're planning to rent alone. I wouldn't move over with less than £1,200 at the absolute least and that'd be with a job pre-arranged. I would strongly encourage you to try and sort something out before moving, even if you'd be working in an Irish bar or similar.
Edinburgh is probably one of the most expensive parts of the UK. The north of England is cheaper than the south which might be worth considering if there is work for you all over the UK.

seachto7

Hi all, sorry to hijack the thread, but thinking of making the move once I finish my course next year. I had a NI number years ago when I did co-op in UL, but can't recall if it was possibly a temporary one or not? I remember signing up for it etc.

Is there a way to retrieve an old one or would I be issued a new one?

kefir32

Hello I moved to the UK this year and opened an account with Barclays. The process was straight forward and expedient. Unlike a lot of other high street banks they don't stipulate utility bills to open, just have your passport and address and its open straight away.

Gott

NI number takes roughly 4-6 weeks as people have said, mine took five. As mentioned elsewhere I wouldn't move without having enough funding for a few months, a place to live, and maybe a part time job to tide you over while you wait on full time posts and get everything sorted.

Speaking as an Edinburgh resident I can confirm that it is quite expensive however you can find decent deals for rooms on Gumtree and while some areas have a dreadful reputation their bark is often worse than their bite (I have friends living in Gorgie and Leith, two of Edinburgh's supposed bad areas and they have never had any trouble) and Lothian Buses will get you across the city in about an hour - hour fifteen depending on traffic. It's small enough to cycle round, save yourself the heartache and don't try and drive here.

Rent wise you could be looking at 350-500 for decent places, a month's rent as deposit.

Bench Press

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

When I moved over, I set up an account with the then Lloyds TSB using just my passport and a friend's address. A Northern Irish won't be sufficient as I had one at the time and was told I needed an English account to be paid. The UK isn't as United as you'd think.
.

what kind of rubbish is that? it is a uk sort code? Ulster Bank Northern Ireland accounts are perfectly acceptable to use to get paid into to

Mrs Garth Brooks

I just want to say thank you for the help and information.

I am hoping to have about £2000 going over and a job. Will this be enough?

Should I wait until I get work over there to make the move. Or would it be better if I was in the country even if I got a job in a pub or shop to start with.

I am registered with a professional body over there, so that will at least show them im interested in moving over and getting work. So hoping I would have work before going.

Also, is it possible to live on £16,000-18,000 a year? Maybe more. Converting it to Euros and its what I would get here. Im good at budgeting if it helps.

Also what cities are nice over there? I was in Birmingham for a few days and liked it.

What is Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds like? I'll go anywhere.

Bench Press

Your money will go a lot further up North. I moved from London and the cost of living in Liverpool, Manchester or Leeds is half what it is down south.

ancapailldorcha

Bench Press wrote: »

what kind of rubbish is that? it is a uk sort code? Ulster Bank Northern Ireland accounts are perfectly acceptable to use to get paid into to

My employer refused to pay into my Northern Irish account and insisted I set up an English one.

Lemming

HardLuckWoman wrote: »

Should I wait until I get work over there to make the move. Or would it be better if I was in the country even if I got a job in a pub or shop to start with.

I am registered with a professional body over there, so that will at least show them im interested in moving over and getting work. So hoping I would have work before going.

The hardest part of interviewing for a job in another country (or even another region within a country) is convincing a prospective employer that you are willing to make the move if they offer you the job. Just keep plugging away. If you can hold off moving until you've secured an offer, I personally would - it'd be a lot less hassle moving knowing that work and future income is squared away already as you'll have enough to deal with in moving, setting up new bank/phone/etc. accounts and what-not.

Regards the NI number, apply on day #1 of your move; you are now formally resident in the UK at that point.

Also, is it possible to live on £16,000-18,000 a year? Maybe more. Converting it to Euros and its what I would get here. Im good at budgeting if it helps.

The cost of living is a lot less than in London, and certainly a hell of a lot less than in Ireland; so you can't really compare like for like straight up. Your mileage will vary depending on a) where you go b) your commuting costs which can add up to eye-watering percentages of pay per year, and c) your lifestyle choices.

Also what cities are nice over there? I was in Birmingham for a few days and liked it.

What is Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds like? I'll go anywhere.

I can't comment on anywhere reliably other than Sheffield & Leeds; I live near Sheffield and work there now, but spent three and a half years working in Leeds (which as a city I prefer over Sheffield).

Mrs Garth Brooks

What is Wales like? Is anyone there.

ancapailldorcha

Wales is meant to be lovely. I've never been so can't advice on things like public transport, employment prospects and the like. It's popular with people who like to hike, camp, etc...
£2,000 should be enough to get set up but I would strongly advocate sorting out a job beforehand if at all possible. Makes sure to ask for interview expenses as a lot of employers will cover at least some of them. I had no trouble convincing my first UK employer that leaving Ireland wasn't a problem though I'm from rural Donegal so I didn't exactly have to lie to convince them.
As has been said, the north is considerably cheaper than the south. I'm moving to Manchester to Brighton at the mo and my rent is going to jump £150 a month. I didn't like Manchester at the start but it's the London of the north as it were. It'd probably be your best bet for getting work. Trying the Irish bars (Mulligans, Waxy's, etc) might be worth a shot as you'd get set up at the very least. I've visited Sheffield and Liverpool a few times and am very fond of both cities.

Orim

Lemming wrote: »

Regards the NI number, apply on day #1 of your move; you are now formally resident in the UK at that point.

Quick question, I'm moving over at the start of January. Can I apply for my NI number now? I'm moving to Reading so I assume I can figure out which Jobcenter would be best.

I've seen 10 days but people here are saying weeks so I figured getting the process started now would be best.

ancapailldorcha

I sorted mine when I landed but you can sort it beforehand. It's one less thing to do when you're here so you might as well.

Lemming

Orim wrote: »

Quick question, I'm moving over at the start of January. Can I apply for my NI number now? I'm moving to Reading so I assume I can figure out which Jobcenter would be best.

I've seen 10 days but people here are saying weeks so I figured getting the process started now would be best.

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I sorted mine when I landed but you can sort it beforehand. It's one less thing to do when you're here so you might as well.

You can apply for your NI number now, but whether or not you will be entertained before landing in the country is doubtful: officially you will be told "no", unless you are lucky as a couple of people seem to have been with theirs.

Rebel Boy

Do you have to pay to apply for a National Insurance number?

NoCrackHaving

Rebel Boy wrote: »

Do you have to pay to apply for a National Insurance number?

No

getoffthepot

Any economic suggestions on how to move luggage and personal effects other than bringing it on a flight.

ancapailldorcha

You could try using DHL or a similar company. A mate of mine just moved from Sheffield to Dublin and that's how he moved a lot of stuff.

Mrs Garth Brooks

Thanks for all the advice. Its all a great help.

Are there any job sites with waitressing, shops, factories and the like? Or is better to move over and pound the pavements with your cv.

I'd like to move sooner rather than later and need to get any kind of work until I get what I want.

Gordon

Always a good idea to try Gumtree but better would be sites like S1 Jobs for Scotland (not sure what the English equivalent is, although that site may have jobs in England).