Moving to the UK

The United Kingdom is a country with a great history and culture and one of Europe's leading economies. The UK has a very good education system, mild climate, good working conditions and a publicly funded universal healthcare system (NHS).

EU citizens are not currently required to obtain any kind of documentation or visa to move to the UK. Although this may change in the future due to the Brexit.

When you decide to move to the UK, you need to keep a few things in mind so that you can adapt to your new life smoothly. Take a look at the following items below.

National Insurance number

If you do not have a National Insurance number, you only need to apply for one if you’re planning to work in the UK. The National Insurance number is a unique number that will ensure that your National Insurance and tax contributions are recorded against your name. There are different types of National Insurance. The amount of National Insurance you pay depends on your employment status and how much you earn. To apply for a National Insurance number, you must be in the UK. Learn more about the NIN here.

Bank account

One of the most important steps when you move to the UK will be to open a bank account. You’ll probably need to exchange your home currency into pounds, as the UK does not have the euro as its currency like most European countries do. You can easily check the exchange rate by doing a quick google search. A bank account is a particularly important thing, as your new employer is unlikely to pay unless you have a UK bank account.

Living costs

Before you move to the UK it is important that you look at the prices of products and services offered in the country so that you can get an idea of how much you will spend per month on living costs. For you to have an idea, take a look here.

Renting a property will be one of the biggest expenses you will have. However, there are more accessible areas in the UK, such as Scotland or Northern Ireland. If you are looking for a shared house to rent, check here.

Healthcare

If you re going to live in the UK, you will have access to the National Health Service (NHS). In general, the NHS system works very well and it is easy to find a doctor.

The NHS is a socialised healthcare systems, which means that you will have to pay very little or no cost for a doctor appointment. In addition, and just like other countries, you can also have your private health insurance if you want.

Language

Are you thinking of living in the UK, but your English is not very good? We advise you to invest in your English skills as this will help you quickly integrate into the country. You can improve your language skills at any language school that teaches English. Take a look at the British Council language school.

People

There are many people living in the UK who came from other countries, so it is a great opportunity for you to make new friends who came to the UK like you and make new British friends. In general the people are welcoming and friendly.