Introduction to the UK
Relocation costs
Cost of Living and
Salaries
Tax and National
Insurance Contributions
Money and Bank
Accounts
Renting or buying a
house
Home life
Health
Schooling and Holidays
Travel
Climate
Relocation costs
Some of the cost associated with relocation you will need to
consider are:
Flights per person, one way
From Hungary, Budapest to England London = approx HUF 35,000 - HUF
50,000
From Portugal, Faro to England London = approx € 65 - € 300
From Spain, Madrid to England, London = approx €30 - €300
From Australia, Sydney to England London = approx £500 -
£1000
From New Zealand to England London = approx £500 - £1000
Initial temporary accommodation, Single = approx AU £300 - £630
per week / Initial temporary accommodation, Family = approx AU £600
- £1200 per week
Currency
converter
As well as standard relocation costs (flights, initial
accommodation etc) as a Nurse you will also need to consider
professional registrations and International English Language Test
(IELTS) fees. If you want to practice as a Nurse or Midwife in the
UK you will need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery
Council. Please refer to their website for information on the fees
associated with this registration - http://www.nmc-uk.org/Registration/Joining-the-register/.
To take the IELTS test, if applicable, you will be charged approx
£110 pounds. Please refer to their website for more information -http://www.ielts.org/default.aspx
Cost of Living
Living in the UK, particularly London, is expensive compared to
many places in the world. The cost of living of course depends on
your individual situation but you still need to be prepared
financially.
For more information about general prices and household living
please refer to Workgateways.
Salaries
The salary of a registered nurse is structured in a similar way
to most other countries, as nurses in the UK are graded in
seniority. Newly registered nurses can expect to start on a salary
of around £17,000 which can increase to up to £30,000 at the most
senior level. To find out about agency nursing rates please
email a Geneva Health consultant on applications@genevahealth.co.uk.
Tax and
National Insurance Contributions
You will be taxed according to your income. This is
calculated on a sliding scale, but currently amounts to 20% of your
income up to £33,000, and 40% on anything above this. For an
introduction to income tax, including how much income tax you will
pay please refer to the Direct Government website.
As well as paying Income Tax on your wages and on income from
self-employment, you also have to pay National Insurance
contributions (NICs). You pay NICs to build up your entitlement to
certain social security benefits, including the State
Pension.
If you're an employee, your employer will deduct tax (using the
Pay As You Earn system) and NICs from your wages. If you're
self-employed you'll be responsible for paying your own tax and
NICs and filling in your Self Assessment tax return.
To work in the UK you need a NIC number, which is like your own
personal account number. The number ensures that the National
Insurance contributions and the tax you pay are properly recorded
on your account. It also acts as a reference number for the whole
social security system.
If you do not have a NIC number then you will need to apply for
one as soon as you start work in the UK. This can involve a quick
interview with your local Jobcentre Plus or Social Security
office(www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk),
where they will check your residential status and your identity. To
apply for a National Insurance number telephone the Jobcentre plus
National Insurance allocation service helpline on 0845 600
0643.
Money and Bank
Accounts
Britain retains its Sterling currency; there are 100 pence in
one pound (£1), which is worth approximately 1.17 Euros. All UK
currency bears an image of HM Queen Elizabeth II. Cash in the UK
comes in notes of £5, £10, £20 and £50 and there are gold coloured
coins of £2 and £1. The 50p, 10p and 5p coins are all silver
coloured whilst 2p and 1p are bronze coloured.
Britain has adopted the Chip and Pin system - so make sure you
know your PIN (personal identity number) when you're using your
debit / credit cards to pay. Credit and debit cards are widely
accepted even for small transactions. VAT is included in the price
of your purchases so no additional cost is added on the ticket
price.
To open a bank account you will need a copy of your Contract or
Offer of employment, proof of Identity (Passport or photo ID card)
and proof of your address (lease agreement/contract with hospital
accommodation provider). If you need help opening a bank accout, we
work in partnership with a major global financial services provider
and can offer assistance with opening a UK bank account. For
further information please contact our agency nursing team by
emailing applications@genevahealth.co.uk.
Renting or buying a
house
The Direct Government website has lots of useful
information on renting and buying property here. If you are
looking to rent a room in a flat or rent a flat these websites may
be useful: Gumtree, Spareroom, Easy Room
Mate or Letalife.
For those interested in permanent work in hospitals accomdation
assistance is often available. Some have residences on site or
close by, which they offer to their staff at subsidised rates (£350
- £550 per month). Most of the time this is only available to
'single occupants' or there is very limited accommodation for
couples or families and a very long waiting list. If you are
travelling to the UK with a partner and/or children then it is
advisable that you find something independently.
Home
life
On the day you move into your new home you will need to get the
bills switched over to your name. Your bills
checklist should include electricity, gas, water, phone and council
tax.
If you have a TV at home by law you will need a
licence. This costs £145.50 for a year colour TV and can be bought
online (www.tvlicensing.co.uk). If
people are caught at an addresses without a licence they have to
pay a fine of up to £1000.
Letters are delivered by Royal mail in the
mornings (except on Sundays and bank holidays). If you need to send
a letter, attaching a first class stamp (41p) will usually ensure
next day delivery alternatively there is a second-class service
(32p), which will take 2-3 days. You can buy stamps from most
supermarkets and post offices. Letters can be posted in public post
boxes that are on most street corners (bright red boxes). Parcels
will need to be taken to the post office. Letters and parcels being
sent abroad will cost more and will need to be sent airmail.
Health
The National Health Service (NHS) was set up in 1948 to provide
healthcare for all people in the UK. Whether it's an initial visit
to a general practitioner (GP), emergency treatment after an
accident or a major operation is all provided by the NHS. Taxpayers
fund the service.
People from the European Economic Area and Switzerland are
eligible for treatment, because of reciprocal agreements with their
own countries. If you are not eligible, but are deemed to be here
as " an ordinary UK resident" (i.e. staying in the country for
longer than six months) you'll probably be able to register with
the NHS. In the UK you need to register with a Doctor prior to
making a doctors appointment. To register as an NHS patient,
contact a local Doctor (find one near you at
ww.nhsdirect.nhs.uk).
GP's decide whether their practice has enough capacity to accept
people as patients. Your GP is the first port of call for all
non-emergency medical concerns. They can issue prescriptions for
drugs or refer you to a consultant at a hospital if necessary.
Prescriptions are taken to a local pharmacy (chemist), which will
make a small charge for the drugs you receive.
If you need emergency medical treatment call 999 for an
ambulance or go to your local hospital's accident and emergency
(A&E) department where you'll be seen as quickly as
possible.
Dental services operate on a similar system to GP practices.
Most dentists now operate on a private basis, some still offer a
NHS service, which you will need to enquire about when joining a
local practice.
Schooling
Education in the UK varies across the countries that make up the
UK. However in general full-time education is compulsory for all
children aged between 5 and 16. Students may then continue their
secondary studies for a further two years (sixth form), leading
most typically to an A level qualification, although other
qualifications and courses exist. State-provided schools are free
of charge to students. For more information please refer to http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/index.htm
Holidays
You are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks paid annual leave (28
days for someone working five days a week). Your employer can
control some things about your holiday, including when you should
take it and whether they include bank holidays in your
entitlement.
Travel
The UK covers just 93,635 square miles. Due to its size you're
never too far from anywhere, especially as the country boasts a
highly developed network of trains and motorways along with a
growing number of cheap internal flights that connect many of the
UK's and Europe's major cities.
If you're planning to drive, the first thing to
remember is to stick to the left side of the road. The second thing
is that distances on road signs are given in miles. The speed limit
on motorways and dual carriageways is 70mph and 60mph on other
national roads. In built up areas it is always 30mph unless signs
show otherwise. Beware of speed cameras, which are painted yellow
and go off automatically if you are breaking the speed limit, you
will then receive a fine through the post.
Trains offer good connections between major
towns and run very regularly. The downside is they're not always
cheap, although you can get excellent deals if you book in advance.
You must always purchase a ticket before you travel; failure to do
so will result in a fine. To look up details of national rail
journeys and prices visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.
National Express coaches are a cheaper option
but take longer. They cover cities across the UK.
If you are based in London, the underground system (the
Tube) works very well but can be a little over crowded at
peak times (rush hour). You can buy tickets at stations, however
Oyster cards provide the best deal. See www.tfl.gov.uk for more
details.
Climate
The warmest months are June, July and August, temperatures
seldom go above 30 °C (86 °F) in these months. The coldest months
are December, Jan and February and temperatures at this time
of the year seldom drop below −10 °C (14 °F). Climate
naturally varies depending which part of the UK you in.
Seasons
Spring: May - March
Summer: June - August
Autumn: September - November
Winter: December - February