United Kingdom

How the system works

Unless you are a British or Irish citizen, or you hold status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you need a visa to live, work or study in the UK. Most visas are now issued as an eVisa, a digital record linked to your UKVI account. Physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) have been replaced, so you prove your status with a share code.

Main routes

• Skilled Worker: needs a job offer from a Home Office licensed sponsor, a Certificate of Sponsorship and, for most roles, a salary of at least £41,700 or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher. Lower thresholds apply to new entrants.
• Health and Care Worker: a Skilled Worker variant for NHS and eligible health roles, with lower fees and no Immigration Health Surcharge.
• Global Talent: for leaders or potential leaders in research, digital technology, arts and culture. You need an endorsement from an approved body or a major prize, but no job offer.
• Student: requires a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a licensed sponsor and proof of funds. Most taught master's students can no longer bring dependants.
• Graduate route: lets recent graduates stay and work without sponsorship, currently for 2 years (3 for PhDs). The government has announced a cut to 18 months for newer applicants, so check the current length.
• Youth Mobility Scheme: up to 2 years (3 for some nationalities) for people aged 18-30, or 18-35 for Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders, among others.

The Immigration Health Surcharge

Most applicants pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) of £1,035 per year, or £776 per year for students and Youth Mobility applicants. It is paid upfront for the full visa length and gives you NHS access.

Where the jobs are

London dominates finance, law, consulting, media and tech, but there are large employer clusters elsewhere: digital and media in Manchester, financial services and tech in Edinburgh, life sciences around Cambridge and Oxford, aerospace and engineering in Bristol and the Midlands, and energy in Aberdeen. The NHS is one of the largest employers in the world and recruits internationally for nurses, doctors and allied health professionals.

How to search

• General boards: LinkedIn, Indeed, Reed and Totaljobs
• Public sector: NHS Jobs and Civil Service Jobs
• Graduate schemes: many open in autumn for the following year, so apply early
• Recruitment agencies are common and free for candidates

If you need a Skilled Worker visa, check that the employer appears on the register of licensed sponsors before you invest time in an application.

Applications and interviews

A UK CV is usually 2 pages, with no photo, date of birth or marital status. Employers often use competency-based interviews, so prepare examples using the situation, task, action, result format.

Pay and rights at work

• National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over: £12.71 per hour from April 2026
• At least 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per year for full-time staff
• Workplace pension auto-enrolment: you pay at least 5% and your employer at least 3% of qualifying earnings
• Income tax and National Insurance are deducted automatically through PAYE

Finding a place

Most listings are on Rightmove, Zoopla, OpenRent and SpareRoom (for flatshares). Good properties in popular areas can be let within days, so have your documents ready and be prepared to view quickly. Rents are quoted per month (pcm) or sometimes per week (pw).

What landlords will ask for

• A right to rent check in England, done with your eVisa share code and passport
• References from employers or previous landlords
• Proof of income, often at least 30 times the monthly rent in annual salary
• A UK guarantor, which many newcomers do not have. Guarantor services or paying several months upfront are common workarounds.

Deposits and fees

In England, the tenancy deposit is capped at 5 weeks' rent (6 weeks if annual rent is over £50,000) and must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days. A holding deposit is capped at 1 week's rent. Most other letting fees are banned, so be wary of an agent asking for "admin" or "referencing" fees.

Tenancy reform

The Renters' Rights Act is reshaping renting in England: "no fault" Section 21 evictions are abolished and most tenancies become rolling periodic tenancies, with limits on rent increases to once a year. Scotland already uses open-ended private residential tenancies.

Council tax and bills

Every home is in a council tax band. Bills vary by council, commonly £1,500-£2,500 a year for a mid-range flat. Single occupants get 25% off, and households made up entirely of full-time students are exempt. Budget separately for energy, water, broadband and a TV licence if you watch live TV.

How the NHS works for newcomers

The National Health Service (NHS) provides healthcare that is mostly free at the point of use. If you paid the Immigration Health Surcharge with your visa, you can use NHS services on broadly the same basis as permanent residents, from the date your visa starts.

Register with a GP

Your GP (general practitioner) is your family doctor and the gateway to most NHS care, including referrals to specialists and hospital treatment.

• Find practices near your home on the NHS website or NHS app
• You do not need proof of address or immigration status to register, although practices may ask for ID
• Register soon after you move, not when you are already unwell

Other ways to get care

• NHS 111: phone or online for urgent advice when it is not an emergency
• Pharmacies: can treat many minor conditions under Pharmacy First in England
• Urgent treatment centres and walk-in centres for injuries that are not life-threatening
• 999 for emergencies, or go to A&E (accident and emergency)

What you pay for

• Prescriptions in England cost £9.90 per item, or less with a prepayment certificate. They are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• NHS dentistry is charged in fixed bands, and finding a dentist accepting NHS patients can be hard in some areas
• Eye tests and glasses are usually paid for

Private health insurance

Many employers offer private medical insurance (for example Bupa, AXA Health or Vitality). It mainly shortens waiting times for non-urgent treatment and specialist appointments. It is a perk, not a requirement.

Where the money goes

For most people, housing takes 35-50% of take-home pay, more in London. Outside the capital, rents can be half as much for a similar flat. The rest of a typical budget goes on council tax, energy, food, transport and leisure.

Typical monthly costs for one person

• Rent for a 1-bedroom flat: £1,600-£2,500 in London, £850-£1,300 in most other cities
• Council tax: £100-£200
• Energy (gas and electricity): £80-£150, higher in winter
• Broadband and mobile: £40-£60 combined
• Groceries: £250-£350
• Public transport: £90-£200 depending on the city

A single professional in London typically needs at least £2,800-£3,500 a month after tax to live comfortably, while £2,000-£2,500 goes much further in Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow or Edinburgh.

Ways to save

• Shop at Aldi and Lidl, and use loyalty schemes such as Tesco Clubcard and Nectar
• Get a railcard if eligible: it cuts a third off most rail fares
• Compare energy tariffs and broadband deals once your contract ends
• SIM-only mobile plans are cheap, often under £15 a month
• Buy furniture second hand on Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree

Hidden and one-off costs

• A tenancy deposit of up to 5 weeks' rent
• A TV licence (about £175 a year) if you watch live TV or BBC iPlayer
• Visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge, paid upfront

In the cities

London has the Underground (the Tube), Elizabeth line, Overground, buses, trams and DLR, all run by Transport for London. You can pay with an Oyster card or any contactless bank card or phone, and daily and weekly caps mean you never pay more than the equivalent travelcard. Other cities have their own networks, such as the Bee Network buses and Metrolink trams in Manchester and Lothian Buses and trams in Edinburgh.

Trains between cities

The rail network links most towns. Prices vary a lot:

• Advance tickets booked weeks ahead are much cheaper than walk-up fares
• Railcards (16-25, 26-30, Two Together, Family and Friends and others) save a third on most fares
• Split ticketing and off-peak travel can cut costs further

Buses and coaches

Local buses are often cheap thanks to fare caps, and National Express and Megabus run low-cost coaches between cities.

Driving

The UK drives on the left. You can drive on a valid foreign licence for up to 12 months after becoming resident. After that, drivers from designated countries can exchange their licence, while others must pass the UK theory and practical tests. Car insurance is expensive for new residents with no UK driving history.

• London has a Congestion Charge and the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) for older vehicles
• Parking in city centres is limited and costly

Cycling

Cities are adding protected cycle lanes, and bike hire schemes such as Santander Cycles in London are easy to use.

Social life

British cities are among the most diverse in the world. London alone has residents from almost every country, and you will find communities, food and religious centres from all over the globe. The pub is the centre of social life for many people, but plenty of pubs welcome non-drinkers and families, and coffee, sport and hobby groups are just as common ways to meet people.

Culture and free time

• Many national museums and galleries are free, including the British Museum, Tate Modern and the National Museum of Scotland
• Theatre, live music and comedy are world class, not only in London
• Football is a national passion, with rugby and cricket also widely followed
• Parks, coastal paths and national parks such as the Lake District and the Scottish Highlands are easy weekend escapes

Etiquette

• Queue patiently and wait your turn
• Say please, thank you and sorry often
• British humour is dry and self-deprecating, and people rarely say directly that they disagree
• Tipping 10-12.5% is normal in restaurants, and a service charge is often already on the bill

Weather and daylight

The climate is mild but changeable. Winter days are short, especially in Scotland, where it can be dark before 4pm in December. A good waterproof jacket is essential, and many people take vitamin D supplements in winter.

Meeting people

Friendships can take time to form. Joining a club, volunteering, a sports team or events on Meetup speeds things up.

Schools

Children of most visa holders can attend state schools for free. Children in the UK as visitors, or on short-term study visas, generally cannot. School usually starts in the September after a child turns 4 (Reception year in England), and education or training is compulsory until 18 in England.

• Apply through your local council, not directly to most schools
• Places are allocated mainly by distance and siblings, so where you live matters
• Inspection reports from Ofsted (England) or Education Scotland help compare schools
• England, Wales and Northern Ireland use GCSEs and A levels, while Scotland uses National 5s and Highers

Independent (private) schools charge fees, often £15,000-£30,000 a year for day pupils, and VAT now applies to fees.

Childcare

Nurseries are expensive, particularly in London. In England, working parents may be eligible for up to 30 hours of funded childcare a week for children from 9 months old, and all 3 and 4 year olds get 15 hours. Check eligibility rules, as some visa conditions affect it.

Universities

The UK has over 150 universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial and the Russell Group. Undergraduate degrees usually take 3 years in England and 4 in Scotland, and many master's programmes last just 1 year.

• Undergraduate applications go through UCAS
• International tuition is typically £20,000-£40,000 a year, more for medicine
• You need a Student visa for courses longer than 6 months

Opening a bank account

Traditional banks such as Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, NatWest and Santander often ask for proof of UK address, which is hard to provide in your first weeks. App-based banks are usually easier:

• Monzo and Starling are fully licensed UK banks that open accounts in minutes with a passport or eVisa and a selfie
• Revolut and Wise are useful for moving money from abroad and holding multiple currencies

Many newcomers open a digital account first, then add a high street bank later for mortgages or credit.

National Insurance number

Your National Insurance (NI) number tracks your tax and contributions. Many visa holders receive one automatically, and it may be shown in your UKVI account. If not, apply online. You can start work before it arrives.

Credit history

The UK relies on credit files held by Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Your history from abroad does not transfer, so:

• Use a UK debit account regularly and pay bills by direct debit
• Register on the electoral roll if you are eligible to vote
• Consider a credit-builder card and pay it off in full each month

Protection and payments

Deposits at authorised UK banks are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £120,000 per person, per bank. Contactless card and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere, and many places are now card only.

Your visa conditions

Your eVisa sets out what you can and cannot do. Breaking conditions can lead to your visa being cancelled and future applications refused.

• Work only within your permitted hours and roles. Students usually have a 20 hour weekly limit during term time.
• Most visas carry No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF), so you cannot claim most benefits such as Universal Credit or housing assistance
• Tell UKVI about changes of address, employer or circumstances when required
• Keep your UKVI account details, including your passport, up to date

Everyday laws

• There is no national ID card and you do not need to carry ID, but carry proof of age if you look young
• The legal age to buy alcohol and tobacco is 18
• Cannabis and most other recreational drugs are illegal
• Carrying a knife with a blade over 3 inches in public without good reason is an offence, and some knives are banned outright
• Smoking is banned in enclosed public places and workplaces
• A TV licence is required to watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer

Driving rules

Drink-drive limits are lower in Scotland than in England and Wales. Using a handheld phone while driving is illegal, and speed cameras are common.

Equality and rights

The Equality Act 2010 protects you from discrimination at work and in services on grounds including race, religion, sex, disability and sexual orientation. Same-sex marriage is legal across the UK.

Entering the UK

Visitors who do not need a visa, including EU, US, Canadian and Australian citizens, now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling. It is applied for online or through the UK ETA app, costs £16 and usually lasts 2 years or until your passport expires. People with an eVisa do not need an ETA.

Many passport holders can use the eGates at major airports. Your eVisa is checked electronically, so make sure it is linked to the passport you are travelling on.

Main gateways

• London: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City
• Elsewhere: Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow and Bristol
• Eurostar runs from London St Pancras to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam

Travelling onwards

The UK is not part of the Schengen area. If you are not an EU citizen, time spent in Schengen countries is limited to 90 days in any 180 days as a visitor, and your UK visa does not count towards this.

• The EU Entry/Exit System registers non-EU travellers' fingerprints and photos at the Schengen border
• The EU's ETIAS travel authorisation is due to follow, so check before booking
• The Common Travel Area links the UK and Ireland, but some nationalities still need an Irish visa to visit Ireland

Budget travel

Low-cost airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair and Jet2 fly to hundreds of destinations. Book early and travel light, as bag fees add up.