The UK is, understandably, a hot spot for immigration at the moment – but not in the way that many tabloid newspapers are reporting. Far from the doom and gloom of unsubstantiated claims over ‘illegal’ immigration, the UK is a proud, pro-immigration and multicultural nation with thriving networks of newly-migrated families, professionals and key workers across all walks of life. And you may be the next to join this extremely exciting demographic.
If you’ve made the life-changing decision to up sticks and move to the UK, whether for work or for family, you may be wondering where on earth to begin. Though small, the UK is a dense country with so many options for you to consider. Here, we’ll consider the essentials of moving to the UK, from picking a place to getting a feel for your new life in this often-strange nation.
Choose the Right Area to Live
Firstly, and necessarily, we’ll start with location. You can’t move here without knowing where you want to move first! Research was always going to be a necessary part of moving, but is especially important here – and your research will also rely heavily on your own aspirations in moving.
On a base level, you’ll want to be looking at cities as opposed to regions. Cities typify regions, and will hold within them most of the resources on which you’ll be relying after you move. Even if you want to live rural, you’ll need to make that choice based on where you’re near. A major criterion to bear in mind here is cost; living in London is a famously expensive undertaking, while north-easterly cities like Hull are far cheaper – but also far smaller.
Get to Grips with Transport (client link here)
Another key consideration, with money firmly in mind, is that of transport. Public transport networks are strong in the UK, particularly within cities. Manchester’s Bee Network is comprehensive and cheap, while London’s buses and Underground can be travelled with a single Oyster card. If you can afford to, you should consider buying a used car to get around (especially if you intend to live suburban); keep an eye out for something like a used BMW 2 Series for sale, which can be reliable and retain its value if you need to sell it.
Understand the Cost of Living
This naturally brings us to the wider discussion of money in the UK. The last few years have been economically rocky for families, to say the least. The cost of living has risen for millions, partially due to fresh barriers to trade imposed by the UK’s decision to leave the EU.
Things have calmed down a bit now, but groceries still cost more than they used to – and rent has increased quite considerably from city to city too. There isn’t much you can do about this, but having a shrewd understanding of your own finances and affordability is a great start to ensuring you don’t find yourself on the back foot. Don’t fall victim to lifestyle creep; stay within your means!