London
10 things to know before Moving to The UK for The First Time
Get your Pre Departure checklist ready
London, the city of dreams, is filled with emotions and joy. It is difficult to believe that I’m living in a place that I always dreamed of visiting at least once in a lifetime. Being an ex-pat I know how painful it is to leave your home country and relocate to a new country. While moving abroad sounds interesting and a thrilling experience, leaving family and friends is the worst nightmare. Moreover, the struggle that you make to adjust to a new country with lots of questions on your mind is overwhelming. The readers who are moving out can keep note of the below points.
Here I have summarised a few things to do before moving to the UK. You can consider this as a pre-departure checklist and plan accordingly. First of all, a quick Disclaimer click here to read more, all the information provided in this blog is just for informational purposes.
Before You Move to Uk
Documents, arrange all your important documents like your marriage certificate (if applicable), birth certificate and educational and professional certificates. If you are not travelling to the UK on a skilled worker Visa, then don’t forget to carry your Medium of Instruction (MOI) from your college and also get your Transcript from your university. This is one of the most important documents you will need once your employer is ready to sponsor you on a skilled worker visa.
Bank Transaction is one of the most confidential tasks, a user can’t ask anyone to do it on their behalf. At least 3 weeks before your departure complete any pending bank transactions. Close any additional credit card which is not in use or you don’t wish to use anymore.
Smartphone users, consider acquiring a multi-sim handset or keeping a spare phone with international call and data services enabled for immediate use. If you use an iPhone and have converted your current SIM card to an e-SIM or plan to purchase a new handset later, transferring your e-SIM to a different device might be challenging without personally contacting your mobile operator. You can purchase a UK SIM card outside the airport or order one online.
Accommodation, if you’re planning a long-term move to the UK, securing suitable accommodation is a crucial step. While London stands out as the costliest city, rental prices vary from zone to zone. Generally, locations outside London tend to offer more affordable options. Keep in mind that in addition to rent, you’ll be responsible for monthly bills.
For our initial 35-day stay, we opted for an Airbnb, a more cost-effective choice compared to hotels. Alternatively, you can explore options on booking.com. Personally, I appreciate the flexibility of their ‘reserve now and pay later’ feature, along with the free cancellation option.
When considering a more permanent residence in the UK, be prepared to provide a deposit, typically equivalent to at least 1.5 months’ rent, along with one month’s rent in advance. During the finalization process, a one-week holding deposit is usually required, initiating background verification and reference checks. Once you pass these checks, the remaining balance must be settled within a specified timeframe. It’s worth noting that most transactions are conducted cashlessly.
Several websites, such as Zoopla, Rightmove, Openrent, and spareroom, offer comprehensive property listings. If you’re a solo traveler, consider shared room options where common spaces are shared with other occupants. Some landlords or letting agencies may request upfront payments of 3-6 months’ rent for students. Plan accordingly as you navigate the rental process in the UK.
Airport transport, overall there are 6 major international airports in London. The London City Airport (LCY) is close to central London and is located in the London Borough of Newham. A light rail DLR service (Dockland Light Railway) is connected from the airport to central London offering an interchange with London underground.
The Heathrow Airport (LHR) is one of the busiest airports in the world and is considered the main gateway to the UK for non-European travellers. You can book a direct train from Airport to London Paddington like Heathrow express or TFL rail, from the TrainLine app or directly from the official website. Tube services like Piccadilly Line connect other London destinations offering the cheapest travel fares. Also, you can book a cab service to your destination in advance for cash payment. Uber services are also available which accept online payment only at the moment.
Next comes Gatwick Airport (LGW), which is the second busiest airport in the UK. Railway services like Thameslink or Southern Railways and Gatwick Express are connected from the airport to London Bridge or London Victoria. Luton Airport (LTN) is the fourth largest airport in the UK that can be reached from London St Pancras using East Midlands Railway or Thameslink. London Stansted Airport (STN), is located in Essex. Can be reached from Airport to the London Liverpool street station using Stansted Express Railway or National Express Coach services. London Southend Airport (SEN) is also located in Essex and London Liverpool street station can be reached from here by Greater Anglia services.
Cash or Funds, how much should you carry with you before travelling? A maximum of £500 -£800 cash and an additional £1000 in a forex card or international card will be perfect for the initial times for couples. If you are a family of 3 or more or travelling alone then you can make some rough calculations like increasing or decreasing the above numbers.
Personal Items, here is a list of items you can add to your check-in luggage. Travel pillow, eye mask, toothbrush travel kit, sunglasses, daily moisturiser cream or body lotion, shampoo and body wash with moisturiser, face wash, sanitary napkins, makeup kit, men’s grooming kit, pair to bath towel and hand towel, pair of bedSheet, a lightweight blanket or duvet, cloth hangers, etc. If you are under medication get all your medicines along with your doctor’s prescriptions. And also get some common medicine for cough, cold, etc and don’t forget to get your prescriptions and one additional pair of perception glasses.
Other Basic Utilities like carrying a couple of universal adaptors one for the kitchen, one for the bedroom and one for the living room. Your electronic gadgets charging pins might not fit the UK sockets. You can also get this setup like this image if you have multiple electronic gadgets, I think this is one of the best ideas – one universal adaptor fixed to a multi-pin extension cord.
Kitchen Utilities, a few of the items mentioned here might be exclusively for Indian and others are quite general. Remember most of house kitchens are well-fitted with all the necessary kitchen tools, dishwasher, fridge, microwave, washing machine and induction-based cooktops or burner-less stoves. You can get some of the basic items with you without overloading your flight baggage allowance. Pots and Pans set preferably induction base, basic crockeries like a couple of plates which is microwave, fridge and dishwasher safe if possible, pair of spoons and fork, rice and tea strainer, lemon squeezer and grater, kitchen knife and scissors. Additionally, a small pressure cooker, a rolling pin and a roti board and a few amounts of grounded spices for immediate use. You will get all kinds of world food or cooking spices (masala) from any of the UK supermarkets like Asda, Tesco, Morrison, etc.
Clothes and shoes, most of the time you will be walking or taking public transport so pack a very good pair of running shoes. If you are travelling to the UK during summer like June, July and August then you can carry a couple of lightweight jackets. Other must-have items like at least a pair of formal wear like black and blue colour trousers or skirt can be paired up with any colour shirts or tops, a couple of jeans, casual and formal shoes, jumpers or sweatshirts, sweatpants and comfy night wears, gloves, scarfs, shocks, thermals, a couple of traditional clothes for any festive season etc. You can carry your winter jackets on board along with other hand luggage.
Baggage allowance, most long-distance international airlines will allow 2 pieces of 23kg checked-in baggage of dimension 90 x 75 x 23 cms. One hand baggage of maximum dimension of 23 x 36 x 56 cms plus your laptop bag, handbag and coat. You should refer to the baggage allowance policy before booking your flight. Weigh your bags using a baggage weighing scale to avoid any excess baggage charges. Some airlines allow 3 pieces of checked baggage for students.
