Living in London: Everything you need to know in 2024
I moved to London from New Zealand almost five years ago and there are a few things you need to plan and consider if you want to live in London. Even if you are moving somewhere else in the UK the same guide lines can be used.
This article will cover:
UK Visas
Living in London Expenses
How to find a job in London
Living in London rentals
Setting up a UK bank account
Fun things to do in London
UK Visas
The most common UK working visas you can apply for, without a job offer are:
British National (Overseas) visa
Graduate visa
Youth Mobility Scheme visa
India Young Professionals Scheme visa
Apply for the Global Talent visa
UK Ancestry visa
High Potential Individual (HPI) visa
If you are already employed my an international company who want to transfer you to their UK office you may be able to come over on a sponsorship visa which your employer should arrange.
What a lot of people don’t consider before moving over is whether they are planning to stay in the UK long term or for good. If you are planning to stay here and ideally get citizenship, you need to be on the same visa for 5 years. If you switch visas then the 5 year period starts again. So if you are eligible for an Ancestry visa and a Youth Mobility Visa and your planning on staying here for the long term, you should pick the Ancestry visa because it gives you 5 years straight away. Visas, including the NHS surcharge generally cost around £1500-£2000 per year, so the least amount of visas you can be on, the better
For a full list of all of the types of visas you get get for the UK you should check on the official UK government, HMRC website
Living in London expenses
London is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in. But don’t let that put you off. Once you are living in London and earning pounds, its all relative. However you should consider how much money in savings you’ll need before you move here. I am putting together a more detailed article on London living expenses, but the below will give you a good over view of overall costs
How much in savings you’ll need will depend on if you are moving by yourself or you have other people you need to support, but you’ll want to take into account a few things:
Initial accommodation costs
Living costs in London
Rental cost in London
Travel cots in London
Initial accommodation costs:
When you arrive in London you may need to pay for a sublet, Airbnb or hotel, before you secure your long term accommodation. This will cost you anywhere between £100 pounds or to £300 night more per night so make sure you account for this.
General living costs in London:
Living costs in London include food, travel (will go into detail on this soon) and bills including internet, electricity and council tax. Depending on your living style, this can cost you anywhere from £250, on the low end, and upwards.
Rental costs in London:
Rental costs can widely vary depending on the area you live in and whether you are living in a shared house or you want to rent your own flat. London is divided into travel zones which tells you how close you are to central London. If you are looking for a room in a flat-share within zone one or two, you will be paying anywhere from £750 upwards. For a one bedroom flat in zone one or two you can pay anywhere from £1500 per month (on the low end) up to £4000 or more if you want to live in a nicer area and serviced apartments with facilities like a concierge, gym and swimming pool.
If you are looking to rent a house further out from the city with multiple bedrooms, this can be anywhere from £2000 upwards, however if you want to live in a nice area in a 3 bedroom house you’ll be paying at least £4000 a month.
Most estate agents will also require you to pay a deposit (this is usually around the cost of one month’s rent) and one month rent in advance, so make sure you have this money saved.
Most estate agents will also require you to show you are employed so they know you can afford the rent moving forward. You can show them a copy of a work contract or ask your new company’s HR team to fill out a confirmation of employment form that the estate agent will send them. If you do not have a job secured already you’ll need a UK based guarantor, this will be someone who guarantees they will pay your rent in the case that you are unable to pay.
Another thing to take into account is how quickly the London rental market moves. Usually a room in a flat or a one or two bedroom flat will get snapped up straight away so if you go to view somewhere, tell the estate agent that you want to secure the apartment right then and there. If you wait, the room or apartment may get taken by the next viewer.
Travel cots in London:
The most cost effective way to travel around London is via tube or bus. You can use your bank card and tap in and out when you get on the tube or bus so its very easy to get around. The amount you are charged will depend on what zone you are travelling to and from and whether you are travelling off peak or on peak times.
Tube fairs:
Tube within Zone 1:
Single peak fare – £2.80.
Single off-peak fare – £2.70
Bus:
Single fare – £1.75
Rail Fares:
A "Rail" fare is classed as a train rather than the tube. To tell if you are going to incur a "Rail" far rather than "tube" fair, look for the TFL logo on the mode of travel you are boarding. If there is no TFL logo, this is a "rail" fare.
Rail Peak Fare between Zone 1 – 5:
Single fare – £6.30
Rail Off-Peak Fare between Zone 1 – 5:
Single fare – £4.20
If you live on a train line rather than a tube line you will be outside of the “London Zones”. Train costs can be anywhere from £10-£30 each way so you need to take into account, how often you will come into London if you do live outside of a London travel zone
The City Mapper was a life saver for me when I first moved here so I'd highly using this to get anywhere in London
How to find a job in London
Your job search in London can become a bit of a mine field. However if you have a great CV and LinkedIn Page and you take a proactive approach you’ll have success in securing your first job in London. I will also be posting a detailed article on how to find a job, optimise your CV and LinkedIn Page for London, however the below will give you a helpful overview:
Your CV for your London job search: You need to make sure this is clear, relevant easy to and professional
Your London LinkedIn Page: Just like your CV this needs to be professional, easy to read and reflective of the type of role you are applying for
Taking a proactive approach: You can reach out to recruiters and hiring managers via LinkedIn or email to get your application noticed. You can also attend networking events, ask people you know if they have any connections relevant to your job search and join online social media pages on Facebook and LinkedIn relevant to your industry
Job Boards: The main job boards in London and the UK are Reed, Indeed and LinkedIn. There are also job boards like Otta for the tech sector, that are relevant to specific industries. So make sure you upload your CV to the main job board plat forms and specialised platforms to your sector
Living in London
If your planning on living in London, most people will be looking for rental accommodation. The London rental market is competitive, but just like your job search, if you take a proactive approach you’ll see a lot more success. The main sites you’ll be able to find a rental room, flat or house are:
SpareRoom - for a room in a flat share only
Right move - spare rooms and flats or houses
Zoopla - spare rooms and flats or houses
On the Market - spare rooms and flats or houses
You’ll also want to take into account a few things before deciding on the type of property you rent, or buy in London:
You will most likely need to pay a deposit (about a month’s rent) plus rent in advance
How much in travel costs it will take you to get into central London, if this is where you will be travelling to
The area you live in, are there amenities to have close that are non negotiable for you, do you need somewhere appropriate for a young professional or family. Despite being part of one city, every area in London is very different so think about the reality of your every day life when you choose the area you live in
How to open a UK bank account:
To open a UK bank account you'll need some of the following details:
Proof of address (this has to be from a UK based company or provider, it cannot be from your home country's bank for example
Proof of identity, like your passport
Basic information, like full name, title etc
How to get proof of address:
Now this may seem simple, however one of the difficult things about first moving here is getting proof of address. Because you may not have a permanent address when you first arrive, you won't have utility bills, bank statements or payslips with your proof of address. Some people may add their name to a friend or relatives utility bill and get proof of address this way, or if you have a contract of employment you can usually provide this too. A Wise account can be opened internationally and some banks may let you use your Wise bank statement, if it has a UK address on it, as proof of address. some may not. So think creatively about how you can get a proof of address as this is usually the hardest information to provide when you first move here.
If your trying to decide on a bank, here are some of the most popular banks in the UK are:
Monzo - if you click the link you can receive £5 when you sign up
Barclays
Lloyds
HSBC
Revolt
Chase
Halifax
Fun things to do in London:
The great thing about London is there is a plethora of fun activities, gyms, things to do, and places to meet new people. If you are new to London and want to join a group of like minded people you can join the MeetUp app, where you can join groups around any topic like running, mediaeval history, entrepreneurship and even expats - the possibilities are endless.
If you come from a particular country there may be social media pages like Kiwi’s in London, Aussies in London, Canadians in London, Americans in London that post events of expats from you home country.
Gyms or fitness institutes are also a great place to meet people. Gym’s like F45, or CrossFit often have a sense of community where you can meet other like minded fitness people and they are often open to beginners too, so don’t feel intimated!
Planning to move to London?
Stay tunned for more articles, guides and top tips about everything you need to know when moving to London