Tate's guide to UK living and working
Dressed & Ready!
Sorting out your wardrobe to come to the UK to work and travel, seems so easy, you just throw a few jeans, jackets and trousers into your backpack – Right? – Wrong! If you are intending to undertake temporary office work, while you are in the UK, you will need to include in your packing a smart business suit.
So, if you don't want to miss out on any opportunities, squeeze some business attire between the jeans and jumpers!
Weather in the UK
The weather in the UK is notoriously fickle – in fact, the British tend to talk about nothing else!
The seasons, broadly speaking, are as follows:
Spring: March to May
Summer: June to September
Autumn: October to November
Winter: December to February
Average summer temperatures are in the region of 20-22C, Spring and Autumn have temperatures around 13-15C, although the nights are much cooler and, in the winter, temperatures frequently drop below freezing. London and the Southeast enjoy milder weather than further north, although heavy snowfalls are not unknown. You will definitely need a thick coat and tough shoes for the winter months – bring an umbrella too!
When You Arrive:
For healthcare, register with a local NHS doctor. A list of practitioners in your area can be found in a telephone directory or through the Family Health Services Association. To register, go to the doctor's surgery and take evidence of your address.
Accommodation, Travel and Living Costs
Moving countries is one of the most difficult and exciting things one can ever do. Making the decision to leaveyour home country and go travelling to the UK takes a lot of preparation, organisation and money. The more information you can gather, prior to leaving, the easier and quicker it will be for you to settle and adapt to the UK way of life! The first and probably most vital piece of information is managing your expectations in regards to the accommodation and employment opportunities available in the UK.
Accommodation
If you are planning to stay in the UK for six months or more, it will be worth your while to rent. There is a wide range of properties to let and most places come fully furnished. Depending on which part of town you live, bed-sits will cost between £50 -£85 per week, rooms from £70 -£120, and one bedroom flats from £100 -£150. The cheapest option is a bed-sit, which is a self-contained room, which often has its own small cooker, and a room in a flat share or house share, which tends to be a popular way to meet people and can often have between 4 and 12 people sharing. Remember, cash up front – for instance, a month's rent in advance, plus a similar sum as returnable deposit. You will also probably be asked to sign a contract – please make sure you read anything before you sign it!
There are various newspapers, magazines, companies and establishments in the UK that can assist you with your accommodation requirements when you first arrive. The 'TNT Magazine' is a free publication, which has an accommodation section. It is printed every Monday and is nationally circulated. It is targeted specifically towards Australian, New Zealand and South African travellers and is a very useful publication. It can be located at most major London underground stations and some hotels.
TNT also now have a midweek publication which is available at the same outlets every Wednesday.
www.thegumtee.co.uk is a popular website for overseas house hunters. The 'Loot' is a newspaper that is printed daily (
www.loot.com) it is also a popular and useful source of information for accommodation prospects. The London Tourist Board can also assist in providing many accommodation options such as bed-sits, hostels and budget hotels. They are located at Victoria Station and be contacted on 0207 938 3000.
Travel in LondonLondon is divided into various zones from Zone 1 to 6, Zone 1 being Central London and moving outwards to Zone 6. Most temporary staff members prefer to live in close proximity to the central working districts, these being the City and the West End, located in Zone 1.
A survey completed by Tate has revealed that some of the most popular areas that our Australian temporary staff members have chosen to live are as detailed below:
- Hampstead (Zone 2)
- Bayswater (Zone 1)
- Acton (Zone 2/3)
- Swiss Cottage (Zone 2)
- Chiswick (Zone 2/3)
- Barons Court (Zone 2)
- Earls Court (Zone 2)
- Clapham South (Zone 2)
- Kensington (Zone 1)
The public transport within London is fairly accessible to most areas either by the Underground, London Transport Buses or British Rail services. Weekly travelcards are usually the most economical way of getting around London and these can be budgeted for week by week. A travelcard allows you to travel on the underground, buses and trains within the relevant zone and can be used at both peak and non-peak times.
The current costs of weekly travelcards within the various zones are:
- Zone 1: £22.20
- Zone 1&2: £22.20
- Zone 1 to 3: £26.00
- Zone 1 to 4: £31.60
- Zone 1 to 5: £37.80
- Zone 1 to 6: £41.00
Oyster is London’s travel smartcard. You can put your Travelcard or Bus Pass season ticket on it, add money to pay as you go or have a combination of both.
Oyster cards are also reusable. This means that when your ticket expires you can buy another on the same Oyster card, and when your cash runs out, you can just top it up.
Weekly Living Costs
This can vary depending on where you live, with London being the most expensive city in the UK. Rent and travel will take a large chunk out of your money, but savings can be made in other areas. For instance, grocery shopping is best done at one of the large supermarket chains – eg, Tesco, Sainsburys, Safeway. The following are some sample prices:
- Milk (fresh, 1 pint) £0.89
- Bread (white loaf) £0.80
- Eggs (1/2 dozen) £1.00
- Tea Bags (80) £1.50
- Fresh Orange Juice (1 litre) £2.00
- Cheese (250g cheddar) £2.00
- Cigarettes (20) £5.00
- Pint of Lager (in a pub) £3.00
Be careful with bills – these will vary depending on how many people are sharing. However, be extra careful with the telephone bill – these can mount up to some pretty horrendous amounts! It could well be worthwhile investigating the various deals telephone companies offer for calls to Australia.
For fun, budget shopping, try some of London's famous markets, for example, Camden Market, Petticoat Lane and Portobello Road, and charity shops are also good places to hunt out a bargain!
Savings can be made on entertainment too – for instance, cinema tickets cost £6 - £8, but are half price before 5pm Monday to Friday and all day on Mondays. A night out clubbing is not a cheap option – it could cost you £100, depending on which city you are in. You may have to count the pennies, but it doesn't mean you can't have fun!