Moving to London for Work: How to Manage It

Many young people move to the United Kingdom to start a career. Why do they choose the United Kingdom? First of all, it is the country par excellence to improve your English skills. Secondly, it may be the timeless charm of London that attracts many young people who are looking for a stimulating city that is beautiful and culturally alive at the same time. Last but not least, the United Kingdom is the ideal destination for those who want to begin with a job as a barman and later advance their careers by taking advantage of their academic diplomas. There it is not difficult to change jobs if you are not happy with what you are doing. It is not difficult to change from a kitchen job to a managerial job.

But, when you think about it, the idea of starting an adventure in a country that is so different could cause fear. That is why in this article we have decided to offer you a small guide that will offer you the advice you need to begin your working life in London. Also, do not panic! British bureaucracy is quite simple and it is not difficult to obtain everything that you need to start working. In one week you will have all of the documentation required and will be ready to begin!

National Insurance Number (NIN)

This document is necessary to work in the United Kingdom. It is a national insurance number that identifies you as a worker and serves to pay your taxes correctly. If you do not have a NIN, you cannot work legally. How do you apply for one? You must make an appointment by phone. You cannot make appointments from abroad because when you call the employee will ask you the date you arrived in the country.

Once you have an appointment, you must present yourself at the job centre with the following documents:

• Identity Document: Any official identity document can be used: passport, identity card, or driving licence.
• Proof of Address: The proof of address is any postal communication that proves that the address you provided at the time of registration is authentic. It can be an invoice or a lease. Be very careful, if you do not provide a proof of address, they will not issue you a NIN. Many young people are forced to request a second appointment because they arrive without a valid proof of address.
• Reservation Number (As received on the phone): At the time of making your reservation by telephone, the operator will give you a code or a reference number that you must write down and take with you when you present yourself at the date established for application.

Once you have presented your NIN application, they will immediately give you a number which you must write down and can then use to start working. Within ten days, you will receive the printed document with your National Insurance Number. Always keep it carefully. This is an important document that is valid for a lifetime.

Other Documents

Once you have obtained your NIN, to begin working you will need:

• A British Bank Account: For this you can again be asked for that fateful proof of address. You can use the same one you presented for the NIN application.
• References: Reference are held in high esteem. These are personal contacts that can provide reliable information about you from a personal or work point of view. For this, in general, they ask you to provide two contacts. The first one should be from a close friend, but not family, that knows you personally. The second should be a past employer or a colleague who has worked closely with you.

Finding an Apartment

Let’s be realistic, if you are thinking of moving to London, you should know that rent is very expensive. Before you can rent an apartment to yourself, you may have to share one with several people. The rent of a bed alone can cost up to £600. But, if you have the economic conditions necessary to rent an apartment, what documents will you need?

• References: In this case you will be asked to present a list of the places where you have lived over the past five years, complete with their addresses. You must also provide references, that is, the contact information of your previous landlord, if you were renting. You must also provide your employers’ contact information so they can give references about how serious you are as well as your work situation.
• Work Contract: You could be asked to provide your contract of employment.
• Pay Slip: Often, instead of a work contract, you will be asked for two recent receipts to show the payment of your salary.

Now you know how to begin your adventure in London. Do not worry, it will be much easier than it seems. While it is true that the motivation that drives you to live this experience may definitely be the desire to improve your English, if you already have a good knowledge, you will have a lot in your favour! Why not start with an online course? An online course can guarantee you reliability, accuracy, and flexibility at the same time. If you have found the information in this article interesting, try ABA English. We offer 144 free video classes and interesting short films so you can learn English in a natural way.