How exciting life must be and before you know it, you are jetting off to start your whole new life in the UK, but more importantly, the capital city of London, which is where all the magic happens and a hub for all things fresh, exciting and new. When it comes to cities within the UK, London is by far the most well-known for its unique quirks and being a funnel of opportunities for many young and old.
It can be a very daring thing to move to a new country and I don’t blame you for having your reservations and doing a quick little internet research. If your journey has led you here, I can promise to deliver the best guide. As someone who was born and raised in the UK and on the border of London, you won’t find a more accurate representation of what you are getting yourself into than here.
An Introduction to London Life
London is the largest city in the UK; therefore, with every corner, you are introduced to a whole different personality of this city and I will be more than happy to break it down for you. This will be useful knowledge when it comes to picking which area you wish to settle in and also provide some insight into what’s rather expensive. With that being said, it’s all pretty expensive, but you get the jist.
So central London is where it all happens, so it seems right to start off with Camden is a hot spot for small independent shops and a tourist hotspot because it’s got so much to offer from quick, delicious food, trinkets, jewellery and clothing to a grand scale. It’s also got some cute food and drinking spots that are just over the canal. I don’t think you’ll ever see a quiet Camden area and that has its pros and cons. It’s a great location as you are close to everything; however, it’s very busy, which may make it frustrating in some cases.
Then you have Soho, which is a great spot for the evening. With a great selection of pubs, bars and fancy restaurants, you will likely find yourself in this area for every and all nights out. Next, you’ve got Covent Garden, the museums and great sites to see, which isn’t a bad spot but expensive, then just next door is Mayfair, which is a very nice area of London with many great hotels, food and drinking spots.
These are just a few right in the centre to consider and get familiar with; however, there are some great places just on the border of the city centre, such as Peckham, Nottinghill Chelsea and so much more that I would strongly recommend looking into and going to visit.
Key Considerations
Visa Type
There are several types of visas you can apply for and it’s imperative that you have the right one, as for example if you have a tourist visa, you are limited to your time but also limited in the sense you can’t work. While it might seem obvious that you need to apply for the right visa, you will be surprised at how many thousands are wasted on applying for the wrong visa.
Either way, once you have applied for the right visa type, if you can get an extension and live in the UK for over 5 years, I believe you could be entitled to apply for indefinite leave to remain, also known as settlement. This is exciting and will save you thousands of pounds of visa fees.
Cost of living
It’s not uncommon knowledge that ever since COVID-19 the UK has been in a cost of living crisis and in areas such as London, it’s at its all-time high, making it extremely difficult for both businesses and everyday individuals to survive London prices. This is a key consideration you must face when moving. You need to ask yourself: Does the wage you are moving for allow you to have a quality of life in London?
If not, there are so many other cities with good working opportunities that are better in terms of house prices and cost of living.
Transport System
London, I would personally say, has the best public transport system of any other city, shortly followed by Manchester. So there is, of course, the tube that consistently runs all day and all evening up until midnight and backs up running at 5 am. This means that no matter where you get to in London, you can get a tube to the other side with great time.
The tube is something that you will have to get familiar with in London, as driving in the city is a huge no, especially if you decide to own a car before 2016. What I mean by this is that you are charged a fine if you travel into certain areas of London based on the car and how old it is. It seems crazy but it’s true and it’s a very expensive trip if you don’t get public transport.
Safety
It’s common that all city centres have their dodgy parts that you can generally avoid and that is the same with London; however, it’s common in the UK that London folk aren’t as jolly and charming as the north so you need to be well aware of that and take necessary safety measures to ensure that you are taking necessary precautions when moving to London, especially if you aren’t from a large city like London.
There are many useful guides you can refer to online.
House Prices
Planning on buying? While you might be one of the lucky ones if you can afford London housing prices, and while I’m of course jealous, it’s just something to note that house prices within the UK are consistently increasing, making it hard for people to get on the property ladder; however, it’s a great investment in this area. I would personally recommend being far out from the city, near somewhere with great transport links so you can appreciate the suburb and city life much easier.