Looking for Work in the UK

London is so vast that there are thousands of jobs, whether you'd prefer to work in bars, cafes and restaurants or in factories and offices. Similar employment opportunities exist throughout the UK - in all major cities.

Obviously your chances of finding a job will improve if you've got experience in that particular field, can speak good English and don't come across as a raving lunatic. If you've got the right qualifications and necessary experience it's very likely that you'll be able to find a temporary job in your chosen profession. Remember to update your CV before you go and consider contacting UK agencies who specialise in your field. You may even be able to secure a job before you arrive.

Pay rate guides:

(Note: These are approximations and shouldn't be taken as gospel)

Bar/restaurants: around £5-8 an hour.
Office admin work: around £7-12 an hour.
Accounting: around £9-22 an hour.
Call centres: around £7-11 an hour.
Factory work: around £7-10 an hour.
Teaching: around £10-20 an hour.
Retail: around £6-9 an hour.
Nannying: around £7-10 an hour.
Trade work: around £9-18 an hour.
Nursing: around £13-22 an hour.
Labouring: around £7-10 an hour.
Baround £10-25 an hour.

Where to look for it:

Internet sites and job agencies are a good, up-to-date way to check out what work is on offer with www.seek.co.uk , http://www.londonjobs.co.uk, www.justlondonjobs.co.uk , www.agencycentral.co.uk , www.1st4jobsinlondon.co.uk and http://www.anyworkanywhere.combeing some of the main ones, providing links to job agencies as well. Checking out the job sections in the papers, like the Evening Standard (www.thisislondon.com), or the other suburban and city rags, is also a good idea.Taking a walk down the street, looking for jobs advertised in windows, is another decent way, as is the old-fashioned method - going in and asking face to face, armed with your CV.

Tax

To work in the UK you will need to apply for a National Insurance (NI) Number, see http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/ni_number.asp.asp for details. Everyone who works in the UK has to pay income tax, although the first £4,895 you earn is tax-free. Tax rates range between 10-40% depending on how much you earn. You may be eligible for a tax rebate when you leave the country.

Setting up a Bank Account

The main banks in the UK are Barclays, HSBC, Natwest, Lloyds TSB and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
However, there are smaller building societies that are worth a look too, like the Abbey National, Nationwide and Alliance & Leicester. Conditions vary with each organisation, but in most cases you'll need plenty of photographic ID, like a passport and driver's licence, a bank card from back home, as well as proof of your address in the UK (like a utility bill with your details on it) and proof of your address in your home country. The best way of enquiring about opening an account is by walking into the banks themselves and going to the ‘New Accounts' counter.