Are you thinking of teaching in the UK and want to find out more about living in the capital of the UK? Liz, who works as a resourcer for our education division, recently moved to England from Perth. Here Liz tells all on her essential tips for living in London:

 

Bank Accounts

The online bank Monzo is ideal to use in the interim until you receive proof of address, getting a proof of address document can sometimes take a while.

Mobile Phone Contract

Vodafone is a good phone provider to go with here.

National Insurance number

If you haven’t already applied for your National Insurance number, call as soon as possible to book an appointment. Don’t forget to take along all your documents to your NI appointment.

Transport

The Citymapper app is one of the most useful tools for getting around on public transport – definitely download it to your smartphone as soon as you get to the UK! It will give you a number of different route options, including trains, buses and walking routes and also lets you know when there are delays or strikes taking place.

I also highly recommend the National Rail and Trainline website.

Top tips for travel:

  • You can get pretty much anywhere in the UK via public transport
  • Be ready for train delays and allow for extra travel time
  • Purchase an Oyster card for cheaper travel or use your contactless bank card
  • Make sure you always tap in and out of train stations to avoid getting charged
  • In peak times, trains are more expensive.

Maps

Always Google Maps your location, sometimes you will get on the tube for three stops only to realise your destination was only a five minute walk away – plus walking will save you money!

Tourism & Culture

If you have time during your weekends, make sure you visit London’s abundance of museums – better still, most of them are free.

Food & Drink

Remember to carry a keep cup, you can normally save a bit on expensive coffee when out and about (personally I don’t believe coffee in the UK is half as nice as in Australia!)

£3 meal deals are amazing.

Social

There are plenty of Facebook pages for you to join to meet other Australians living in the UK. A great way to find a little piece of home.

Comparisons

When you’re paying for things, try not to convert or compare the pound to the Australian dollar as the wages are different here.

You may notice the internet speed is a lot faster in the UK compared to Australia.

Boots and Superdrug are like your Priceline. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda are like your Woolworths and Coles.