There is an easier way! Mozzie.co.uk has teamed up with Quickstart UK to offer all mozzie.co.uk registered users with a free UK bank account. (UK Bank account set up fee – normally £35.) Simply register and print off the registration email and take into the Quickstart UK offices to redeem (you might want to give on to a friend also!)
Register now.
There are a number of agencies in London that will help you get a suitable job. Look out for the TNT Magazine available on Mondays (outside most tube stations), the majority of the recruitment agencies advertise in the TNT and you will be able to get their details in order to set up an interview with them or email your CV to them.
The normal process it that you would phone a recruitment agency and say that you are looking for a job in whatever line of work you are in. Normally they will require you to email your CV to them. If they believe they can place you they will get you in for an interview where they will put you on their books. They will also take a copy of your passport to ensure you have the right to work in the UK. Once you are registered they should then put you forward for any jobs that they might have available.
Some agencies ask that you phone and let them know if you are still available. If an agency has a job offer for you they will contact you and discuss the role and salary. Sometimes you might need to go in for an interview at the company or else you will start with no interview.
It’s important to register with as many as you when you arrive. Don’t put all your eggs in one or two baskets. It’s important to register with small and large agencies as each will have a different sector of the UK market and will have a diversity of clients.
It’s also important to see your first role as a starting block, which means it will give you the stability you need to get settled, into a routine and most importantly, earning money. Once you are settled you can then look for a more challenging and rewarding role.
National Insurance Number
You must, by law, have a National Insurance Number to work in the UK, even if the work you do is unpaid. Your National Insurance number is the reference number under which the Contributions Agency and HM Revenue and Customs file the information they hold on you. The file will contain information about what you have paid and any benefit entitlement you may have built up. The number is made up of two letters, six numbers and another letter (e.g. AB 12 56 15 B).
An employer will ask you for your National Insurance number when you start work. They use the number to notify the Inland Revenue and the Contributions Agency of deductions they have made from your salary. Employers who have computerised payroll facilities cannot enter you onto their system without a number.
Employers are sometimes reluctant to offer a job to a person who does not have a National Insurance number.
If you change any of your names, your title or your address you should tell your local office so they can keep your file up to date. Failure to do this can lead to a delay if you wish to claim benefits.
How do I get a National Insurance Number?
Once you have a job you must apply for a National Insurance Number. This is the responsibility of the individual and not of their employer. You can also apply for a National Insurance Number if you can prove that you are looking for a job. The proof would be several documents e.g. rejection letters, invitations to interviews, confirmations of received applications etc.
The appointment line number to get a mandatory interviews is:
+44 (0) 845 600 0643 this line is open from 8:00am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday.
You will need to take:
· Your passport
· A letter stating your proof of employment
· Proof of UK address (plus your previous address for the last two years)
Once the forms have been completed at the interview you will be issued with a National Insurance Number and this will be sent you via post, it looks like a plastic credit card. It may take up to 6 weeks to be processed.
There are two things in life that are inevitable: death and taxes.
PAYE Income Tax, NI & VAT
During your stay in the UK, the taxes most likely to affect you are Pay As You Earn (PAYE), National Insurance (NI), Value Added Tax (VAT).
Nearly everyone in the UK is taxed under the Pay As You Earn Scheme (PAYE). This system allows your employer to deduct income tax from your salary along with you National Insurance contributions and pay it over to the tax authority, Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
Everyone has a personal allowance of how much they can earn with out paying tax. In 2007/2008 tax year this allowance is £5225 pa. This means you will be able to earn £5225 per year tax free, after which the next £2230 (starting-rate band) is taxed at 10%. The next £32370 (basic rate band) is taxed at 20%. Anything above £34600 is taxed at 40%.
The tax years run from 6th April to 5th April.
Check out www.i-resign.co.uk for a salary calculator which includes what your NI and PAYE deductions should be.
National Insurance (NI) is payable on earnings from employment and profits from self-employment. NI is a social security contribution which is used to fund your state retirement pension. It is important to get a NI Number as soon as you can so your contributions can be allocated correctly.
When you start work at a company you should complete a P46 form. This form will be sent to the HMRC which will then issue your company with a coding notice informing them which tax code you should be on. Make sure you are on the correct tax code so that you don’t pay too much tax. Sometimes the HMRC may put you on the wrong code so look out for this.
When you leave a job, you should receive a P45 form – this is a form that shows how much you earned and how much tax you paid. This should be taken to your next employer when you start work. Make sure that you receive your P45 as you will need it to reclaim tax if you have overpaid.
P60 – This form you will receive after the end of the tax year. (around May). This will outline how much you earned as well as tax paid in the year.
Value Added Tax (VAT) is a tax on money you spend. The tax (usually 17.50 %) is added to the price you pay for most goods and services. Some goods are exempt and some VAT of 5% is payable. (e.g. gas and electricity)
The National Health Service (NHS) offers free medical treatment to all EC and UK residents.
When you first arrive in the UK it is important to register with a GP. Do not wait until you are sick and need to go to a doctor. Registering with a doctor takes at least a few weeks in some areas. To register with a doctor, go to your local chemist or library and they will provide you with doctor’s names in your area with whom you can register. You may also look in your area’s telephone directory for your local health services authority.
NHS Direct, Tel: 0845 46 47
Prescriptions on the NHS are subsidised and cost around £6.
A Quick Overview of London Areas
Home to the Arsenal Football Team (for those interested in footy). Kings Cross St Pancras is the home to the Eurostar and has one of the main train stations in London to connect to the North of England.
Camden is best known for the Camden market which is buzzing with people on the weekends and is definitely worth a visit if you want something different. It is an alternative lifestyle. Angel has an abundance of cool eating places, pubs and bars, a trendy area to congregate.
Further up North you get into the areas of Hampstead and Archway which has Hampstead Heath a massive park that is frequented by those around due to its beauty and air of peacefulness. The area is also more renown for having beautiful houses and is considered to be a wealthy English suburb.
Brixton, Clapham, Battersea has become a favourite location of Aussies, Kiwis and South Africans both from socializing and living. This area has an abundance of restaurants, bars and Pubs. Accommodation is reasonable and also has good transport links, i.e. underground and the overland rail system. Also on the border of the South and being close to Central London includes Waterloo and London Bridge and in summer is buzzing with people because of its proximity to the river bank, London Eye, Tate museum and the Borough Market, which is a must for those food lovers.
Waterloo has one of the main train stations in London to connect to South East England. Wimbledon is the home to one of the grand slams in Tennis if not the most famous. Tickets to Wimbledon are by ballot or alternatively line up as early as possible on the day and hope you get a ground pass ticket.
Knightsbridge houses the famous Harrods and Harvey Nichols which are two of the biggest department stores in London and is definitely places to visit. Other areas in the West include Kensington, Sloane Square, Noting Hill and Chelsea, which has the most expensive houses, apartments, restaurants and cafes and etc.
The West also homes the Chelsea Football Club. Want to meet someone famous? Chances are you will find them here! Portabello Market in Noting Hill is worth a visit on the weekend for nick nacks. Other areas include Earls Court, Fulham, Shepherds Bush and Hammersmith again attracting many Aussies, Kiwis and South Africans.
The West End (Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus) plays host to the capital's theatres showing all the major musicals. Soho, Covent Garden, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus are renowned for shopping. Selfridges, designer stores, electronic stores plus more can be found in Central London. Bars, Cafes, Restaurants surround your every step. No matter where you are the area is buzzing. Amongst all of this is also Chinatown.
The East is best split into two sections East Central and the East. East Central includes the City which covers the areas of Liverpool Street, Bank and Moorgate. By City we mean the central business district which predominantly consists of companies in the financial industry. Whilst this is extremely busy during the week, on the weekend it is dead quiet, except for Spitafields Market which has food and clothing is open on Saturday and Sunday.
The East includes Bethnal Green, Old Street and Shoreditch which has developed into a very cool and trendy place to hang out! You will find an abundance of trendy bars and clubs hidden away and delicious gastro pubs. The best thing about the area is that food and drinks are extremely reasonable compared to the West and Central areas.
Further out in the East and edging to the South is CanaryWharf this is considered to be the financial hub of London, with your major financial institutions residing here. These include Barclays, HSBC, Citigroup etc. Housing here is booming and extremely cheap as it is further out.
Getting Started 
