LadyJ
24th January 2008, 11:39
Newcomers to the UK
This section gives information on living and working in the United Kingdom for those who have arrived here for the first time, whether you are staying a few months or settling here permanently.
There is information about:
>work;
>housing;
>healthcare;
>education; and
>driving.
You can find more detailed information about a wide range of aspects of life in this country on the Directgov website.
Other useful sources of information about life in the United Kingdom include:
Citizens Advice, which has offices in towns and cities nationwide;
the yellow phone book, known as the Yellow Pages, and one called Thomson Local;
local councils, for information about services in your area such as education, social services and public transport; and
public libraries, many of which also have free computers you can use to search for information.
Work
This page gives general information about working in the United Kingdom, including your rights and responsibilities. You can find more detailed information on the Directgov website.
Whether or not you can work in the United Kingdom depends on your residency status and any conditions we have placed on it. British citizens and anyone with right of abode may work without restrictions. If you have a residence permit that allows you to live here, it will say what restrictions there are on your employment, if any. For instance, you may be restricted to being self-employed, or to working only for a particular employer. If you have a residence permit as a retired person of independent means, you will not be allowed to work at all.
You can find work by looking:
>in newspapers (including free newspapers);
>at Jobcentre Plus, a government employment centre with offices in all areas of the country;
>in employment agencies; and
>on boards in supermarkets and shop windows.
If you need training, you can find details of courses available at public libraries or in local newspapers, or look at the Training and workplace learning pages of the Directgov website.
Before giving you a job an employer may want to check whether you have been in trouble with the police, either in the United Kingdom or in your home country. This check is always needed when you will work with children or in the security industry and may be needed for other jobs too. You should be honest if you have been in trouble with the police. It does not always mean that you will not get the job.
When you get a job, your employer should give you a contract in writing within two months of you starting work. This should set out your pay, holidays, sick pay and pension, and say how much notice you must give if you want to leave. There is a national minimum wage and people in full-time employment should receive at least four weeks paid holiday a year.
You must pay income tax and National Insurance on your pay. National Insurance helps pay for state healthcare and pensions. If you work for an employer, he/she will take it directly from your pay and send it to the government. You should receive a pay slip that shows how much you have been paid and how much has been taken out for tax and National Insurance.
If you are self-employed, you should contact your local tax office for advice on paying tax and National Insurance. You can find your local tax office on the website of HM Revenue and Customs.
You have a right to:
>be treated fairly regardless of your gender, race, nationality, sexuality, religion or any disability you have;
>be paid the same wage for a job regardless of whether you are a man or a woman;
>join a trade union; and
>time off for medical care if you are pregnant and time off after the baby is born (known as maternity leave).
Housing
This page gives general information about finding somewhere to live in the United Kingdom and the services you can expect at your accommodation.
See the Home and Community section of the Directgov website for information on:
>buying, selling and renting a home;
>social housing;
>your neighbourhood, roads and streets;
>your local council and the council tax you must pay for the services it provides;
>evictions and homelessness; and
>support and safety in your home.
Your home will:
>have a clean water supply, which is safe to drink from the tap. You have to pay for this water and you will receive a bill from the company that supplies it. When you move into your new home, you will get a letter from the company telling you how to pay this. The letter is sometimes addressed to 'The occupier', which is you;
>have electricity, and most have a gas supply. The supplies are metered and you pay for what you use. If you do not pay, your supply will be cut off. You can choose the company that supplies your electricity or gas, and different companies charge different rates. There is more information about this on the Ofgem website;
>usually have a phone line. If it does not, you should contact British Telecom or another phone company to have a line connected. There is about this on the Ofcom website;
>usually have regular collections of rubbish, a service provided by your local council, which can give you details of these collections and any rules it applies to them. It is illegal to dump rubbish.
To watch television you will need a television set and you may need an aerial. There is more information about television reception on the Ofcom website. You must also have a television licence, which can be bought at any post office. If you watch television at home without a licence, you will have to pay a fine.
Healthcare
This page explains what healthcare is available and how you can access it.
You will be able to receive healthcare from the National Health Service (NHS). Some or all of this may be free of charge depending on your residency status and how long you have been living in the United Kingdom.
Permanent residents of the United Kingdom do not have to pay for treatment by a general practitioner (GP) or at a hospital.
Permanent residents on a low income may qualify for extra free healthcare such as NHS prescriptions, dental care, sight tests and vouchers to help you buy glasses. More information is on the Jobcentre Plus website.
If you are a visitor to the United Kingdom or have temporary permission to live here (we call this limited leave to remain), you may be able to register with a GP in your area and receive free treatment. The GP can decide whether or not to register you. You may not be able to receive the full range of hospital treatment, because you must be a permanent resident or have lived here for a year to qualify for it. This applies even if you are a British citizen or have lived or worked here in the past.
You can find out more about this in the Department of Health leaflet Did you know that you may have to pay for hospital treatment whilst here?
Some health services are free of charge to everyone. These are:
>treatment given in an accident and emergency (A&E) department or in an NHS walk-in centre that provides services similar to those of an A&E department;
>treatment for certain infectious diseases (but for HIV/AIDS only the first diagnosis and counselling that follows it are free);
>compulsory psychiatric treatment; and
>family planning services.
Certain categories of people are able to receive the full range of hospital treatment, including asylum applicants whose application is still being considered, anyone who has lived here legally for the previous 12 months, and diplomatic staff. For the full list, see the Deparment of Health leaflet.
A few categories of visitors are able to receive treatment for conditions that occurred after their arrival in the United Kingdom. This includes residents of the European Economic Area, or a country with which the United Kingdom has a bilateral healthcare agreement. The Department of Health leaflet gives more details.
If you are not in one of the categories that are able to receive free treatment, you may be asked to pay for any hospital treatment you receive. You may therefore wish to ensure you have health insurance to cover your stay in the United Kingdom.
In an emergency, you should go to the nearest hospital with an accident and emergency department. If you cannot get there yourself, phone 999 or 112 and ask for an ambulance. These calls are free from any phone, including mobile phones, but must only be used in an emergency.
For more advice and information, see the NHS website or phone NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
Education
This page explains what education is available to your children while you are living in the United Kingdom and your responsibility to send them to school. It also gives general information about further education.
It is compulsory for children to go to school between the ages of five and 16. A child must start school in the term after he/she turns five, and must stay at school until June of the year he/she turns 16. If you have any dependants of compulsory school age, you must send them to school.
The organisation responsible for providing education in your area is called the local education authority. It is usually part of your local county or city council.
The local education authority must provide education for all children living in its area, regardless of the child's immigration status. The education must be appropriate to the child's age and abilities and any special education needs he/she has.
State schools provide education free of charge. In addition to state schools, there are Anglican, Roman Catholic and other faith schools. Your local education authority can advise you on these. There are also many independent schools, at which you will have to pay fees.
Colleges of further education and sixth-form colleges offer academic, technical and vocational courses for people over the age of 16. Most courses are free for students up to the age of 19, but students often have to pay for the cost of examinations.
If you have the right qualifications you can attend university. Fees must usually be paid, but loans are available to students. There are adult education colleges in many areas. These offer short courses in many subjects. These courses do not always lead to a qualification. You can find out about adult education courses in your area from a library or from your local council
Driving
This page explains some laws that apply to driving a vehicle in the United Kingdom. For more detailed information, see the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) website.
If you have a foreign driving licence you must ask the police or the DVLA if it is valid in the United Kingdom. You must have a valid licence which covers you for the type of vehicle you want to drive.
It is the law that you must have car insurance. The minimum requirement is third party insurance, which pays for damage you cause to other cars or injuries to their occupants. Comprehensive insurance will also pay for damage to your car, but costs more. You need special insurance to use your car as a taxi or minicab.
Cars more than three years old must have an MOT - a certificate that says the car is safe. You get this from an MOT garage or test centre after it has tested the car.
You must pay vehicle excise duty to use your car on the roads. You will be given a small paper disc, called a tax disc, to show you have paid this. You put the tax disc in the front window of your car. Your car can be taken away if it does not have a tax disc. To get a tax disc, you need to show you have insurance and an MOT (for a car over three years old). You can buy a tax disc from some post offices, the DVLA, or online through DVLA's vehicle online licensing.
The same laws apply to motorcycles. To drive lorries and buses, you need a special licence and training.
For more details please visit http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/newcomerstotheuk/
This section gives information on living and working in the United Kingdom for those who have arrived here for the first time, whether you are staying a few months or settling here permanently.
There is information about:
>work;
>housing;
>healthcare;
>education; and
>driving.
You can find more detailed information about a wide range of aspects of life in this country on the Directgov website.
Other useful sources of information about life in the United Kingdom include:
Citizens Advice, which has offices in towns and cities nationwide;
the yellow phone book, known as the Yellow Pages, and one called Thomson Local;
local councils, for information about services in your area such as education, social services and public transport; and
public libraries, many of which also have free computers you can use to search for information.
Work
This page gives general information about working in the United Kingdom, including your rights and responsibilities. You can find more detailed information on the Directgov website.
Whether or not you can work in the United Kingdom depends on your residency status and any conditions we have placed on it. British citizens and anyone with right of abode may work without restrictions. If you have a residence permit that allows you to live here, it will say what restrictions there are on your employment, if any. For instance, you may be restricted to being self-employed, or to working only for a particular employer. If you have a residence permit as a retired person of independent means, you will not be allowed to work at all.
You can find work by looking:
>in newspapers (including free newspapers);
>at Jobcentre Plus, a government employment centre with offices in all areas of the country;
>in employment agencies; and
>on boards in supermarkets and shop windows.
If you need training, you can find details of courses available at public libraries or in local newspapers, or look at the Training and workplace learning pages of the Directgov website.
Before giving you a job an employer may want to check whether you have been in trouble with the police, either in the United Kingdom or in your home country. This check is always needed when you will work with children or in the security industry and may be needed for other jobs too. You should be honest if you have been in trouble with the police. It does not always mean that you will not get the job.
When you get a job, your employer should give you a contract in writing within two months of you starting work. This should set out your pay, holidays, sick pay and pension, and say how much notice you must give if you want to leave. There is a national minimum wage and people in full-time employment should receive at least four weeks paid holiday a year.
You must pay income tax and National Insurance on your pay. National Insurance helps pay for state healthcare and pensions. If you work for an employer, he/she will take it directly from your pay and send it to the government. You should receive a pay slip that shows how much you have been paid and how much has been taken out for tax and National Insurance.
If you are self-employed, you should contact your local tax office for advice on paying tax and National Insurance. You can find your local tax office on the website of HM Revenue and Customs.
You have a right to:
>be treated fairly regardless of your gender, race, nationality, sexuality, religion or any disability you have;
>be paid the same wage for a job regardless of whether you are a man or a woman;
>join a trade union; and
>time off for medical care if you are pregnant and time off after the baby is born (known as maternity leave).
Housing
This page gives general information about finding somewhere to live in the United Kingdom and the services you can expect at your accommodation.
See the Home and Community section of the Directgov website for information on:
>buying, selling and renting a home;
>social housing;
>your neighbourhood, roads and streets;
>your local council and the council tax you must pay for the services it provides;
>evictions and homelessness; and
>support and safety in your home.
Your home will:
>have a clean water supply, which is safe to drink from the tap. You have to pay for this water and you will receive a bill from the company that supplies it. When you move into your new home, you will get a letter from the company telling you how to pay this. The letter is sometimes addressed to 'The occupier', which is you;
>have electricity, and most have a gas supply. The supplies are metered and you pay for what you use. If you do not pay, your supply will be cut off. You can choose the company that supplies your electricity or gas, and different companies charge different rates. There is more information about this on the Ofgem website;
>usually have a phone line. If it does not, you should contact British Telecom or another phone company to have a line connected. There is about this on the Ofcom website;
>usually have regular collections of rubbish, a service provided by your local council, which can give you details of these collections and any rules it applies to them. It is illegal to dump rubbish.
To watch television you will need a television set and you may need an aerial. There is more information about television reception on the Ofcom website. You must also have a television licence, which can be bought at any post office. If you watch television at home without a licence, you will have to pay a fine.
Healthcare
This page explains what healthcare is available and how you can access it.
You will be able to receive healthcare from the National Health Service (NHS). Some or all of this may be free of charge depending on your residency status and how long you have been living in the United Kingdom.
Permanent residents of the United Kingdom do not have to pay for treatment by a general practitioner (GP) or at a hospital.
Permanent residents on a low income may qualify for extra free healthcare such as NHS prescriptions, dental care, sight tests and vouchers to help you buy glasses. More information is on the Jobcentre Plus website.
If you are a visitor to the United Kingdom or have temporary permission to live here (we call this limited leave to remain), you may be able to register with a GP in your area and receive free treatment. The GP can decide whether or not to register you. You may not be able to receive the full range of hospital treatment, because you must be a permanent resident or have lived here for a year to qualify for it. This applies even if you are a British citizen or have lived or worked here in the past.
You can find out more about this in the Department of Health leaflet Did you know that you may have to pay for hospital treatment whilst here?
Some health services are free of charge to everyone. These are:
>treatment given in an accident and emergency (A&E) department or in an NHS walk-in centre that provides services similar to those of an A&E department;
>treatment for certain infectious diseases (but for HIV/AIDS only the first diagnosis and counselling that follows it are free);
>compulsory psychiatric treatment; and
>family planning services.
Certain categories of people are able to receive the full range of hospital treatment, including asylum applicants whose application is still being considered, anyone who has lived here legally for the previous 12 months, and diplomatic staff. For the full list, see the Deparment of Health leaflet.
A few categories of visitors are able to receive treatment for conditions that occurred after their arrival in the United Kingdom. This includes residents of the European Economic Area, or a country with which the United Kingdom has a bilateral healthcare agreement. The Department of Health leaflet gives more details.
If you are not in one of the categories that are able to receive free treatment, you may be asked to pay for any hospital treatment you receive. You may therefore wish to ensure you have health insurance to cover your stay in the United Kingdom.
In an emergency, you should go to the nearest hospital with an accident and emergency department. If you cannot get there yourself, phone 999 or 112 and ask for an ambulance. These calls are free from any phone, including mobile phones, but must only be used in an emergency.
For more advice and information, see the NHS website or phone NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
Education
This page explains what education is available to your children while you are living in the United Kingdom and your responsibility to send them to school. It also gives general information about further education.
It is compulsory for children to go to school between the ages of five and 16. A child must start school in the term after he/she turns five, and must stay at school until June of the year he/she turns 16. If you have any dependants of compulsory school age, you must send them to school.
The organisation responsible for providing education in your area is called the local education authority. It is usually part of your local county or city council.
The local education authority must provide education for all children living in its area, regardless of the child's immigration status. The education must be appropriate to the child's age and abilities and any special education needs he/she has.
State schools provide education free of charge. In addition to state schools, there are Anglican, Roman Catholic and other faith schools. Your local education authority can advise you on these. There are also many independent schools, at which you will have to pay fees.
Colleges of further education and sixth-form colleges offer academic, technical and vocational courses for people over the age of 16. Most courses are free for students up to the age of 19, but students often have to pay for the cost of examinations.
If you have the right qualifications you can attend university. Fees must usually be paid, but loans are available to students. There are adult education colleges in many areas. These offer short courses in many subjects. These courses do not always lead to a qualification. You can find out about adult education courses in your area from a library or from your local council
Driving
This page explains some laws that apply to driving a vehicle in the United Kingdom. For more detailed information, see the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) website.
If you have a foreign driving licence you must ask the police or the DVLA if it is valid in the United Kingdom. You must have a valid licence which covers you for the type of vehicle you want to drive.
It is the law that you must have car insurance. The minimum requirement is third party insurance, which pays for damage you cause to other cars or injuries to their occupants. Comprehensive insurance will also pay for damage to your car, but costs more. You need special insurance to use your car as a taxi or minicab.
Cars more than three years old must have an MOT - a certificate that says the car is safe. You get this from an MOT garage or test centre after it has tested the car.
You must pay vehicle excise duty to use your car on the roads. You will be given a small paper disc, called a tax disc, to show you have paid this. You put the tax disc in the front window of your car. Your car can be taken away if it does not have a tax disc. To get a tax disc, you need to show you have insurance and an MOT (for a car over three years old). You can buy a tax disc from some post offices, the DVLA, or online through DVLA's vehicle online licensing.
The same laws apply to motorcycles. To drive lorries and buses, you need a special licence and training.
For more details please visit http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/newcomerstotheuk/