Planning a move to Britain? Here’s everything you need to know

Despite Ireland's economic recovery and uncertainty over Brexit, Irish people continue to move across the Irish Sea in large numbers. Although the numbers emigrating to Britain from Ireland have fallen from their peak of around 20,000 in 2013, Britain is still the primary destination for Irish emigrants, with 11,400 moving there in the 12 months to April 2018.

There are many advantages to living in Britain for a potential Irish emigrant. London is one of the world's most famous cities, offering attractive employment opportunities across a range of industries. And as our closest neighbour, getting home for a quick visit on a low-cost flight is incredibly easy.

It isn’t all about London either. There are a number of other cities across Britain which are sectors also popular for Irish people to settle in, each one offering something unique.

But Britain is on the cusp of one of the biggest changes it has ever faced. After the shock Brexit referendum result in 2016, the UK is set to leave the European Union in March 2019. As the Common Travel Area (CTA), which allows for freedom of movement between Ireland and the UK, preceded the EU, it should remain in place and Irish nationals living and working there will not see their rights change. If you are thinking of moving to the UK, you don't have to worry about a visa (for now, at least).

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But there is still much to research when considering a move to Britain. This guide gives an overview of the main points to consider, with links to official government websites and other useful online resources where you can go for more detailed information.

It will walk you through the things you can plan now before you make the move, and what you need to do when you arrive. It will give you an overview of Britain’s major cities, the jobs market, and what areas you might be likely to find employment in. If you’re planning a move with your family, or want to start one in Britain, we have a section on education and childcare too. There are also countless Irish organisations listed across the country, which may help you adjust and feel more at home.

Click on the links below to jump to each section.

Getting set up: You won't need a visa, but you will need to get a National Insurance number, a bank account and an NHS number. Here's how.

Finding a place to live: The cost of living can vary widely from one end of the UK to the other. How much will it cost to rent or buy in the major cities?

Which city? London is the most popular city, but there are other options. What do the other major cities offer in terms of jobs and lifestyle?

Finding a job: If you're planning a move to the UK, you're going to need a new job. What skills are in demand and where, how do average salaries compare to Ireland, and how do I jobsearch?

Healthcare: Access to free healthcare is one of the biggest benefits of moving to the UK. Here's how to get set up with the NHS.

Education and childcare: If you're planning to start a family in Britain, or want to bring one with you, you will need to think ahead when it comes to schools. This section will fill you in on all the necessary details about applications, deadlines and the curriculum, as well as the cost and availability of childcare.

Cost of living: How much money you should bring to get set up, the cost of living, an introduction to the tax system, and other financial considerations

Directory of Irish organisations: Contact details for Irish organisations, sports and culture clubs, online social networks and other useful support groups

Getting set up

There have been many questions raised about the position of Irish people living in Britain since the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016.

The good news is that, right now, it looks as though Irish citizens will still not need a visa to live in the UK post-Brexit. Both the UK government and the Irish Government have committed to maintaining the Common Travel Area (CTA), which preceded the European Union. The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland insists that "there is no reason to expect that a 'no deal' Brexit would affect the operation of the CTA." You can read more about the Department of Foreign Affairs' advice on this here.

But there are still a few essential tasks that emigrants to the UK have to tackle on arrival, including getting a National Insurance number, setting up a bank account, and registering with the NHS. None of these can be done until you’re actually living in the UK.

National Insurance number

The National Insurance number is a unique number that will ensure that your National Insurance and tax contributions are recorded against your name. You will primarily need it if you are planning to earn money in the UK. For more information see (https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance/your-national-insurance-number).

In order to get a National Insurance number, you have to wait until you are living in the UK. On arrival, call 0800 141 2075 to set up an appointment in your local JobCentre Plus. You will need to bring along your passport and other essential documents including your birthcert. Read more about the application process at gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number.

You will receive your National Insurance number by post, and will then need to notify your employer and possibly HM Revenue.

You can start work without a National Insurance number, as long as you can prove to your employer that you have the right to live and work in the UK. An Irish passport proves your eligibility. The downside is you may be taxed too much or too little while you wait for it to come through.

Registering with the NHS

You should aim to register with the NHS as soon as you can after arriving to protect yourself in case of any medical emergencies. Luckily, the process is relatively simple.

Once you are living in the UK, check what GP practices are near you, and if they are taking new patients. If they are, they will give you a registration form to fill out. They will register you with the NHS as part of this process, and you will receive a letter within weeks with your NHS number. Once registered, you can attend your local GP at no cost.

To find out more about registering with your GP practice, see nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/gps/how-to-register-with-a-gp-practice.

Setting up a bank account

This is a particularly important task to tackle early, as your new employer is unlikely to pay you unless you have a UK bank account.

The main challenge you might encounter if you have only just arrived in the UK is the lack of proof of address.

If you have a contract with your landlord or letting agency, some banks might accept this as proof of address, but it is up to the individual bank. Try shopping around to see if any banks will accept the proof of address you do have.

HSBCs offer a Passport Bank Account, which you do not need proof of address for. Other banks may also have alternative options, but they are often not advertised. If you are having trouble in getting a regular bank account, consider either waiting until you get your first bill in the door, or ask individual banks if they have any options that don't require proof of address for recent immigrants.

It is also a good idea to research what kind of current accounts are on offer from different banks. Many banks in the UK offer current accounts with no transaction fees. Some also offer particular rewards, while others are tailored to people earning specific amounts of money. Take a look at each bank’s website in advance to find out which one might best suit you.

Finding a place to live

Renting

Much like Ireland, the cost of renting is increasing in the UK. Average rents in the UK went up by 2.1 per cent between October 2018 and 2018 (see homelet.co.uk/homelet-rental-index for the most up to date figures). The average monthly rent in the UK is £928. In London, rents went up by 4 per cent in the space of a year, with the average London rent now standing at £1,619. There's better news for those planning on living outside the English capital, as the average cost of rent drops to £768 when London is excluded.

The close proximity to Ireland means it’s easy to go over for a couple of days before moving fully to look at properties in your new city. Try to set up as many viewings as possible within your budget, and set aside a couple of days. Make sure to bring references from landlords in Ireland, and confirmation of a job offer, if you have one.

If you aren’t moving with a family, you might opt to share a house or an apartment with others. Check out websites like SpareRoom.co.uk and Gumtree.co.uk to see what’s on offer in your area.

If you want to rent an entire house or apartment, the main property websites are RightMove.co.uk, Zoopla.co.uk and openrent.co.uk. It's also worth checking Facebook to see if there is a group for people looking for places to rent or share in your new city. Listings in local newspapers (and their websites) can also be useful.

Buying

In August 2018, the average cost of a house in the UK was £232,797, an increase of 3.2 per cent on the previous year, but prices vary wildly depending on where you choose to live (http://landregistry.data.gov.uk/app/ukhpi). For example, the average price of a terraced house in October 2018 in London was £506,845, compared to £112,560 in Liverpool, £163,156 in Manchester, and £270,615 in Edinburgh.

If you are planning to settle long-term in the UK and want to buy a house, you might be better off renting temporarily so you can scope out what’s on offer in your local area.

Before starting your house hunt, you will want to agree a mortgage in principal with a bank. Most mortgages tend to run for around 25 years in the UK. Moneyadviceservice.org.uk has a detailed guide on everything you need to know about applying for a mortgage in the UK. Money.co.uk's guideis also helpful.

If you want to buy a house in Britain but are struggling with the cost, there may be some government assistance available. Help to Buy ISAs are available for those in the UK to first-time buyers, meaning the government will top up your savings by 25 per cent (up to £3,000). Seehelptobuy.gov.uk/help-to-buy-isa for more information.

If the idea of a full mortgage is too much, then you can look at the shared ownership scheme, where you buy a share of between 25 and 75 per cent of your home through a housing association, and pay rent on the remainder. See realhomes.com/advice/how-to-buy-a-house.

Which city?

Most Irish people moving to the UK head for London, but other cities across Britain are also worth considering, where rents and other living costs can be considerably lower.

London

If you’re thinking of a move to the UK, London is probably the most obvious choice. The UK’s capital offers employment in various sectors, and jobs are plentiful. You will also benefit from the city’s underground train system, which makes getting around much easier than in other cities. Living in one of the most famous cities in the world, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to the arts, culture and entertainment.

On the downside, London is an extremely expensive place to live. Between rent, public transport and the cost of food and drink, living in the city can be a challenge for those on lower incomes. But depending on what sector you are working in, you are likely to earn more in London than other cities. For example, if you work in finance, living in London would increase your opportunities and earning potential significantly, as it is home to one of the world's biggest financial centres.

Living in London also makes it incredibly easy to visit Ireland, with a number of airports served by low-cost airlines that will get you home in no time.

Birmingham

With a population of over 1 million people, Birmingham is the second-biggest city in Britain, and the commercial, financial, social and cultural centre of the Midlands. During the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, the city was a manufacturing powerhouse, and this history is reflected in many of the city’s landmarks. Employment opportunities are good across many industries, but jobs will not be as plentiful or as varied as in London. The city’s economy is dominated by the service industry, and is the largest centre in Britain for employment in public administration, education and health. The business and finance sector is also strong in Birmingham, and its six universities make it the largest centre of higher education in the country outside London. It is also not hard to get back to Ireland for a visit, with both Birmingham Airport and East Midlands airport close by.

Manchester

Manchester is a popular destination with Irish emigrants for many reasons. Plentiful jobs, a varied cultural life, and a great music scene make it an ideal city to settle in. There are plenty of jobs in the business and financial sectors, while the University of Manchester is a leading centre of research, ranking only behind Cambridge and Oxford in the UK. It is also a good place to get work in health and social care. If you’re more creative, or work in the media, the city also has the largest creative and digital clusters in the UK.

Glasgow

Glasgow may not be Scotland's capital city, but it does boast the country's biggest population, and is now one of the fastest growing cities in the UK. The city employs many people in finance, business, higher education and tourism. The The Glasgow Economic Strategy aims to make Glasgow the most productive major city economy in the UK by 2023, and create 50,000 new jobs. Average rent in Glasgow is £742 per month, considerably below other UK cities. It also has a thriving arts, cultural and music scene.

Liverpool

This city, which has historically been popular with Irish emigrants, was recently voted one of the best UK cities for work-life balance, due to its cosmopolitan atmosphere, optimistic outlook, and friendly people. As one of the country’s fastest growing regional economies, the city boasts strong employment opportunities across healthcare, education and retail and has a large student population of around 50,000. It also has a thriving arts and cultural scene, and is, of course, the home of the Beatles, which brings tens of millions of tourists to the city every year, providing great opportunities for workers in tourism, hospitality and the service industries.

How to find a job

Indeed.co.uk is the biggest jobs website in the UK, collating adverts from other websites. But there are several other major ones worth checking out, including Totaljobs, Reed.co.uk, Monster.co.uk, and Guardian Jobs.

If you are looking for work in a particular sector, there may be dedicated jobs websites. For work in the charity sector, for example, see charityjob.co.uk. For jobs in media, marketing and communications, check out mediargh.com, and for civil service jobs, see civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk.

It’s best to attend the interview in person if you can, but this may not be possible if you are still living in Ireland, particularly if you are interviewing for a number of jobs. It’s worth asking if your prospective employer can facilitate a Skype interview (although be sure to stress that you will travel if needs be).

It can also be worth registering with recruitment agencies in the city you’re planning to move to. This can be a particularly good bet if you are interested in temporary work until you find the perfect role.

Don’t be afraid to utilise connections. If you work for a company in Ireland that has a base in the UK, and you are looking to relocate, you might be able to transfer.

Working in London

The four biggest sectors for employment in London in recent years have been information and communication, financial, professional and business administration, accounting for 40 per cent of the jobs.

Inner London has seen the strongest jobs growth in recent years, largely due to the growth in business services.West London has a more diverse economy, with jobs in different sectors on offer. Growth has been weakest in the east of London.

London is home to one of the world’s biggest financial districts, and has the largest number of foreign banks of any city. The financial sector alone employs 1.25 million people in London.

There are also many opportunities in other sectors. Half a million people in Greater London work in manufacturing and construction, for example.

The arts provides significant employment through the city’s many famous art galleries and museums, and if you are looking to develop a career in the media, London also hosts some of the UK’s biggest media outlets across television, radio, print and digital media. As one of the most popular cities in the world for tourists, London is also a great place for people looking for work in tourism and hospitality, or the service industry.

Working in education

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) said in August 2018 that there was a “severe shortage” of teachers all across the UK. Estimates also suggest that the number of secondary school students is going to increase by around 20 per cent in the next seven years, so demand is only going to rise.

Because of the difficulty of obtaining teaching practice hours in Ireland, many young teachers are going to the UK where there is a crisis in teacher recruitment and where Irish graduates can complete a recognised induction and probation programme while working.

Most of the vacancies are in London and surrounding areas, but there are positions regularly advertised all over the UK.

In the UK, you can expect to earn about £23,500 (€27,900) per year as a newly qualified teacher, but without benefits such as housing. London-based teachers get more, due to the expense of living in the capital, but this will be swallowed up by the cost of living. This compares to an annual full-time salary of approximately €31,800 for newly-qualified secondary school teachers in Ireland.

But a survey carried out by Irish Times Abroad in 2017 found that while Irish teachers working in the UK reported faster career progression than in Ireland, it came at a cost, with many reporting long hours, high stress levels and “immense pressure”. In 2015 a similar survey carried out by YouGov and the National Union of Teachers found that half of teachers were considering leaving the profession in the following two years due to low morale and high workload. I

It’s worth bearing in mind conditions vary from one school to another in the UK, so be sure you know exactly what you are letting yourself in for before signing up.

If you are a teacher from Ireland, you are already qualified to teach in the UK. But if you are a newly-qualified teacher and you want your work overseas to count towards your teacher induction practice for teaching in Ireland, it's important that you check with the Teaching Council that it will.

TES (tes.com/jobs) is a great UK-based website which currently has over 3,000 jobs advertised, mostly for positions in the UK.

Working in healthcare

The NHS employs an estimated 1.5 million people across the UK, and is a major employer of Irish healthcare workers.

The NHS is experiencing its highest ever vacancy rate, with 107,743 unfilled posts in June 2018. They are particularly desperate for nurses and midwives, as the number of applications continues to fall. This means there are plenty of opportunities for Irish-trained healthcare professionals.

Some NHS hospitals offer relocation incentive packages of up to €10,000, which covers items such as travel, legal fees, estate agent fees and other expenses linked to moving and house sales.

For example, an entry-level nurse in the UK would have a salary of about £21,909 to £28,462 (€24,568 to €31,912), and the same level in Ireland would be about €23,361 to €30,537.

For doctors, however, Irish salaries may be higher. According to Pactor, a junior doctor in the UK would have a starting salary of about £23,000 to £32,000 (€25,930 to €36,032), but in Ireland, a junior doctor’s salary would be about €38,839 to €46,334.

Healthcare

The British Medical Association said earlier this year that the NHS was buckling under the strain of a huge number of patients, with long waiting times, bed shortages and long ambulance queues.

While the NHS is under pressure, it will still come as a relief to those moving to the UK from Ireland to know that GP and nurse visits will be completely free. Provided you are ordinarily resident in the UK, you can also access free hospital treatment; see gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitlements-migrant-health-guide.

Some people in the UK are also entitled to free prescriptions; to check your eligibility, see nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/get-help-with-prescription-costs. The NHS website also explains how to get your exemption, which involves filling out a form at your GP.

Registering with the NHS

You should aim to register with the NHS as soon as you can after arriving to protect yourself in case of any medical emergencies. Luckily, the process is relatively simple.

To find out more about registering with your GP practice, see nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/gps/how-to-register-with-a-gp-practice.

Education and Childcare

Picking a school

All children in the UK aged between five and 16 are entitled to a free place at a state school, where they will follow the national curriculum. Among these are community schools, which are controlled by local councils; foundation schools, which have more freedom to change the way they teach; academies, which can follow their own curriculum; and grammar schools, which are run by the council, and select children based on academic ability. You can find out more about the different types of school in the UK at gov.uk/types-of-school.

If you are bringing children to the UK with you, the first thing you will need to do is apply for a place in the school you want them to go to. Get in touch with the local council to ask about the schools in the catchment area, and find out where places are available.

You can then apply for places in schools through the local council, with applications usually opening a year before you want you child to start. More information about the process is available at gov.uk/schools-admissions/applying.

Children normally begin school in the September after they turn four, although you do have the option to apply to the council to postpone that for a year if you don’t think they’re ready.

When researching what school to send your child or children to, make sure to look at their admission criteria first. Some schools can have specific criteria in place, such as the need to have an older brother or sister already in the school to get accepted, or the need to live close to the school. Some schools - ones that have a religious denomination - might also favour applications from children of a particular religion.

Just one-third of schools in the UK have religious denomination. If you want your child educated in a religious setting, make sure you are settling in an area that has a suitable school nearby.

What will your children learn?

The curriculum in the UK is quite different to Ireland. The Department of Education has detailed breakdowns available on their website of the curriculum, which can be read at gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-primary-curriculum.

The core subjects are English, maths and science, with other subjects such as art, citizenship, computing, design, languages, geography, history, music and PE on offer too.

Your child will have the option to learn European languages, but if you want your child to grow up with some knowledge of the Irish language, you will have to look into options outside of school.

A playgroup meets once a month in the London Irish Centre in Camden, with parents bringing young children to learn the Irish language through play. They are also currently in the process of setting up a new initiative, called Gaelscoil Sathairn, which will offer a more formal learning environment for older children too.

Uniforms

Schools in the UK choose their own uniforms, much like in Ireland. Some supermarkets offer cheap versions of generic uniforms, and many schools have uniforms that match these to help ease the burden of cost. If you are struggling with uniform costs, you can find out about getting help at gov.uk/help-school-clothing-costs.

Childcare

The average cost of a part-time nursery place for a child under two in Britain is £122 (or £4.88 – €5.41 – an hour) an increase of 7 per cent since last year, according to the Family and Child Care Trust.

But prices vary significantly across the country, with a part-time nursery place in inner London costing an average of £184 per week, compared to £102 in the north west.

These prices don’t tell the full story, however, because most parents are entitled to some help with childcare costs through a patchwork of seven different types of support.

The government started rolling out a new tax-free childcare scheme last year, which pays £2 for every £8 parents pay for childcare, up to a maximum of £2,000 per child per year. It has been made available first to working parents with young children before becoming available to those with children under 12.

Parents of three- and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare each week, and since last year, households where both parents are working more than 16 hours a week can claim an extra 15 hours of free childcare each week.

Families on low incomes can claim back up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs, although advocacy groups claim the system means that some lower income families risk being worse off if they work more hours.

As families become eligible for more free childcare under the government’s latest initiatives, some local councils fear they will not be able to provide enough places to keep up with demand

Costs

Budgeting in advance for your move to Britain is incredibly important. Before making the move, plan out what your expenses will be for the next couple of months, and put enough money aside to tide you over until you get paid from your new job.

The biggest relocation cost is likely to be your deposit and first month’s rent for a house or apartment. Usually, the deposit is the equivalent of a month’s rent, however this can be more or less depending on the landlord or letting agency.

You will also need to take into account a gap in income after moving. It might take time for your new employer to get you onto the payroll, or for you to get your UK bank account set up. With many companies paying monthly, you could end up going six to eight weeks without any wages.

In addition to rent, budget for food shopping, public transport, and other living costs. When you move house, especially from another country, many unplanned expenses can arise, from maintenance issues in the house, to having to run out to buy kitchen utensils.

If you are moving furniture and other personal belongings over, you will also need to set money aside for the cost of doing that. Removal costs can vary significantly depending on where in Ireland you are moving from and where you’re planning on moving to. Getamover.ie is a handy tool, and will give you a number of quotes from different removal companies.

Cost of living

The cost of living will vary significantly depending on where in the UK you are moving to, with London substantially higher than Glasgow, for example.

[ Numbeo offers a helpful guide on the cost of living in the UK.Opens in new window ]

This suggests that the monthly cost of living in London for a single person, excluding rent, is £788.98. The cost of living in the UK overall is 13.04 per cent lower than it is in Ireland, according to this guide, but this will of course vary depending on where you settle.

Tax

If you are earning money in the UK, you must pay tax on it. The system is similar to Ireland, and your tax will be deducted at source.

There is a personal allowance in place which means that you don't pay tax on the first £11,850 you earn. You will then pay 20 per cent on any earnings between £11,851 to £46,350, and then 40 per cent on earnings from £46,351 to £150,000. You can find out more about tax rates at gov.uk/income-tax-rates.

If you earn more than £162 per week, you must also pay National Insurance contributions. The rate varies depending on your pay and your employment status. Most workers will be under Class 1, which will mean they pay 12 per cent on salary up to £3,863 per month. Like income tax, National Insurance is deducted by your employer at source.

Paying National Insurance means you will qualify for the basic state pension and the additional state pension in later years, as well as different types of jobseeker payments that are based on what you have contributed.

You can find out more about National Insurance at gov.uk/national-insurance

Irish organisations in the UK