october 2015 living and working in the united kingdom

October 2015

Living and working in the United Kingdom

Jobcentre Plus www.gov.uk www.nidirect.gov.uk

What do you think of when you think of the UK?

London ?


London is great but don’t forget the rest!

Edinburgh Newcastle

Belfast Cardiff

Jobcentre Plus

Background information to working in the UK

Labour Market information

Looking for work

Working conditions


England London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol, Nottingham, Oxford Scotland Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen Wales Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth, Bangor Northern Ireland Belfast, Londonderry/Derry

Population: 63 million inhabitants Languages: English, Welsh Currency: British Pound £

The United Kingdom


• 5.4% UK unemployment rate (for June to August 2015)

• 73.6% Employment rate

• 1.77 million unemployed (198,000 fewer than a year earlier)

• 738,000 job vacancies (for July to September 2015)

• 683,000 16 – 24 year olds unemployed (14.8% unemployment rate)

Source: Labour Market Statistics October 2015

Job MarketThe UK Labour Market Statistics


• Nurses (operating theatres and neonatal intensive care units)

Shortage Occupations

• Skilled Chefs

• Social Workers

• Electrical Engineers


• Secondary Education Science and Maths Teachers (children 11-16 years old)

• Teachers in Special Schools

• Doctors (certain specialisms only)

• Medical Radiographers

• Engineers – Chemical / Mechanical / Civil

• Graphic Designers

• Pipe Welders (high integrity with 3 years+ experience)

• Biological Scientists / Biochemists

• Skilled Musicians/ Dancers / Animators

More Shortage Occupations


• EURES

• Jobsfairs

• UK newspapers (online)

• Company websites

• Private recruitment agencies

• Online agencies / jobsites

• Public employment services – Department for Employment & Learning / Jobcentre Plus

Where to look for work


• Great Britain - Jobcentre Plus

• Northern Ireland - Department for Employment and Learning (DEL)

Public Employment services in the UK


• For UK recognition of qualifications, contact NARIC

www.naric.org.uk

• Learning the language – The British Council

www.britishcouncil.org

• University courses in the UK – Prospects

www.prospects.ac.uk

• To study in the UK at undergraduate / post graduate level you will need good English language skills

• Internships

Education / Qualifications


• Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) - 2 pages maximum, typed

Create a CV to match the job applying for

• Typed application letter (covering letter)

• Company application forms (very often online)

Please note, online applications are becoming increasingly more common in the UK and therefore it is advisable to practice online applications

• Interviews – it depends on the job applied for (Skype, video conferencing, via phone, face to face, panel interviews etc)

Job application process


National Minimum Wage – three different rates, current as of 1st October 2015:

• £6.70 per hour - 21 years +• £5.30 per hour - 18 – 20 years• £3.87 per hour - under 18 years

• Holiday entitlement 28 days minimum (for full-time employees)

• Verbal / Written contracts of employment

• Equality Act 2010 - law to protect against discrimination

Employment Law


Required to pay social security contributions in the UK

Apply just before or as soon as you start work: Call 0845 600 0643 to arrange an identity interview

• 12% deducted from earnings between £155 - £815 plus• 2% of earnings above £815 per week

• Self employed people pay their own National Insurance contributions• Administered by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) www.hmrc.gov.uk

National Insurance Number


Personal Allowance – £10,600

• Basic rate: 20% £0 - £31,785

• Higher rate: 40% £31,786 - £150,000

• Additional rate: 45% over £150,000

• Self employed people pay their own tax

• Administered by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) www.hmrc.gov.uk

Income Tax

Jobcentre Plus

Living in the UK

Healthcare

Accommodation

Cost of living


What might be the best thing about living in the UK?

The weather……..that’s probably unlikely!


The food?

Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding?

Fish and chips?

Indian cuisine?


NHS - National Health Service

Visiting a doctor is free; a visit to the dentist you have to pay

Prescription medicines you will have to pay in England

(Free in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland)

Before coming to the UK, make sure you have a EHIC

Healthcare in the UK


Average monthly rental charges vary considerably depending on the region

For example average rents within Greater London range from:

• £702 per month in Sutton to £2,013 per month

in Kensington and Chelsea

Whereas:

• £554 per month in North East (cheapest region in UK)

• £992 per month is average across the rest of the UK

Deposit plus 1 month’s rent in advance

Council Tax – local tax on accommodation

Don’t forget other regular bills – water,

sewerage, gas, electricity, telephone, etc.

Accommodation


• Bread (800 grams) £1.10 € 1.43

• Butter (250 grams) £1.50 € 1.95

• Eggs (6 large free range) £1.00 € 1.30

• Milk, 2.24 litres (4 pints) £1.00 € 1.30

• Pint of beer (568ml) £3.20 € 4.16

• Cigarettes £9.00 €11.70

• Cinema ticket £8.00 €10.40

• Bus £2.00 € 2.60

• Petrol, 1 litre £1.15 € 1.50

1 pound = 1.30 euro 1 euro = 76.92 pence

Living expensesCost of living – UK shopping basket (average)


Any Questions?

Thank you!


To contact a UK EURES Adviser email: [email protected]

All queries are answered within 10 working days.

EURES Chat

Fridays between 11:00 and 13:00 (CET)

Access through the EURES website: www.eures.europa.eu

EURES UK Contacts

october 2015 living and working in the united kingdom

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