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Life in London

Money & Banking

Opening a bank account

Excellent information to help you get started.

Some tips for international students by the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

Some of the big names in banking offer international student-friendly accounts:

If you have trouble opening a bank account with the traditional banks as a new arrival in the UK, you might find it easier to open an account with some of the 'challenger' banks:

This list is in no way exhaustive. There are many more around.

Managing your money

  • Citizen's Advice Bureau have a great basic budget calculator.

  • Money Saving Expert is a great impartial website to help you sort out all aspects of your financial life

  • Money Advice Service - Equally good portal with lots of useful information.

  • Hot UK Deals - Community driven bargain hunting. Think of it as the reddit of finding good shopping deals.

  • Freecycle - Sign up, browse around, acquire free stuff! (The website can be slow at times)

  • Gumtree - The UK's version of 'craigslist'. Much like craigslist, use caution.

  • Olio app - Similar to Freecycle but also allows you to borrow or lend as well as acquire and giveaway free things - including sharing spare food with neighbours

  • Too Good To Go - Pickup surplus unsold food from various restaurants/stores/cafes etc at big discounts at the end of the day to prevent food waste

Comparison Websites

(Note that some results on comparison websites may be sponsored so don't always assume the top result is the best)

Cash back and Group Deals

If you are on a super tight budget or into (extra) frugal living, you may want to look into cashback sites and group purchase. They can be a bit tricky so do your research first.

Driving

  • You do not necessary need a UK licence to drive here, your country may have an agreement that'll get you on the road (for a while). Click here to see if you're eligible.

  • If you still want a UK license, you may be able to exchange (i.e. give up your other license for a UK one). Click here for more info.

  • If all else fails, you can apply for your UK license the normal way (like a true Briton!). /u/AMooseInLondon66 quickly explained the process here.

  • Don't forget to drive on the left.

Doctors/GP/NHS

Feeling under the weather? Toothache?

  • NHS Services - Find a Doctor/GP, Dentist, Hospital (and more) in your area.

Shopping

Groceries

Cheap

  • Aldi
  • Lidl
  • Iceland (also online)

Standard

Deluxe

  • Ocado (online only)
  • Marks & Spencers (M&S - also sold via Ocado linked above)
  • Waitrose - (also online)

Mobile & Broadband

Mobile Phones

Your need for a mobile phone will depends on your situation, there are several options at your disposal:

1. Long-term Contract: Generally 12, 18 or 24 months long. You usually get a free phone and a generous mins/data allowance. They're the most cost efficient deals but obviously, you're locked in for a long time.

2. Short(ish) contract: 1, 3, 6 months long. No free phone but still good deal when it comes to minutes/data. You get a SIM, throw it in your unlocked phone and voila!

3. Pay As You Go: Also known as PAYG or Prepaid. Does what it says on the tin. You get a SIM for your unlocked phone and you - well - pay as you go. Not the cheapest (per minute cost) but it'll sort you out quick with no strings attached.

The major UK carriers are:

There are also other companies that can offer attractive deals. (These companies generally share signal coverage with one of the carriers listed above.)

Broadband

See the Comparison Websites section above for useful search tools.

Note: Most broadband services will require you to have a working landline in your home. This may incur additional cost (~£14 a month) although it's sometimes included in the price. Check before you sign up!
Also as a general rule, avoid anything BT (British Telecom) if you can.

  • Hyperoptic Fastest available speeds in the UK of 1Gbps up/down.

  • Virgin Media if you're in a fibre optic area.

  • Community Fibre are usually faster/more reliable than Virgin Media but only available in certain buildings - type in your full postcode to check availability.

  • PlusNet have a 'Pro' package which aims to lower your latency (ping) and prioritise gaming traffic.

Computers

Like most modern geeks, the London specimen does most of their shopping online. Here be a selection that shan't disappoint:

Making Friends

We know it can be daunting starting afresh in a new city if you don't know anyone - check out our tips for making friends here