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Opening a Bank Account
The four major banks in the UK are Natwest (www.natwest.com), HSBC (www.hsbc.co.uk), Barclays (www.barclays.co.uk) and Lloyds TSB (www.lloydstsb.com), although many other smaller banks offer feasible account options.
Opening an account can be difficult in the UK, and especially so in London. Some branches are relaxed, while others take bureaucracy to the extreme. You’ll need as much ID as you can get your hands on, including your passport; proof of address (utility bills, rent receipts or a lease); a letter from your employer/job agency; credit card statements; and a letter from your bank(s) at home.
Some UK banks may have affiliations with your home bank. Find out beforehand from your bank if one exists; this can speed up the process when you get here, if not check out 2 or 3 different banks to find one most suitable and the best deal.
Debit cards — Are the most popular piece of plastic. They are used to access ATMs, as well as used as debit cards in shops. Try to swing an account which features a debit card and cheque book.
Credit cards — Be prepared to wait until you have a job and proof of regular earnings. However, if your credit history is robust enough or the bank is affiliated with yours back home, you might be able get a credit card immediately.
Online banking — Most banks have free online banking facilities. You can also try digital banks like Smile (www.smile.co.uk), First Direct (www.firstdirect.com) or Egg (www.egg.com).
Charges — These vary between banks, so ask at your branch.
Tax and Rebates
Anybody working in the UK must pay tax. How much you earn will determine which tax bracket you are placed in. Amounts range from 10 per cent to 22 per cent and everyone has a tax threshold of £4535 per year. If you earn less than this, you get all your tax back.
Claiming a tax rebate — if you’ve worked less than the full tax year (the tax year starts on April 6th), you may get a refund. You may also be due a refund for any credit interest you’ve earned on savings. You’ll need a P45 (your employer will give you this when you leave their employ) and a P60 (your employer will provide you with one of these at the end of every tax year). If you haven’t received these forms — or if you have lost them! - you will need a Statement of Earnings from your employer. Most people have to claim any tax rebates at the end of the financial year (end of March).
You can claim a rebate during the financial year if you are leaving the UK and are not intending to work again before the end of the financial year.
The relevant forms for rebates can be ordered from Inland Revenue (www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk) or Tel: 0845-070 0040 (UK only). If the thought of doing this is a little overwhelming, there are loads of companies advertised in TNT who provide tax and accountancy services.
Finding Work
There are a number of places in the UK you can start looking for a job - it all depends where you want to work. It is often easier to get a job in London than anywhere else in the UK. However, there's also lots of work in other main centres such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham if you feel like breaking from the herd.
To start your job search now, visit the tntmagazine.com jobs section.
In London:
- On TNT Grapevine (www.tntclassifieds.co.uk) online (published weekly direct from the printed version of TNT Magazine UK.)
- In TNT Magazine UK. TNT Magazine comes out every week on Mondays. It's a free publication and in London can be found on news stands near many inner city tube stations and outside popular Antipodean pubs.
- Major daily newspapers. These include:
- Metro. Pick this up at tube stations in the blue bins. Get there before the morning rush hour or they'll all be gone. See these days for certain industries: - Mondays - Secretarial - Tuesday - Finance and Banking - Wednesday - Public and Community - Thursdays - Media, Retail Sales, Hotel and Catering, Office jobs
- Evening Standard. Get it at your local news store. It's often sold at major tube stations too.
- The Times. Get it at your local news store.
- The Guardian. Get it at your local news store.
All of the above dailies feature different industries jobs on different days. Find out on which day the relevant industry features and grab a copy.
In Edinburgh:
- On TNT Grapevine (www.tntclassifieds.co.uk) online (published weekly direct from the printed version of TNT Magazine UK.
- In TNT magazine UK. TNT magazine comes out every week on Mondays. It's a free publication and in Edinburgh you can pick it up at Radical Travel, 60 High Street, Royal Mile.
- Scotsman - One of the major dailies of Scotland features job listings.
- The List - Glasgow and Edinburgh's events guide includes a classifieds jobs section. Pick it up from newsagents for around £2.
In the rest of the UK:
- On TNT Grapevine (www.tntclassifieds.co.uk) online (published weekly direct from the printed version of TNT Magazine UK.
- In the local paper of the area you are looking to secure a job.
- On recruitment websites. Good search engines to find this information include: Google and Yahoo.
- Word of mouth. Your dream job may fall in your lap just because you stayed for that extra beer in the pub and overheard the right conversation.
Content provided by: TNT Magazine (www.tntmagazine.com/)