Settling In: Relocation Tips for Skilled Workers and Their Families

Relocating to a new environment or country is an exciting experience, especially for families. But, finding an accommodating house and a suitable school can be challenging, especially if it’s outside the country. Nevertheless, this guide will walk you through the various relocation tips and advice to successfully begin a new life in the UK.

Relocating Tips: Planning Phase

Let’s assume you’ve landed yourself a high-paying job in a country that is hundreds and thousands of miles away from your current residence. Now, you are planning on relocating to the country with your family, ensuring that the family bond is maintained. To successfully relocate, you need to make plans on how, when and where to move to. This section talks about how to make pre-moving plans to the UK.

When making plans to move into the UK, especially with families, there are various things you need to take into consideration. These things are drafted into what is called a checklist, ensuring that every vital and needed thing is not excluded or forgotten. Here is a list of what should be on your checklist:

• Housing and accommodation
• School enrollment
• Valid passport
• Child consent
• Paperwork, visa, and immigration processes
• Health Inspection
• Pet Relocation
• Convert money
• And so on!

There are tons of things to get listed and addressed accordingly. However, in the subsequent section of this article, we will be providing steps/advice for finding suitable housing and schools in the UK.

Relocation Tips: Finding Suitable Accommodation In The UK

The first thing to do is decide whether you’ll be renting or buying a house. The next thing is to consider the area that will make things easy in terms of working, school, and so on. After you have made a decision, the next thing is to secure accommodation. Fortunately, there are a few ways in which you can secure accommodation in the UK:

1. Physical search
2. Through friends or relatives in the UK
3. Through housing agents
4. Online Search

Physical Search:

This process is only possible if you reside in the UK. Thus, skilled workers outside the UK, but have friends or relatives in the country, can request shelter for a while and during their stay, they can search for accommodation that will suit their tastes and preferences. Another way in which a physical search for accommodation can be done is by booking hotels. That is you can book hotels and then start searching for suitable accommodation. Overall, this process doesn’t require you to travel with your family. This is because, moving in with your family might inconvenience your friends or relatives, and on the other hand the cost of booking hotels can be high.

Through Friends or Relatives

If you have friends or relatives who are currently residing in the UK, they can help you scale through and help you secure accommodation there. You can always change the environment if you don’t find the comfortable enough.

Through Housing or Estate Agents

Housing and estate agents can help you secure a comfortable apartment. They provide insight into multiple accommodations, allowing you to choose from several options available. This process is one of the easiest ways to secure accommodation in the UK, especially for individuals who are not residing in the country.

Online Searching Platforms

Among other relocation tips to find accommodation, we find this one interesting. Tons of online sites serve as means of securing accommodation in the UK. They offer tons of listings of houses in various cities in the UK. Although it’s akin to estate agents, their services are wider. Also, because it’s an online platform, you can easily get reviews about the sites before any transaction.

Read Also: Finding Student Accommodation in the UK as a student

Relocation Tips: Finding Suitable Schools In The UK

If you have a child(ren), finding a suitable school for them is another thing you should prioritize. Depending on your choice and financial stability, the UK is a home for many luxurious, reputable and fascinating schools in which you can enrol your children. However, before enrollment, you must do research. Here is what you should look at before enrolling your child(ren): 

1. The Education System: Look into the schools to determine if it’s a state school, private school, grammar school or international school.
2. The school’s ratings and review
3. Academic performance
4. Also, ensure it is convenient for your kids

Read Also: Tips for Academic Success in the UK: Study Habits and Resources

Relocation Tips: Smooth Transitions To Life in The UK

Cultural Adaptation

Just like other nations, the UK has cultural norms and traditions. Thus, understanding the cultural nuances will help you transition easily.

Language Skills

Although, English Language is the language widely spoken in the UK, however, their accent and slang are what make it unique. In order to integrate more easily, prioritize using the UK accent.

Join Community Groups

Participating in the activities will also help you meet new people and make new friends. Also. socializing with colleagues at work and outside work is another way to adapt to the UK system.

Healthcare System

Register yourself and your family with the NHS (National Health Service). They provide professional health care services to people residing in the UK. You can do this by signing up with a local GP.

Open a Bank Account:

As a skilled worker, this aspect is crucial, as it is essential for managing your finances in the UK. There are tons of banks to choose from, navigate through different options and sign up with the one that suits your preference.

Pay Tax:

Just like in other countries, there are taxes to be paid. Familiarize yourself with the different types of taxes available in the UK. You can consider meeting tax advisers for easy assimilation.

In Conclusion

Relocating to the UK can be daunting, especially with family. But with the right process, plans and guide, relocating to the UK can be easier than you can imagine. Understanding this article is one of the best steps to relocating to the UK with family members. We’ve provided detailed relocation tips, providing you with insight into finding a suitable house and school in the UK. Therefore, understand this guide and transition your way into the UK.