This document provides information for those considering working and living in the United Kingdom. It discusses finding jobs in the UK market and shortage occupations, outlines the job application process, and details the national insurance system and income taxes. It also covers typical living costs for accommodation, healthcare, and common grocery items. Popular cities and regions of the UK are named and facts about the population and official languages are given.

1. Living and working in
the United Kingdom
Wendy & Sam EURES Advisers
United Kingdom
Prague, October 2012

2. What do you think of when you think of the UK?
London ?
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3. London is great but don’t forget the rest!
Edinburgh Portsmouth
Belfast Cardiff
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4. This presentation is to give you some of the
information you will need to help decide if
working in the UK is the right move for you.
Working in the UK
• Information on finding a job and working conditions
Living in the UK
• Information on the cost of living

5. Working in the UK
The job market
Looking for work
Working conditions
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6. The United Kingdom
England
London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield,
Newcastle, Bristol, Nottingham
Scotland
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen
Wales
Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth,
Bangor
Northern Ireland
Belfast, Londonderry/Derry
Population: 62 million
Languages: English, Welsh
Currency: British pound £
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7. The Market
Job Job Market
• UK unemployment rate 8.1%
• High youth unemployment
• Economy growing: more people are finding work than losing their job
• But the recovery is slow and fragile (2.5 million unemployed)
• Reduction in UK expenditure will lead to a decline in public sector jobs
• But certain sectors still have shortages (skill shortage occupations)
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8. Shortage Occupations
• Senior care workers
• Skilled chefs
• Social workers
• Electrical Engineers
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9. More Shortage Occupations
• Secondary education science and maths teachers (children 11-16 years old)
• Teachers in special schools
• Doctors (accidents & emergencies)
• Nurses (operating theatres and neonatal intensive care units)
• Veterinary surgeons
• Chemical engineers
• Mechanical engineers (electricity generation / transmission / distribution)
• Civil engineers (geotechnical, rock/soil mechanics, tunnelling, petroleum)
• Pipe Welders (high integrity with 3 years experience)
• Butchers and meat cutters (skilled meat trimmer and meat boner)
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10. Looking for work
• EURES
• Jobsfairs
• UK newspapers (online)
• Company websites
• Private recruitment agencies
• Online agencies / jobsites
• Public employment services
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11. Employment services in the UK
• Great Britain - Jobcentre Plus
• Northern Ireland - Department for Employment and Learning (DEL)
• Self service kiosks - Jobpoints
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12. Job application process
• Curriculum Vitae – C V 2 pages maximum, typed
• Create a CV to match the job
• Typed Application letter (covering letter)
• Company application forms (sometimes online)
• Interviews – it depends on the job applied for
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13. National Insurance Number
Needed to pay social security contributions in the UK
Apply just before or as soon as you start work
• 13.8 % deducted from earnings between £156 - £817 plus
• 2 % of earnings above £817 per week
Self employed people pay their own
National Insurance contributions
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14. Income Tax
• Basic rate: 20% £0 - £34,370
• Higher rate: 40% £34,371- £150,000
• Additional rate: 50% Over £150,000
• Self employed people pay their own tax
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15. Living in the UK
Accommodation
Healthcare
Cost of living
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16. What might be the worst thing about living in the UK?
the weather ?
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17. Accommodation
Living in the UK
Average monthly rental charges:
• Apartments/Flats: £450 - £650 = (13500 CZK –
19500 CZK)
• Houses: £550 - £850 = (16500 CZK – 25500 CZK)
• Rooms: £250 - £350 = (7500 CZK – 10500 CZK)
Deposit + 1 month’s rent in advance
Council Tax – local tax on accommodation
Bills– water, gas, electricity & telephone
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18. Healthcare in the UK
NHS - National Health Service
Visiting a doctor is free; a visit to the dentist you have to pay
Prescription medicines you may have to pay (depending on where
you reside in the UK)
Before coming to the UK, make sure you have a EHIC
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19. Cost of living – UK shopping basket
Living expenses
• Bread (800 grams) £1.00 30 CZK
• Butter £1.30 39 CZK
• Eggs (6 large free range) £1.60 48 CZK
• Milk, 2.24 litres (4 pints) £1.25 38 CZK
• Pint of beer (568ml) £3.00 90 CZK
• Cigarettes £7.00 210 CZK
• Cinema ticket £8.00 240 CZK
• Bus £2.50 75 CZK
• Petrol, 1 litre £1.45 45 CZK
• 1 pound = 30 CZK
• 1 CZK = 3 pence
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20. What is the most popular meal in the UK?
Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding?
Fish and chips?
Indian cuisine?
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21. Your questions ?
EURES.UK@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk
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