Moving to UK - best way to get there?

[Honestair]

Hi! I currently live in Australia, and want to move to the UK to take up a job offer. It's a huge boost to what I get paid now so I can't let it slip - I'd be going up to £34,000 a year (after tax/NI figs here)from about $40k AUD. My question is - what would be the best way to move? What should I take, what should I leave etc. Has anyone else here done something similar?

 

[Hvr]

Paging @Flashback to the white courtesy phone.

 

[kookaburra75]

Where exactly in the UK are you looking at moving to? The costs vary greatly.

 

[Reds2011]

What should I take, what should I leave etc. Has anyone else here done something similar?

Speaking as someone who is living overseas... Take your wallet, passport, and your music collection. Sell the rest or give it away, but whatever you do don't put it in storage (unless you have relatives living on acreage where you can leave a container for free). I left for a 2 year contract 20 years ago...

It would cost you more to ship stuff to the UK than to buy everything there. Speak to an accountant who is familiar with non-residence issues, i.e. not your corner H&R Block guy, and make sure you are sorted there. Make sure you have a card with no FX fees as you will need it for a while until established and sorted with a bank in the UK.

Above all - enjoy the adventure!! Travel through Europe while you are there, it's an hour away.

 

[Forg]

Very very minor thing to consider given the logistics etc involved; but I’ve seen some airlines charging a little bit extra for extra luggage, whereas unaccompanied baggage organised once you get to the airport will cost you an absolute packet. My sister moved to London for about 4-5 years, and you do initially want a coughload of stuff like clothes ... she went way over her baggage limit, and there was a fair bit of stress & expense re-packing & juggling at the airport as a result.

Good luck with it, it’s a tad scary but ultimately really exciting!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Speaking as someone who is living overseas... Take your wallet, passport, and your music collection.

When I read the OP's post this was my exact thought! Travel with as little as possible. Everything you need you can buy there, often for a fraction of the cost you'd be up for in Australia. And besides, you never really know where you'll end up (shared house, own apartment, whatever), and you may even find you move several times during your stay (you might not get on with the people you live with, or move jobs, or not like the place). Lugging a heavy suitcase or two around with you is zero fun.

Once you find a place assess what you need and head off to argos. You can buy your sheets, doonas, pillows and whatever else you need there. I do take a towel with me however.

Anything you find you really need from home, take it back to the UK with you after you visit Australia for Christmas or your annual holidays.

 

[VPS]

You’ll invariably take more of the wrong things and less of the things you should have. Just take enough as if you’re going for a month and then buy what you need

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

I've done this very recently. I was fortunate in that my employer covered J airfares and relocation so got a large luggage allowance especially as a WP.

All I took was 2 suitcases filled with clothes and other essentials. I have never owned stuff i.e. furniture, appliances, knick-knacks. As above, Argos is great for random stuff so literally just take clothes and toiletries I'd say and then find a place/sharehouse that has everything furnished so you don't need actual stuff.

Ideally, find an employer that will cover you airfares and relocation costs is my advice .

 

[Flashback]

I'm another in the camp of take as little as you need - I moved over with a 65L backpack and small carry-on suitcase. If your plan is to look for a place to live once you've moved here, you don't want to be lugging too much around whilst trying to do that.

Clothes, passport and a sense of adventure is all I'd be bringing. There are various sites you can use for finding a room to live in, although when I last did that about 8 years ago it might have changed since!

 

[Archipelago]

I've been an expat for over 20 years. For the moving side of this - you've had a lot of good advice above. Take VERY little apart from the essentials (basically the work clothes you need to start off with that fit you) and minimize on everything else.

Here's a tip - for small things you want to take, that don't weigh much but will fill too much space in your luggage - post them ahead to an address or friend that you know

For the initial flights over - max out your luggage at the time of booking. Add the maximum possible weight to give yourself some wiggle room, but STAY BELOW IT.

Well ahead of leaving Oz - lay out everything you think you will take, and then pull out everything you can buy there on arrival.

@Flashback has also given some sound advice. Since your OP we have no idea of the location or details of your upcoming move. If you have to move around after arrival, it will be helpful to have bugger all to move with. This is very good advice

OP - you also asked what should you leave? Leave everything you can, if you have family or friends that will be happy to look after a few plastic tubs in their garage or storeroom.

Spend time WELL ahead of travel getting your external hard drives up in to the cloud so you don't have to take them. Especially if you have any big externals which aren't portable sized

Finally - where are you going to (where is the job) and where do you intend to live? You said UK but no further info. Also when? Lead time is everything

 

[TomVexille]

Another one in the as little as possible camp

 

[Flashback]

I'm hoping it's not London as £34k won't get you very far.

 

[ozjuice]

difficult comparing wages from different countries.

First thing I would say is.....Have you been before?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm hoping it's not London as £34k won't get you very far.

I dunno. Even if they were paying 200 quid a week rent that would leave 24K over a year. More than enough left over (400 pounds a week). Food is cheap. Transport not so much. Weekend getaways to the continent dirt cheap. Fares back to Oz cheap. i think you could live quite a comfortable life on 400 spending a week?

 

[clifford]

Even if they were paying 200 quid a week rent

Well, I'd like to see what kind of place you could get for £200 a week in London (or anywhere else for that matter). I don't think I'd like to live in it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well, I'd like to see what kind of place you could get for £200 a week in London (or anywhere else for that matter). I don't think I'd like to live in it.

Quite a few. Studios are available for less than 200. But if you want something a little more central and good value for money, house sharing will get you something good for less than 200. Here's an example page from a property listing company: 2 Bedroom Properties to rent in London Bridge

At 34K we're not talking executive accommodation.

The metro Central Heights property (in the link above) is right on the Elephant and Castle tube station, right by a supermarket. Two minutes by tube to central london. Even has a pool and gym.

 

[Flashback]

Keep in mind, given the link the OP posted it's 34k pre-tax; once you take tax out that drops it to around £2.2k/month (of which I'd set aside at minimum £1k for rent & travel to/from town - but that's if you find something cheap). I'm not saying it's not liveable but it's certainly not going to allow you to live the real London lifestyle.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Keep in mind, given the link the OP posted it's 34k pre-tax; once you take tax out that drops it to around £2.2k/month (of which I'd set aside at minimum £1k for rent & travel to/from town - but that's if you find something cheap). I'm not saying it's not liveable but it's certainly not going to allow you to live the real London lifestyle.

Ok I misread the OP. I thought the 34K was after tax. But still, £1000 a month after accommodation and travel is not that bad! We're talking 'London lifestyle' of someone earning 34K. You're not going to be going to the Savoy for Friday night drinks And that's if the OP is in London. All up I'd reckon you could still have fun with that sort of money (lots of free things to do).

 

[indecisive]

I’ve just done the reverse, moving back to Australia after 6 years in London. I arrived there with one backpack. I came back with four large bags plus have three boxes on the way.
Don’t take much over, many things are way cheaper over there. You can set yourself up very cheaply with Primark, then gradually replace with nicer stuff.
I’d recommend the spareroom website on the assumption you’ll flatshare ( if London anyway). Also investigate setting up a bank account before you leave Australia, not sure if things have changed but it used to be hard to setup an account, especially if you didn’t have a permanent address.

 

[Flashback]

I’ve just done the reverse, moving back to Australia after 6 years in London. I arrived there with one backpack. I came back with four large bags plus have three boxes on the way.
Don’t take much over, many things are way cheaper over there. You can set yourself up very cheaply with Primark, then gradually replace with nicer stuff.
I’d recommend the spareroom website on the assumption you’ll flatshare ( if London anyway). Also investigate setting up a bank account before you leave Australia, not sure if things have changed but it used to be hard to setup an account, especially if you didn’t have a permanent address.

A trick I used was to change my Citibank credit card to a friend's address here, then used that as my "proof of address". Another option is to open an HSBC account in Australia before you go, but IIRC there's a small charge ongoing for that account. It was probably the most difficult thing though on arrival!