Working
in the UK
Your employer will need to know if it is legal for you to
work in the UK and whether you need a work permit or visa.
You will need to show proof of your right to work.
Who can work in the UK?
If you want to come to the UK to work, whether you can do
so depends on who you are. Unless you're a British citizen
or a citizen of one of the European Economic Area (EEA) countries,
you may need a visa before you travel here.
Accession state workers
If you're from one of the new European Union member, or 'accession',
states you may need to register with the Home Office under
the Worker Registration Scheme within one month of starting
a job.
Students
If you're an international student you may not need permission
to work here when you're studying. If your home country is
in the EEA, or you're a Swiss national, you can work without
restrictions on the type or amount of work you do.
What proof an employer will need
If you're from an EEA country, you'll need to show a prospective
employer your passport, national identity card or Home Office
Residence Permit.
Employers can face unlimited fines if they employ illegal
workers so don't be offended if you're asked to prove your
nationality, even if it's 'obvious'. Even UK nationals will
be asked to provide proof of their nationality.
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Accomodation
Before Renting in the UK...
Estate or Letting Agencies
Most of the adverts for renting flats/houses in the newspapers
are web-sites through Estate or Letting Agents. Estate Agents
can sometimes be very helpful. You can walk in to see if they
have anything that suits your needs. Letting Agents may not
be used to dealing with people from overseas, so your experiences
with them can be very different. Always ask questions and
read the Tenancy Agreements carefully and check all the costs
involved.
Transportation Links
Before you sign a Tenancy Agreement, you should be sure it
is within reasonable walking distance of the nearest transportation
links. Try to catch the bus or train at rush hour and see
how long it takes you to get to the area you are interested
in i.e. workplace or shops. A bus stop nearby is advisable.
Furniture
UK Apartments and Houses are usually rented unfurnished or
furnished only with the basic items. In a flat you might expect
a cooker, bed (or mattress), suite and sometimes dining table
with chairs. If the flat is advertised as furnished be sure
you find out exactly what the landlord provides.
Bond
Most rental arrangements will require you to pay a bond. It
is usually an equivalent to a full month's rent. Unless you
damaged something in the house, you will get the bond back
after you have vacated the property and it has been inspected.
Landlords can also refuse to give the bond back if you move
out before contract's termination date. Please ask carefully
about any repairs you want to have done, or any work that
is being done on the flat in general, you may find that large
and unexpected amounts are deducted from your bond when you
get it back due to any such repairs.
Flatmates
If you know people that live in area already, they might have
a spare room or a friend who may have one. There are a lot
of rooms available in partially rented houses and you can
often find these advertisements in the local newspapers or
on websites. Often people in your workplace will know someone
who has a room available. In general you should have no problem
finding affordable accommodation and location.
Council Tax
This is a compulsory tax levied by the Local Government or
Borough Council and is paid by all residents. This fee is
generally paid on a monthly basis and is passed on to Tenants
from House owners. Be sure you have received all the information
on the Council Tax due for that property. The Council Tax
invoice will be posted to your address and it is to be paid
by those who have signed the Tenancy Agreement. It is not
usually a huge amount and varies from area to area (£70
- £120 a month). It is very important, so do not forget
about it, as this could lead to prosecution for late or unpaid
Council Tax.
Heating/Electricity
Be sure to find out how the flat is heated and what the average
costs of heating are. Most houses are equipped with Gas central
heating. It can become expensive if not used correctly. Please
ensure that it is on a timer so heat is not generated throughout
the house if you are not at home. However some flats and houses
will have electric central heating which can be very expensive.
If not used in the correct manner.
TV Licence
If you own a television you are required to pay for a TV licence.
If you have a television and are caught by the TV licensing
authority for not being in possession of a TV License, you
will be issued with a fine (up to £1000). If a TV license
has run out, your address will be highlighted as not being
in possession of a TV License and you may receive a reminding
letter or a knock on the door, asking if you are in a possession
of a TV.
If you require any further information, visit: www.tvlicensing.co.uk
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Bank Account
You may have heard that it's not as easy as one might think
to open a bank account in the UK. That is true.
If you want to open a bank account, you will need the following:
- Proof of identity - Passport and / or ID card
- Proof of employment from your Employer
- Proof of address (e.g. utility bill, council tax, tenancy
agreement).
- Please be prepared with any of the above documents as
this will vary depending on the bank you use.
You will find it difficult to produce proof of your address
on the day of your arrival to the UK. The easiest option is
to go to Lloyds TSB, they can give you a current account or
the HSBC Bank, they will allow you to open a basic bank account.
All you will need is proof of your identity and a letter
from your Employer confirming your employment and address
details. Your letter should be addressed to the Manager of
the Bank you would like to use, preferably in your city and
printed on your Employers Letter Headed paper.
It usually takes 10-14 days for the Bank to open your account.
You will receive a cash card and a PIN (Personal Identification
Number) which will be posted to you in separate letters to
your home address.
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Minimum Wage
With a few exceptions, all workers in the UK aged 16 or over
are legally entitled to be paid a minimum amount per hour.
This is regardless of the kind of work they do or the size
and type of Company they work for. The amount is set by the
Government each year based on the recommendations of the independent
Low Pay Commission (LPC). The rate is reviewed every year,
any increases will take place in October.
There are different levels of National Minimum Wage, depending
on the age of the worker. The current rates are as follows:
National Minimum Wage rates
- £5.52 an hour (full/adult rate) age 22 and over
- £4.60 an hour (development rate) age 18 to 21 inclusive
- £3.40 an hour people older than school leaving
age and younger than 18
Rates correct as of 1st October 2007.
Almost everyone who works in the UK is legally entitled to
be paid the
National Minimum Wage. For example, you are entitled to receive
the minimum wage if you are: employed by an Agency, a Part-time
worker or a worker on a short-term contract.
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Tax & PAYE
PAYE Tax
The most common taxation status for working in the UK is the
Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxation scheme where tax will be deducted
from your pay, by your Employer, prior to you receiving your
pay. PAYE tax is made up of Income Tax and National Insurance.
A tax year runs in the UK from 6 April to the following 5
April.
Income Tax Rates 2007/8
Income tax: taxable bands / £ per year 2007-2008
Starting rate 10% / £0 - £2,230
Basic rate 22% / £2,231 - £34,600
Higher rate 40% / Over £34,600
Everyone who lives in the UK is entitled to an Income Tax
personal allowance. This is amount of income you can receive
each year without having to pay tax on it. Depending on your
circumstances, you may also be able to claim certain other
allowances. Personal tax allowance (age under 65) for tax
year 2007/2008 is £5,225
Getting a Tax Code
When you start working in the UK the Inland Revenue will assess
how you should be taxed. Once the Inland Revenue has assessed
your status they will issue a tax code to your employer that
tells them at what rate to deduct your tax. Until this tax
code is issued your employer is forced to deduct tax at the
emergency tax code denoted by the letters BR. Tax is then
deducted at 23% of your gross income.
When you start a new job, you usually give your new Employer
the P45 form (below: Leaving a job) that was given to you
by the previous Employer. Your new Employer uses the tax code
that the old employer used. If you leave a job before the
end of a tax year (5 April) and start your new job in the
next tax year, your employer may increase your tax code in
order to give you the new personal allowance for the new tax
year. There are a number of reasons why you may not have a
P45:
- You may not have worked before, or have been self-employed
- You may never have worked in the UK before
- Your previous employer may not have given you the P45
yet
- You may simply have lost it.
Whatever the reason, if you cannot give your new Employer
a P45, the Employer must give you a form P46 to complete.
Download
P46 form
You will receive a P2 coding notice from your Tax office giving
you a new tax code this explains how it is worked out. Your
Employer will also receive coding notice showing the same
tax code, with instructions to apply it to your next wage
or, and future wages after that.
Leaving a job
If you leave your job the Employer should provide you with
a P45 Form. Receiving it may take some time. This will be
issued to you when the Employers has calculated the monies
owed to you (i.e. monthly bonus, holiday pay etc.).
The P45 gives details of your Employer's tax office, Tax
reference number, Tax code and the total amount of pay and
tax deducted during the current tax year. If tax has been
deducted on the emergency code, the P45 will have an X in
the box marked week 1 or month 1 and there will not be any
details of pay or Tax. You should keep the P45 in case you
start work again.
If your Employer fails to give you a P45 after being asked
to do so, you should contact your tax office as they may encourage
your Employer to issue a P45.
End of tax year
If you are working for an Employer at the end of the financial
year which falls on 5 April, you will be issued with a P60
that records your total gross earnings and is proof of the
tax you have paid up to the end of that financial year. To
ensure your rebate is successful you must retain your P60
and submit it with your claim.
Getting overpaid tax back
To get your tax back, you need to fill in an R40 form which
is available from Inland Revenue offices or you can download
it from our site. Each tax year is treated as a separate claim
and you must submit all records of your income and tax for
the financial year of your claim (i.e. P45s, P60 etc.). You
have almost 6 years to claim your overpaid tax back. So for
the tax year that ended on 5 April 2000 you need to contact
your Tax Office by 31 January 2006.
Download
R40 Form | Download
Guidance Notes | Check
your year tax refund
Getting your tax back has nothing to do with your nationality
or residency status and depends entirely on whether or not
you have overpaid tax in the financial year.
P86 form
This form should be completed if you have come to the UK for
the first time or after a period of absence. It helps the
Tax office decide your residence status for income and capital
gains tax purposes and will help to give you the correct Income
Tax allowances and, if relevant, reviews your domicile position.
A P46 should also be submitted. Download
P86 Form
Need more information? Visit www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk
or www.hmrc.gov.uk
Do you want to know how much you would earn net?
Visit one of the on-line Net pay calculators www.listentotaxman.com
or www.itaccounting.co.uk/common/calculators/payroll.htm
(This net pay calculator can be used for estimating taxes
and net pay. This is only an approximation.)
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Worker Registration
www.workingintheuk.gov.uk
Since 1 May 2004, most nationals of the new member states
(except Cyprus and Malta) working in the UK are subject to
the Accession State Worker Registration Scheme. You are required
to register if you plan to work for more than one month for
an employer in the UK.
You will need to register with the Home Office if:
- You are a national of one of the new Member States (apart
from Malta and Cyprus) subject to the Worker Registration
Scheme
- And, you start a new job on or after 1 May 2004
- Or, you have been working in the UK before 1 May without
permission.
Click
here to check if you do not need to register
You should apply to register with the Worker Registration
Scheme as soon as you start a new job. If you do not apply
within one month of starting a job, your employment will be
illegal after that date. It will be illegal until you are
issued with a registration certificate and you may have to
stop working.
How to apply
Complete application form WRS giving your name, address, date
of birth, nationality and your employment details. To get
an application form and more information, telephone: 08705
210 224 or download it from Home Office website: www.workingintheuk.gov.uk
If this is your first application, you must send
with it:
- A letter from your employer confirming the start date
of your employment
- Two passport-size photographs
- Your passport or ID card (original document – must
not be a copy)
- Payment of £70.
You can pay by UK cheque, UK postal order (at the Post
Office) or by credit or debit card. You must not send
cash. A postal order is the quickest and the most common
way to pay. Cheques and postal orders should be made payable
to: Home Office, Work Permits (UK).
Your form MUST then be sent to:
Worker Registration Team
Home Office
Walsall Road
Cannock
WS11 0JA
Please use Recorded Delivery.
What happens next?
If your application is successful, you will get the following
papers:
Registration Card
- Includes your name, date of birth, nationality, your photograph
and a unique reference number
- Registration Certificate (in the form of a letter) this
authorises you to work for the employer named in your application
and expires on the date you stop working for that employer
- Your employer will get a copy of this certificate
- Your Passport or ID card.
Make sure to keep the registration card and certificate in
a safe place.
You will receive a letter in cases where there is something
missing in your application. If your application is not successful,
you will receive a letter of refusal and return your passport
or ID card. In this case Home Office will refund your payment
in full and also send a copy of the refusal letter to your
employer. Depending on the season of the year, it may take
up to 6 weeks to receive the document above. Please be patient.
Changing job
If you change jobs, you must apply again for a registration
certificate to be authorised to work for your new employer.
You should use the application form WRS however you do not
have to pay a fee or send your Passport or National ID card.
What you must do is quote the reference number on your registration
card and provide details of your new employer. You will be
issued with a new certificate naming your new employer. You
should keep the new certificate together with original certificate
and photo registration card.
Permit of Residence
Once you have been working legally in the UK for 12 months
without a break (not be out of work for more than a total
of 30 days in a 12 month period) you will have full rights
of free movement and will no longer need to register on the
Worker Registration scheme. You can then get an EEA residence
permit confirming your right to live and work in the UK.
You will need your Registration Certificates and other evidence
of employment to show 12 months' uninterrupted employment.
You can get application forms from the Application Forms Unit:
Telephone: 0870 241 0645
Text-phone service: 0800 3898289
Or visit: www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
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National Insurance
National Insurance is a scheme where people in work make
payments towards benefits and the costs of the National Health
Service (NHS). The payments are called National Insurance
Contributions. The National Insurance scheme is administered
by the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Your National Insurance Number (NI Number) is used by employers
for the deduction of Tax and NI Contributions. It is then
used to identify you to the Inland Revenue who will correctly
record your National Insurance Contributions. You will need
to apply for an NI number as soon as possible after you begin
work in the UK. You need to ensure that you inform your Employer
of your NI number for taxation purposes.
To apply for an NI number you will need to make an appointment
at the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) - local Jobcentre
Plus or Social Security office.
The interview will usually be on a one-to-one basis (unless,
for example, you require an interpreter). At the interview
you will need to provide proof of your identity. These are
some of the papers you can use to help prove your identity.
You will need to provide as much information as possible to
confirm your identity. We cannot usually accept photocopies:
The interviewer will ask you questions about your background
and circumstances (i.e. how and when you arrived in the UK,
who you worked for, where you lived etc.). It can be a lengthy
process so be prepared. You will not be issued with a number
until the office is satisfied that you have proved your identity.
Some people may have problems because they do not have the
documents usually accepted as evidence.
After successful interview, you will receive your NI number
and NI card in the post. It can take up to 3 months. You should
quote this permanent NI number to your employer. A National
Insurance number card (NI card) is not proof of your identity;
it is just a reminder of your National Insurance number. However,
if you lose your National Insurance number card, you should
report this to the benefits office or Inland Revenue (NI contributions)
office. You will have to fill in a form to get a replacement
card. You are only allowed one replacement card.
If you change your name - for example, you get married or
divorced, you should return your NI card to the nearest Benefits
Office to enable you to apply for a new card. If you move
address, become widowed, get married, etc., you should also
inform the benefits office or HMRC (NI contributions) office.
This helps them to get in touch with you if required. It also
means they can contact you about claiming State Retirement
Pension just before you reach state retirement age.
To book an appointment for an NI number interview you need
to locate the nearest Job Centre run by the Department for
Works and Pensions. You can do this by CLICKING
HERE
The DWP's website offers more information specifically relating
to National Insurance at:
www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/ni_number.asp
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