The United Kingdom was once the greatest empire on Earth. At the beginning of the twentieth century, its domain extended to about 35 million square kilometers (twice the size of Russia and almost 4 times bigger than the United States).

Even though that mighty power is gone, the UK still preserves that royal mystique and soft power, remaining as a global power and the leader of the Commonwealth.

In the UK you will find a Royal family, great castles, tea parties, good scotch and some locations where history was made hundreds of years ago when knights and kings were at the peak of their power.

Also, this country is one of the best places to do business and live in Europe. British people enjoy a high standard of living, a solid economy and a perfect combination of urbanism and nature.

That’s why in Mundo we love the United Kingdom. Its high standard of living, ancient mystique and highly profitable business opportunities creates an irresistible option to relocate and do business.

In our United Kingdom Country Page you will find all you need to know about doing business there. However, it's necessary to create a practical guide that orientates people who are looking to move to the UK.

After consulting friends and partners and with a proper investigation, in Mundo we are proud to present you this ultimate guide. Here you will find all a Non-UK domiciled family needs to do in order to relocate to the UK.

Why the United Kingdom?

The United Kingdom is the ideal place for someone who loves a daily multicultural experience. If you go to a pub, you may meet people from many parts of the world, from Americans to Russians and Indians. It's kind of the magic of living in a metropolis, such as London.

In the countryside you will find green and humid areas, forests, valleys and extraordinary landscapes that will make you feel in the medieval age, when knights and kings governed England from their castles and palaces. This extraordinary topography is one of the main attractions. On the coast you may find some big cities, such as Liverpool, birthplace of The Beatles, the mythic Glasgow or Birmingham.

Also, the UK has one of the highest Human Development Index on the planet, a HDI even higher than the United States and New Zealand, a proof of the great level of prosperity and high standard of living in this European country.

England is the birthplace of soccer, or football, as British people call it. So in every small or large town you will see a soccer team. Many of them are amateur and play in one of the dozens amateur leagues organized by the Football Association. 

The FA Premier League is the first division in English football, the league that takes all the spotlights and astronomical amounts of money in Transmission rights. In the Premier League you will see some of the biggest football stars in the planet, such as the FIFA World Cup winners Paul Pogba and NGolo Kanté, play every Saturday in amazing crowded stadiums, creating an unique experience for football lovers.

Go to a pub and drink a 18-year Scotch whisky, enjoy a unique night watching a UEFA Champions League match at Old Trafford, called the Theatre of Dreams, or visit a castle where knights and kings used to live. These are some of the reasons that are waiting for you in the United Kingdom, one of the best places to live in the old continent.

Visas and Settlement

One of the first things you need to know when looking to relocate to the United Kingdom is how to arrange your visa. The visa type will depend on your country of origin, your skills and if you intend to invest in the country. 

For example, Commonwealth citizens may be eligible for the Ancestry Visa if one of their grandparents were born in the UK. The visa is the first step towards applying for permanent residence (also called an “Indefinite Leave to Remain”) that will allow you to live in the UK indefinitely. Below, we will give you a brief explanation of some of the most common visa types and what is needed to apply for them.

Investors Visa

This type of Visa (sometimes known as a Tier 1 visa) is designed for people who want to invest at least £2,000,000 GBP in the United Kingdom. The process costs £1,623 GBP and you can pay an extra £500 for the priority service to get a decision within 5 working days.

You can come to the UK with a Investor visa for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months. Also, you can extend it for another two years. Depending on the amount of investment, eligibility for settling comes earlier:

-2 years if you invest £10 million

-3 years if you invest £5 million

-5 years if you invest £2 million

This visa also allows you to work and study.

Skilled Workers Visa

The Skilled Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to work with an approved employer. For applying for this visa you will need a “certificate of sponsorship” from your employer, be paid at least minimum salary and do a job that is among the eligible occupations.

Also you must have good English proficiency, being able to speak, read, write and understand the language. This Visa can be approved up to a 5-years extension, being possible for extending it as many times as you like, as long as you are eligible.

After five years, you may be eligible for settling permanently in the country, giving you the right to live, work and study in the United Kingdom as long as you wish.

Other Visas

The United Kingdom has lots of Visa types like Global Talent, Tourist or the Ancestry Visa. Each type has its requirements and may or may not allow you to apply for settlement after five years.

In order to know your case and the visa type that may suit you, you can request a consultation with our partners, a long-standing firm that has wide experience advising new expats in the UK.

Housing

Most families in the United Kingdom live in houses, varying from luxurious villas to modest apartments. However, this country faces a chronic housing shortage that makes owning a property an unaffordable issue for many families.

The worst housing shortages are concentrated in southeastern English cities, such as London and Brighton. However, cities like Edinburgh and York have also been affected by this issue.

Naturally, the most expensive renting prices are in highly populated cities, such as London, where renting a 2-bedroom apartment can vary between 2,500 to 2,800 GBP per month. Renting costs are much lower in small towns.

If you are looking to buy a property, you should know that properties in London had an overall average price of 675,000 GBP in 2020, up to 5% compared to 2019 and 9% compared to 2018. Investing in real estate in the UK can be a great bet because of the chronic housing shortages in some parts of the country.

The Path Towards British Citizenship

Some time after settling (also called Indefinite Leave to Remain) you and your family may be able to get British citizenship. This step comes at least 12 months after you have receiving Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Normally you will have been in the UK for more than 5 years. In order to be eligible, you need to:

-Prove you were in the UK exactly 5 years before applying for citizenship.

-Prove your abilities in the English language

-Intend to continue living in the UK

-Be “of good character”, according to the naturalisation guidance standards.

-Pass the Life in the UK test.

Application costs £1,330 and you must also pay an additional fee of £19.20 to have your biometric data taken (photo and fingerprints).

Taxation

The UK is a high tax jurisdiction but it has a special regime for Non-Domiciled Individuals living in the UK.

It is known as the “remittance basis” – an individual is taxed on non-UK income and gains only when he brings them into the UK.

The rules are complex and professional advice should be taken so that you can maximise the benefits.

Moving from one country to another can show up tax opportunities and tax traps.

Early advice can identify these and allow you to plan for them before you move.

You can request a consultation with our partners, a long-standing tax consultancy firm with experience of advising clients moving from one country to another.

Useful Information

Open a bank account

One of the first things you may need when getting to the UK is a bank account. There are tons of options to choose from, such as: HSBC, NatWest, Nationwide, Barclays and Lloyds TSB, great banks that will allow you to make payments, have debit or credit cards, save money and other financial services. We will give you a brief explanation of some of the most important banks:

Barclays

This is one of the biggest banks in the UK. It offers a full set of financial services to individuals and companies. Here you can open different types of current and savings accounts, depending on your profile.

Also, Barclays offers current accounts to children (11-15 yrs) or young people (16-17), a useful option if you want to teach your sons or daughters how to manage money and become financially independent.

HSBC

HSBC is another major British banking institution. This bank has branches in more than 80 countries and is popular among expats due to its global reach. 

HSBC offers eight free current accounts. Some of them offer perks like worldwide travel insurance. Also, its clients can open a foreign currency savings account in 14 currencies, ideal if you travel a lot. Also, HSBC has low international payment options.

Lloyds

Lloyds is the largest retail bank in the UK. It offers 8 types of current accounts, saving accounts and platinum accounts with insurance benefits or credit interest offerings.

This bank also offers international accounts for non-residents and for people who need access to foreign markets. In order to open this, you need to have a minimum annual income of £25,000 GBP.

International banks

There are many foreign banks with operations in the UK, like Santander, Bank of America or Citibank, that you can choose from if you don’t want to have an account in a local bank.

Arrange childcare

Childcare is easily accessible in the UK and there are many options to choose from. You can hire a nanny, a childminder or get your kids to a child center. Depending on your budget and childcare, consider your alternatives carefully.

For example, hiring a nanny would mean a £250-500 weekly bill, plus tax and national insurance. The perk is that the nanny would be with your kids at home. Childminders are self-employed child carers who look after children in their own home. They must be legally registered and can be an option to look out for your kids after school or on holidays.

About us

The United Kingdom is one of the best places to live. Economic stability and a high standard of living are some of the great things this country has to offer.

You can have your dreams come true today by moving with your family to the United Kingdom. Our partners are a long-standing firm in the UK. Our wide team of experts can advise you in every step of the process of arranging visas, creating bank accounts, arranging childcare.

Move to the United Kingdom with Mundo. Contact us now!

Contact us