Finance

Managing your money, it won’t take you long to get used to the currency of pounds here. Once you are in the UK, you should set up a bank account, so we can pay your salary into it. You’ll also need to get a National Insurance number and pay tax to the British Government to help fund vital services. Here are a couple of useful links that will help you manage your money and understand the different ways you can pay for things:

www.payyourway.org.uk/ways-pay

www.xe.com/currency/gbp-british-pound

Opening a bank account

You can set up a current bank account online, by phone or visiting a nearby bank or building society. Once we have your details, we can then start paying your salary into your account. And you’ll be able to pay your bills with it and keep track of your money. We suggest you visit your local bank or building society and take your passport and a utility bill with your home address on it to open an account. For more advice, talk to your care home team or visit:

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/banking/getting-a-bank-account

Getting your National Insurance number

Your National Insurance number may be printed on the back of your biometric residence permit (BRP). If not, you’ll need to apply for one. When you know your National Insurance number, you should tell us what it is and show us the relevant documents. To learn more and apply for your National Insurance number go to:

www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number

Paying tax

You’ll probably need to pay income tax and National Insurance while you work in the UK. You can discover more about our tax system at these links:

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs

www.gov.uk/topic/personal-tax/income-tax

www.gov.uk/national-insurance

HC-One PAYE reference numbers

HC-One 120 TA63633

Meridian 582 T384

Beamish 465 KA14190

Beamish Dom Care 465 SA51215

RV Care 475 SB68198

RV Extra Care 120 RB68203

Tax office phone numbers

PAYE Queries 0300 200 3300

NI Queries 0300 200 3500

Healthcare

Looking after your health

Passionate about providing the kindest possible care, our compassionate care comes from the heart. As well as looking after our residents, you’ll need to make sure you look after your health and register with the NHS and a local doctor, dentist, and optician.

Visit the relevant links online below whether you’ve made England, Wales, or Scotland your home.

How to access NHS healthcare in the UK

Most workers in the UK are able to access NHS healthcare and hospital treatments. Now that you’ve moved to the UK you’ll need to register. The registration process is slightly different in England, Wales and Scotland. Just visit the relevant link to read more:

NHS England www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/uk-visitors/Pages/access-services-in-England.aspx

NHS Wales www.wales.nhs.uk

NHS Scotland www.scot.nhs.uk

Registering with a doctor

You’ll also need to register with a local GP (General Practitioner) practice. Here a team of doctors and nurses can provide you with health advice and deal with your everyday health needs. Again, the registration process is different for England, Scotland and Wales. You can read more and find your local GP practice using these links:

England www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/doctors/Pages/NHSGPs.aspx

Wales www.wales.nhs.uk

Scotland www.nhsinform.scot/national-service-directory/gp-practices

Registering with a dentist

You should also look after your teeth and register with a dental practice near your home or work. For more information about dental charges and to find an NHS dentist in your area, visit the relevant link:

England www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/dentists/Pages/find-an-NHS-dentist.aspx

Wales www.wales.nhs.uk

Scotlandwww.nhsinform.scot/national-service-directory/dental-services

Registering with an optician

To find a local optician who will provide you with eye tests and prescription glasses, visit the link in the country you live in.

England www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Opticians/LocationSearch/9

Wales www.wales.nhs.uk

Scotlandwww.nhsinform.scot/national-service-directory/opticians

Emergency Services

What to do in an emergency

The UK is a fairly safe place to live. But it’s important to know who to contact if there is an accident or you need to call for emergency assistance. Here’s a quick guide, so you know who to call and what number to ring.

Emergency services – call 999

In the UK, there are four emergency services you can contact one phone number. Simply call 999 to contact an emergency control centre and receive support from the police, fire brigade, ambulance service or coastguard. You can call for free even if your mobile is locked.

Emergency services – call 112

This is an alternative to 999 where you’ll speak to the same emergency control centre. You can call 112 on your mobile anywhere in the world to contact emergency services in that country, so you don’t need to remember emergency services numbers for different countries. Again, you can call for free even if your mobile is locked.

Police non-emergency number – 101

You should use this number to contact the police if it’s not an emergency and you don’t need an immediate response. Such as your car has been stolen or your property has been damaged.

Non-life-threatening medical conditions – 111

If you’re worried about an urgent medical issue, you can call the free NHS helpline 111. You’ll talk to a trained adviser who can pass you on to medical professionals. If your health needs aren’t urgent, you should contact your GP or local pharmacist. Use the following links to read more about the 111 service and find your local pharmacist:

www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/Emergencyandurgentcareservices/Pages/NHS-111.aspx

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http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk

www.nhsinform.scot/national-service-directory/pharmacies

Urgent and emergency care services in England

For more information about what to do in an emergency, please visit this link:

www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/Emergencyandurgentcareservices/Pages/respondingto-emergencies-FAQ.aspx

Safe Living

Staying safe in the UK

Britain is a fairly safe place to live. Violent crime is quite rare, but crimes do happen. We want you to feel safe living in the UK.

So, here are some top tips that will help you minimise risks:

• Try not to carry large amounts of money or show off costly items like watches and mobile phones

• Make sure you don’t stand out or look like a tourist, especially in busy cities

• Don’t carry bags or a rucksack behind you, especially in crowded areas in cities where pickpockets tend to be

• Keep your passport, travel tickets and visa documents safe when you carry them, ideally in a pouch, money belt or inside pocket

• Never leave valuables on show in your car or a room in a hotel or hostel

• At night, try and walk in busy, well-lit places with lots of people around

• If you use public transport at night, try to sit close to the driver or in a carriage with other passengers

• Listen to the advice of local people and don’t go to areas they say are unsafe to go.

Visit this link for more crime prevention advice: www.police.uk/crime-prevention-advice

Climate

Adapting to the weather

The British weather is incredibly varied. You can have sun, rain and snow all in the same day! It can also vary locally with big differences in the weather between the south of England and north of Scotland. The warmest months in the UK are June to August (summer) with the coldest months November to February (winter).

UK

Warmest month on average August Coldest month on average February Driest month on average July Wettest month on average December Pleasant average temperature July & August

Culture & Useful

Getting to know the culture

The UK is a great place to live and work. You’ll find most of the people here friendly and welcoming. And wherever you live, there will be plenty to see and do.

The UK is very diverse and cosmopolitan. There are restaurants to suit all tastes. There are lots of sports and leisure activities from swimming pools to sports centres. And there are all kinds of places to live and visit from large cities to seaside towns to small villages in the countryside. To help you understand the culture, feel at home and find the information you need, we’ve gathered some importanttips and links for you.

The time differences

You should set your watch to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). You also need to know that at British Summer Time the clocks go forward an hour in March, and then go back an hour in October. You can read more about clock changes and the exact days the changes happen at:

www.gov.uk/when-do-the-clocks-change

UK culture

Famous for arts, sports, innovation and science, the UK has a rich history and culture. You can quickly read more about the UK’s diverse culture from the Queen and London to the Beetles and Manchester United at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_the_United_Kingdom

UK electricity

If you bring something electric with you, you’ll need to use a power plug adapter in UK and be careful with certain appliances because of the difference in frequency. You can learn more about English power plugs and sockets at:

www.power-plugs-sockets.com/ph/england

Driving in the UK

The first thing you’ll notice is that the cars in the UK drive on the left side of the road. To see if you can drive in Britain with your current licence, use this online tool: www.gov.uk/driving-nongb-licence Check before you start driving!

Legal advice

Want to know more about your rights, the law and UK justice system?

Visit: www.gov.uk/browse/justice

Shopping in the UK

You’ll find lots of great places to shop in Britain from small local markets to busy high streets to gigantic shopping centres. Many people get their groceries from one of the UK’s big supermarkets.

You can read more about them at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_supermarket_chains_in_the_United_Kingdom

Places to visit in the UK

Whether you want to see a castle, go to a museum, climb a mountain or travel on a rollercoaster, you can visit all kinds of attractions in the UK. These links are a good place to start.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk, www.english-heritage.org.uk

www.daysout.co.uk/FindAttraction

Religion in the UK

England, Scotland and Wales are multi-faith countries. Christianity is the majority religion in the UK, followed by Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism. Whether you’re Roman Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist or Muslim, there are plenty of places to go to church or worship. You can discover more at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_United_Kingdom

Government & politics in the UK

The UK is a democracy with MPs representing their local people at the Houses of Parliament in London. You can read more about all of the main political parties at:

www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/parties

Community groups in the UK

There are lots of community groups in the UK. You can quickly find a group online using the link:

www.gov.uk/find-a-community-support-group-or-organisation

Libraries in the UK

Register at your local library and you’ll be able to borrow and read thousands of books.

You can find your local library at: www.gov.uk/local-library-services

Citizen’s Advice

If you ever need to talk to somebody about family, housing, financial or immigration issues, Citizen’s Advice provides free, independent and confidential advice.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk