Living and working in the UK

1
Living and working in the UK
Susan Oyston UK EURES Adviser Cork CIT 12th
November 2008
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
2
Living and working in the UK

• Working in the UK
• Employment law
• Living in the UK
• Looking for work

3
Working in the UK
4
Economic downturn in the UK impact on
construction industry

• UK like rest of Europe is officially in recession
• Housing industry badly hit trades people
  hardest hit (i.e. bricklayers etc)
• Large projects still ongoing i.e. road
  building, Olympics 2012, Thames Gateway etc
• Still have skills shortages in Project Managers,
  Civil Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Estimators
  etc

5
EURES website

• Find a job search the vacancies in all EURES
  countries
• CV-online - register your CV for employers to
  see
• EURES advisers details of 700 EURES
  advisers
• www.eures.europa.eu

6
EURES website

• Living and Working information
• accommodation and taxes
• cost of living
• health, education and social information
• comparing qualifications.
• labour market information - by country and
  region
• Learning
• education and training opportunities in Europe
• universities and colleges

7
Jobcentre Plus

• Strongly advise people not to come to the UK
• if they do not have a job to start
• Search for jobs online
• Call the telephone jobs service, Jobseeker
  Direct 44 (0) 845 6060 234
• Jobcentre Plus offices are self-service with
  Jobpoint computers
• www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

8
Looking for work

• UK newspapers have internet jobs sites
• Visit company websites for job vacancies, company
  application forms and company information
• Private agencies many are registered with the
  Recruitment and Employment Confederation
• www.rec.uk.com

9
Employment law in the UK
10
Employment conditions and law

• National Minimum Wage is
• 5.73 per hour for over 22 years, (229 per week
  for 40hrs / 275)
• 4.77 per hour 18 21 years approx (191 per
  week / 229)
• Working week on average is 37- 48 hours
• Minimum holiday is 4.8 weeks (24 days if you work
  a 5 day week)
• Your wage is usually paid monthly into a bank
  account in arrears
• 20 minute rest break is allowed if you work more
  than 6 hours each day
• www.berr.gov.uk
  www.acas.org.uk
• National Minimum Wage Helpline 0845 600 0678

11
Useful sites

• Trade Union Congress http//www.tuc.org.uk help
  with employment questions, disputes, trade
  unions, health and safety at work etc.
• Her Majestys Revenue Customs
  http//www.hmrc.gov.uk help with tax, national
  insurance, working contracts and hours etc
• Health Safety Executive http//www.hse.gov.uk
  help with safety and guidance at work etc.
• Direct Gov http//www.direct.gov.uk this is the
  central site for all of the UKs public services,
  includes information on health, driving in the
  UK, education, jobs, local councils, housing etc.

12
Income Tax

• Tax is deducted from wages every week or month
• Tax is 20 of gross income
• 40 on earnings of over 36,000 (43,200)
• Self-employed people pay their own tax
• www.hmrc.gov.uk

13
Council Tax

• Council Tax is paid to the council where you
  live, to pay for local services
• The amount you pay depends on your accommodation
  and family circumstances. Council tax for an
  average property is approximately 100 per month
  (120)
• Council Tax may be included in your rent. Check
  with your landlord

14
National Insurance

• National Insurance is deducted from wages (11)
• The amount you pay depends on how much you earn
• Self-employed people must pay their own National
  Insurance

15
National Insurance numbers

• Everyone working in the UK has a National
  Insurance number (NI No.)
• You must apply for a number when you start work
• If you have worked in the UK before, you do not
  need a new number
• Phone [phone] to apply (Great Britain)
• In Northern Ireland, contact the Jobcentre
• www.dwp.gov.uk

16
Example of weekly earnings

• If you earn 229 (275) p/w, your employer will
  deduct approx
• Income Tax 25 (32)
• National Insurance 14 (17)
• You will receive 190 (233)
• Living expenses could include
• Rent (room) 40 (48)
• Council Tax 25 (30)
• Travel 10 (12)
• Food / entertainment 50 (60)
• but you may have to spend more particularly
  in London!

17
Living in the UK
18
Accommodation

• Flats furnished and unfurnished 350 - 600
  per month (420 - 720) based on 1.20 exchange
  rate to
• Houses - furnished and unfurnished450 - 700
  per month (540 - 840)
• Rooms 200 - 350 per month (240 - 420)
• You pay one months rent before you move in and
  usually 1 months deposit
• Large cities are more expensive and accommodation
  can be difficult to find

19
Shopping basket(based on exchange rate of 1.20
- )

• Bread 1.30 1.56
• Milk 3.41litres 1.90 2.28
• Sandwich 3.00 3.60
• Cup of coffee 1.80 2.16
• Cigarettes 6.50 7.80
• Pint of beer in pub 3.50 4.20
• Chocolate bar 0.75 0.90
• Fish and chips 7.00 7.75
• Cinema ticket 8.00 8.40
• Short bus journey 1.50 1.80
• Football match 15 - 100 18 120

20
Health

• You need a European Health Insurance Card
  (EHIC) to use the UK National
  Health Service (NHS)
• You can see an NHS doctor without paying
• You can get NHS hospital treatment without paying
• Prescribed medicines cost 7.10 (8.52) per item
• You will have to pay for spectacles and dental
  treatment
• www.dh.gov.uk NHS
  Direct 0845 46 47

21
Looking for work in the UK
22
Curriculum Vitae - CV

• A CV helps you get an interview not a job
• Keep it simple 1or 2 sides of A4 paper
• Do not use handwriting or include photographs
• Employers read CVs for 20 seconds it must make
  a quick impression
• Prepare a new CV for each job application to
  match the job description
• Access Jobcentre Plus website www.jobcentreplus.go
  v.uk for examples of Graduate level cvs and
  covering letters

23
Any questions?

• Name Susan Oyston
• Regional EURES Adviser
• Location South East (Dover, Kent)
• Phone [phone]
• Email susan.oyston_at_jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk