Living and working in the UK

1
Living and working in the UK
Alison Carmichael UK EURES Adviser June 2009
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
2
United Kingdom

• England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Population - 61 million
• Language - English
• Welsh is spoken in some parts of Wales

3
Northern Ireland

• Northern Ireland is part of the UK. The public
  employment service is
• The Department for Employment and Learning
  (DEL)
• www.jobcentreonline.com
• The Republic of Ireland is not part of the
  UK.The public employment service is
• FAS - the Training and Employment Authority
• www.fas.ie

4
The UK Economy and Labour Market

• Unemployment rate 7.1
• Highest redundancy figures since records began in
  1995
• Service and financial sectors performing badly
• UK job vacancies down 31 on same period last
  year

5
Shortage Occupations

• Opportunities vary across the country, but
  include
• Construction middle upper management roles i.e.
  Quantity Surveyors, Estimators, Project Managers
• Opportunities are mainly in London South East
• Dentists, Pharmacists, Specialist Nurses and Vets
• Physicists, geologists and meteorologists
• Biological scientists/Pharmaceutical vacancies
• Civil/Chemical Engineers and Engineering
  technicians
• Care Assistants/Chefs

6
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 750 EURES
  advisers
• www.eures.europa.eu

7
Jobcentre Plus

• Strongly advise people not to come to the UK
• if they do not have a job to start
• Good English is essential to work in the UK
• 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
  www.wrx.zen.co.uk
• 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 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
• 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

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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/migrantworkers/index.htm
• 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.

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Income Tax

• Tax is deducted from wages every week or month
• Tax is 20 of gross income
• 40 on earnings of over 36,000
• Self-employed people pay their own tax
• P86 form on entry to UK, P85 on exit to claim tax
  refund
• 
  www.hmrc.gov.uk/migrantworkers/index.htm

12
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
• Council Tax may be included in your rent. Check
  with your landlord

13
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

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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

15
Workers Registration Scheme

• You must register within 30 days of starting work
• Registration costs 90
• Guidance in other languages available
• www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

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Example of weekly earnings

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

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E-forms (most commonly used)

• European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles
  you to receive state-provided healthcare in the
  EEA. Replacement for Form E111.
• E101 if you are an employee working in two or
  more countries in the EEA.
• E301 record of your social security
  contributions which can be used to assess your
  entitlement to benefits in another country.
• E303 use to transfer your claim to unemployment
  benefit from one country to another within the
  EEA.

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Accommodation

• Flats one bedroomed furnished and unfurnished
  400 - 550 per month
• Houses one bedroomed - furnished and
  unfurnished450 - 700 per month
• Rooms 250 - 400 per month
• 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

• Bread 1.00
• Milk 3.41litres 1.90
• Sandwich 2.50
• Cup of coffee 1.80
• Cigarettes 5.50
• Pint of beer in pub 3.00
• Chocolate bar 0.60
• Fish and chips 5.50
• Cinema ticket 6.00
• Short bus journey 1.50
• Football match 15 - 100

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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 per item
• You will have to pay for spectacles and dental
  treatment
• www.dh.gov.uk NHS
  Direct 0845 46 47

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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

22
Application forms

• Many companies use application forms instead of
  a CV and most large companies now use online
  application forms
• Read the form carefully
• Follow the instructions
• Photocopy the form and practice filling it in
• Write a short letter to support your application

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Application letters

• Send a short letter with your CV or application
  form
• 1 page typed in English
• Explain why you have the right skills for the job
• Explain why you want to work for the company
• Write a new letter for each application so it
  matches the job description
• Say when you are available to start

24
Interviews

• Interviews are usually formal
• There may be more than one person interviewing
  you
• Find out as much as you can about the company
• Always dress smartly

25
Graduates

• Good written and spoken English is essential
• It is hard to find media jobs
• Competition is very high
• Graduate vacancies are declining (more
  competition)
• Many employers do not understand foreign
  qualifications
• The UK does not have many work placement
  opportunities
• www.prospects.ac.uk

26
Qualifications and degrees

• Qualifications can differ in each European
  country
• Some qualifications are recognised across the
  Europe
• Some professional people must apply for UK
  recognition
• The National Academic Recognition Information
  Centre, NARIC can compare your qualifications.
  You will need to pay for this service.
• www.naric.org.uk

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Any questions?

• Alison Carmichael EURES Adviser
• Location Scotland
• Phone [phone] E-mail
  alison.carmichael _at_jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk