Information

 

What do I need to know to live in the UK?

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Here you have our“top 10 tips”for your first few months in the UK:

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1. Accommodation– Can be very expensive - consider cheaper options to start with: host a room in a shared house with Spare Room, look at the facebook groups in your area (for example this group for East London) it is also cheap to be a guardian. For newcomers, LHA hostels provide food and accommodation in exchange for 20 hours of work, which can be a good way to learn English. https://lhalondon.com/volunteers/

2. Transportation– To save, buy a network railcard. To receive discounts, book well in advance, use train line, and avoid off-peak fares.

3. Banks- To open an account in most banks, you need two things - your passport and some proof of your address (your rental agreement or an invoice, for example for council tax). Sometimes it is easier to open an account from your country before traveling - see this article. There are also alternatives like MONZO where you can open an account from your mobile phone https://monzo.com/ or REVOLUT.

4. Internet and phones- It is important to choose options that give you good service for a good price. Lages like Compare the Market can help you look at different options.

5. Doctors– In the United Kingdom, medical care is free. To get access you have to register with a general practitioner (GP). To find your nearest GP service use this page

6. Cultural openness- The United Kingdom has many free parks and museums, take the opportunity to learn and enjoy. For example with Time out you can see all the free events and exhibitions in your city.

7. Buy food- It is possible to eat well in the UK but you have to know where to go! Some supermarkets are cheaper than others, for example Asda, Aldi, Lidl and Morrisons. After a certain hour some perishables can be found that are 90% off.

8. Take care of your well-being and find new friends. Some of the best ways to do this are to play sports, go to church, or look for free courses at your library or community center.

9. Latino support services- For example  Facebook pages such as Mundo Hispano and Latinos en Londres.

10. Advice and support - In order to provide you with a more timely and immediate service, please contact directly the organizations in the following areas of advice:

• Indoamerican Refugee Migrant Organization (IRMO) http://irmo.org.uk/ Email:  info@irmo.org.uk Telephone: +44 7422 667327

• Latin American Disabled People's Project (LADPP) http://www.ladpp.org.uk/ Email: ladpp@ladpp.org.uk Telephone: 020 7793 8399

• Latin American Women's Rights Service (LAWRS)  https://espanol.lawrs.org.uk/ Email: info@lawrs.org.uk Telephone: 0808 145 4909

• Latin American House (LAH) http://www.casalatina.org.uk/en/ Email: info@casalatina.org.uk Telephone: 020 7372 8653

• Latin American Women's Aid (LAWA) https://lawadv.org.uk/es/ Email: info@lawadv.org.uk Telephone: 020 7275 0321

• Latin Elephant (LE) https://latinelephant.org Email: info@latinelephant.org

• Voices Friends of Hope UK (VOADES) https://www.voades.org.uk/ Email: info@voades.org.uk Telephone: Spanish: 02077330471 / Portuguese: 02070787676

• Latin American Support Network (LASNET) Greater Manchester only http://www.lasnet.org.uk/ Email: info@lasnet.org.uk Phone:  07816963344 / 07843110759
   

In case of an EMERGENCY please contact the following organizations:

• Refugee Council: https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/

• The Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org.uk/

• Salvation Army: https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/

• Food Banks: https://www.peabody.org.uk/resident-services/benefits-and-budgeting/food-banks

* If your life is at risk, call the police on 999 (available 24 hours a day), or the National Domestic Violence Helpline toll-free on 0808 2000247 (interpreters available).

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Info Latinos offers a free Support network for Latinos coming to the UK.

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