Living and Working in Britain: A Survival Handbook

by David Hampshire

Overview

Written in an entertaining style, Living and Working in Britain is designed to provide newcomers with the practical information necessary for a relatively trouble-free life. It contents include finding a job, permits & visas, health, accommodation, finance, insurance, education, shopping, post office and telephone services, public transport, motoring, TV and radio, leisure, sports and much, much more. It is packed with essential information and insider tips to help minimize culture shock and reduce the newcomers rookie period to a minimum. Living and Working in Britain has been written to meet the needs of anyone wishing to know the essentials of British life – however long your intended stay, you’ll find the information contained in this book invaluable.

General information isn’t difficult to find in Britain; however, reliable and current information specifically intended for foreigners living and working in Britain isn’t so easy to find, least of all in one volume. Our aim in publishing this book is to help fill this void, and provide the comprehensive, practical information necessary to help you feel at home. You may have visited Britain as a tourist, but living and working there is a different matter altogether. Adjusting to a different environment and culture and making a home in any foreign country can be a traumatic and stressful experience – and Britain is no exception. Living and Working in Britain is the most up to date source of general information available for foreigners in Britain. It isn’t, however, simply a monologue of dry facts and figures, but a practical and entertaining look at life in Britain.

              First published in 1991 and now in its 9th (ninth) edition, Living and Working in Britain is the only up to date book currently published for those planning to live or work in Britain (the United Kingdom). It contains up to twice as much information as similar books and is essential reading for newcomers.

            

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781909282872
Publisher:	Survival Books, Ltd
Publication date:	08/01/2017
Series:	Living and Working
Edition description:	Ninth Edition
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

David Hampshire

David Hampshire’s career has taken him around the world and he lived and worked in many countries before taking up writing full-time in the ‘80s. He’s the author, co-author or editor of some 25 titles, including Living and Working in London, Living and Working in France, Living and Working in Spain, Living and Working in Australia, Living and Working in Canada and Living and Working in Amerca, plus numerous books about London. David was born in Surrey (England) and lived and worked in London for many years. He now lives in Bath (Somerset) in England

Table of Contents

1.	Finding a Job	19
	Immigration	20
	Employment Prospects	20
	Unemployment	21
	Age Discrimination	22
	Changing Workforce	22
	Education & Training	22
	Working Hours	23
	Commuting	23
	Industrial Relations	24
	Britain & The European Union	24
	Qualifications	25
	Government Employment Service	26
	Recruitment Consultants	27
	Contract Jobs	28
	Part-Time Jobs	29
	Temporary & Casual Jobs	29
	Holiday & Short-Term Jobs	31
	Voluntary Work	32
	Working Women	33
	Job Hunting	34
	Salaries	36
	Self-Employment	37
	Trainees & Work Experience	40
	Agricultural Workers Scheme	41
	Au Pairs	42
	Working Illegally	43
	Language	44
2.	Employment Conditions	47
	Terms Of Employment	48
	Contract Of Employment	52
	Employment Conditions	54
3.	Permits & Visas	73
	Entry Clearance	75
	Work Permits	80
	Settlement	96
	Deportation	97
4.	Arrival	99
	Immigration	100
	Entry Refusal	101
	Passport Stamps	103
	Customs	103
	Police Registration	107
	Council Tax Registration	108
	Embassy Registration	108
	Finding Help	108
	Checklists	109
5.	Accommodation	113
	Relocation Consultants	115
	Buying Property	117
	Rented Accommodation	119
	Utilities	124
	Heating	134
6.	Postal Services	137
	Business Hours	139
	Letter Post	139
	Important, Valuable Or Urgent Post	142
	Parcel Post	144
	Post Collection	147
	Change Of Address	147
	Postal Orders	148
	National Savings Accounts	149
7.	Telephone	151
	Telephone Companies	152
	Phone Installation & Registration	153
	Choosing A Phone	154
	Standard Tones	155
	Using The Telephone	156
	BT Calling Features	158
	Information & Entertainent	160
	BT Call Rates	161
	BT Telephone Bills	162
	International Calls	163
	Public Telephones	165
	Mobile Telephones & Pagers	167
	Telegrams, Telex & Fax	170
	Directories	171
	The Internet	173
	Moving House Or Leaving Britain	174
	Malicious Calls	174
	Emergency Numbers	175
	Service Numbers	175
8.	Television & Radio	179
	Television	180
	Radio	190
9.	Education	195
	Further Information	196
	State Or Private School?	197
	State Schools	199
	Special Education	212
	Private Schools	212
	Higher Education	218
	Further Education	224
	Language Schools	226
10.	Public Transport	231
	Trains	233
	Underground Trains	238
	Buses	240
	Ferries & Le Shuttle	244
	Timetables & Maps	246
	Taxis	247
	Airline Services	248
11.	Motoring	255
	Vehicle Importation	257
	Vehicle Registration	258
	Buying A Car	260
	Test Certificate	264
	Selling A CAr	266
	Driving Licence	267
	Car Insurance	269
	Road Tax	270
	General Road Rules	271
	British Drivers	276
	British Roads	277
	Traffic Police	278
	Motorcycles	279
	Accidents	280
	Drinking & Driving	282
	Car Theft	283
	Fuel	285
	Speed Limits	286
	Garages & Servicing	287
	Road Maps	289
	Car Hire	290
	Motoring Organisations	291
	Parking	292
12.	Health	299
	Emergencies	302
	National Health Service	303
	Private Health Treatment	304
	Doctors	305
	Medicines	309
	Hospitals & Clinics	311
	Childbirth	313
	Dentists	314
	Opticians	316
	Counselling	318
	Drug & Alcohol Abus	319
	Sexually-Transmitted Diseases	321
	Births & Deaths	321
13.	Insurance	325
	Insurance Companies	327
	Insurance Contracts	329
	Social Security	330
	National Insurance	332
	Pensions	334
	Accident Insurance	336
	Permanent Health insurance	336
	Health Insurance	337
	Dental Insurance	340
	Buildings Insurance	340
	Home-Contents Insurance	343
	Personal Liability Insurance	345
	Holiday & Travel Insurance	346
	Motor Breakdown Insurance	347
14.	Finance	349
	British Currency	351
	Foreign Currency	352
	Credit Rating	353
	Banks	354
	Building Societies	356
	Savings Accounts	360
	Cash & Debit Cards	361
	Charge & Credit Cards	363
	Loans	367
	Mortgages	368
	Council Tax	373
	Value Added Tax	374
	Income Tax	375
	Capital Gains Tax	386
	Inheritance Tax	387
	Wills	388
	Cost Of Living	389
15.	Leisure	393
	Tourist Information	395
	Hotels	396
	Bed & Breakfast	399
	Self-Catering	400
	Youth Hostels	401
	Caravans & Camping	403
	Museums & Art Galleries	403
	Gardens, Stately Homes, Parks & Zoos	404
	Cinemas	405
	Theatre, Opera & Ballet	406
	Concerts	408
	Social Clubs	410
	Discotheques & Night-Clubs	410
	Gambling	411
	Pubs	413
	Restaurants & Cafes	416
	Libraries	418
16.	Sports	421
	Aerial Sports	423
	Cricket	424
	Cycling	425
	Fishing	427
	Football	428
	Golf	430
	Gymnasia & Health Clubs	431
	Hiking	432
	Motorsports	434
	Racquet Sports	434
	Rock-Climbing & Caving	436
	Rugby	437
	Skiing	438
	Snooker & Billiards	439
	Sports & Leisure Centres	440
	Swimming	441
	Watersports	442
	Miscellaneous Sports	443
17.	Shopping	447
	Competition	450
	Shopping Hours	451
	Shopping Centres & Markets	451
	Food & Supermarkets	452
	Department & Chain Stores	455
	Clothes	456
	Newspapers & Books	458
	Furniture	460
	Household Appliances	461
	Second-Hand Bargains	462
	Home Shopping	462
	Shopping Abroad	465
	Duty-Free Allowances	466
	Consumers' Association	467
18.	Odds & Ends	469
	British Citizenship	470
	Climate	471
	Crime	473
	Geography	474
	Government	475
	Legal System	479
	Marriage & Divorce	482
	Military Service	484
	The Monarchy	484
	Pets	486
	Police	488
	Population	490
	Religion	491
	Social Customs	492
	Time Difference	493
	Tipping	494
	Toilets	495
19.	The British	497
20.	Moving or Leaving Britain	509
	Moving House	510
	Leaving Britain	511
	Appendices	515
Appendix A	Useful Addresses	516
Appendix B	Further Reading	524
Appendix C	Useful Websites	526
Appendix D	Weights & Measures	534
Appendix E	Map of France	538
	Index	541
	Order Forms	551