Living in England

Are you going emigrate to England? England, together with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, forms the United Kingdom (UK). They are not four independent countries, but together form one state. Together with Scotland and Wales, England forms an island in the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Together with Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, it forms one state called the United Kingdom. The capital of England is London. Most people know this city or have visited it more often during city trips. In recent years, many companies have been looking for skilled employees in England and that is why many Dutch people have come to live there. There are also many students who have to complete an internship abroad and choose England for this.

Are you also someone who is moving to Great Britain soon? Then this article might provide you with some information. Of course, you want to get to know the country and know what it is like to live in England. So read on quickly.

Why are more Dutch people moving to England?

As you may have read earlier, there are many international companies in England that are looking for experienced and skilled employees. This includes students, interns, recent graduates and experienced employees. The country also has many large cities that are attractive to these young people. Think of the capital London, but also Birmingham, Manchester or the beautiful Glasgow in Scotland.

The European Union – Brexit

Until a few years ago, England was part of the European Union (EU) and it was very easy for Dutch people and residents from other EU member states to travel to England, to work there and to study there. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case since February 2020. The country has chosen to leave the EU. This is also known as Brexit.

Do you need a visa to enter England?

Since December 2020, some rules have changed regarding travel to England. Fortunately, it is still the case that you do not need a visa as a resident of a European country. Quite reassuring, right? Saves you some paperwork! It is true that you used to be able to travel to England with your Dutch identity card and this is no longer possible. Now you can only enter England with your Dutch passport. It is also still the case that you are free to stay in England for a maximum of three months. Just like in other EU countries. Of course, you want to emigrate, so it concerns a stay longer than three months. You now need a visa for this. Unfortunately, you will have to count on some extra paperwork.

Residence permits for January 2021

Dutch people who lived in England before 1 January 2021 are lucky. The old rules still apply to them and they can apply for their residence permit in the old way.

What is good to know is that if you have lived in England for less than 5 years, your residence permit is conditional. It is only after 5 years that you can apply for a permanent residence permit.

Residence permits, the new rules

If you want to claim the aforementioned rule, you must take into account that you must have applied for your permit before 31 June 2021. Unfortunately, this is not the case, so you will now have to deal with the infamous British immigration system. This new system works with points

Working in England

The points system in England prioritises individual skills rather than origin. Just as you have read before that companies have been looking for talent from abroad in recent years, the British government is doing the same. If you want to move to England, it is wise to inform yourself about this system. We will try to explain a few things briefly so that you get an idea of how the system works.

Knowledge migrant visa (skilled worker)

Do you want to live and work in England? Then you can apply for this visa. You must be able to demonstrate that:

• That you have been offered a job in the UK by a Home Office authorised sponsor at the required level of competence.
• That you have an average salary of €26,000 per year or more of course. You also have to be able to prove that you will be paid. This is important because you have to be able to prove that you can provide for yourself.
• You must have a B1 level command of English.

You can get this visa online to request.

Healthcare worker visa (health&care)

Are you currently working in the Dutch healthcare sector and have you been offered a job by the English NHS, social care sector or employers/organisations that work with the NSH? Do you also speak English and do you also meet the other requirements of the aforementioned knowledge migrant visa? Then you can apply for the healthcare worker visa and you can move to the UK with your entire family.

Why wouldn't you apply for a knowledge migrant visa? Many people think so. But with a healthcare worker visa you get an accelerated admission procedure. The application costs are lower and you get extra help with the procedure. You are also exempt from 'immigration health care contribution‘.

Some frontline staff are not eligible for this visa and will still have to pay the healthcare contribution. However, they can apply for a special arrangement where they will get these costs back.

You can also get this visa online to request.

Global talent visa

Are you highly educated, but do you not yet have a job or job offer in England? Then you can still go to the UK with this visa. The British government wants to offer opportunities to future leaders in various fields. Think of science, art and technology. The British government wants to enrich the British economy and society with the knowledge of these immigrants. Are you a top scientist or researcher? Then you will also get a faster admission procedure.

You can also get this visa online to request.

Start-up & innovator visa

Do you have your own business or do you want to start your own? Do you have a specialized or creative profession? Or are you perhaps an athlete? Then you can apply for the start-up & innovator visa.

Student visa (student visa)

If you want to study in the UK you also have to meet a number of conditions. These are:

• That you have been offered a course of study by the Home Office and a competent educational institution. In this case, your university.
• You must be proficient in English.
• You must be able to demonstrate that you can support yourself and pay for the training.
• You must demonstrate that you really want to study in the country.

There is also a child student visa. This visa is specifically for children between the ages of 4 and 17 who want to study at a school in England.

Graduate visa

Have you just graduated in the UK and do you want to continue working there? Then you must have at least a bachelor's degree. This can of course also be of a higher level. After this you can stay in the UK for a maximum of 2 years, 3 years for PhD students.

This visa has been available since June 2021 for international students in England who also meet the British government's immigration requirements.

The English culture

The culture in England is influenced by many different factors. First of all, of course, history, but also the combined nations, Christianity, Europe and all the nations of Great Britain. So you can guess that the country has a broad culture. Especially the sports culture. Many sports that are played worldwide have their origins in England. Think of rugby, golf and cricket. Furthermore, we must not forget football that is simply lived in the country. Also called a 'way of life'. The country also has clubs from big cities such as Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea. Who doesn't know them? What many people don't know is that the first novel was written in England. Because of this, the country also has beautiful literature and has had a huge influence on the world in terms of theatre culture. Also in terms of music. Think of pop and rock groups such as the Beatles and the Spice Girls.

You may have also noticed that the English are a lot more polite than other Europeans. They will never use imperative forms, but rather 'may/might' or 'would'. Also, pushing in line is 'totally not done'. You are also expected to, for example, move aside for people on the escalator when they are in a hurry on public transport. In England, unlike the Netherlands, there is also a hierarchy in the workplace. So when you go to work in England, you have to pay close attention to who is above you on the ladder.

The English kitchen

On the one hand, England has had a huge influence on cuisines worldwide, but in turn, the cuisines of the colonial areas of Great Britain have also had an influence on English cuisine. The cuisine of England is also famous for its large, hearty and fatty meals. Meat, fish and potatoes often play the leading role in these. Think of the Shepards Pie, fish and chips or the famous English breakfast.

The breakfast – breakfast

The English start the day well and not too light. They often like an English breakfast. This is a fatty breakfast with white beans, eggs, bacon, potatoes, mushrooms and tomatoes. Toast with butter is also often eaten with it. Of course, the English do not have time for such an extensive breakfast every day, so toast with butter and jam is often eaten. You also have easy breakfast rolls with sausages.

The lunch – lunch

The English also like to eat hot food at lunch. This could be a club sandwich with a baked potato, fish and chips or a nice hot pie. These dishes are often picked up at pubs or cafeterias during lunch breaks. In English schools, the children also get these kinds of dishes for lunch. There is sometimes criticism that the children get far too bad food

High tea

High tea is done less and less and nowadays it is more of a touristic occasion. For weekends or special occasions it can be that friends get together. Also, high tea is nowadays usually just an afternoon tea or coffee as we know it in the Netherlands in many workplaces. Only we do it more often in the morning. At a high tea small sandwiches, scones and cakes are served.

The dinner – dinner

The English eat later than the Dutch. In England they usually don't eat until around 20:00. At this time, pies can be eaten again, but people often also choose curries. This is an influence from India, for example. They even say that you can get the best Indian food in England and not in India itself. In addition to these things, pastas or 'jacked potatoes' are also often eaten. This is a baked potato with, for example, beans or cheese. Another typical English dinner is 'sausage and mash'. This is mashed potatoes with sausages and gravy.

Furthermore, the English also love desserts. You will often see that after dinner they will still like to eat delicious apple crumble, pudding or spotted dog.

The Sundays

In England it is a tradition to have an extensive lunch on Sundays with friends and family. A 'Sunday roast' is almost always served. These are potatoes, with greens and a piece of meat or chicken.

The English countryside

England is also known for its beautiful nature. This of course makes living in England more pleasant. The nature is also different in every area of England and the landscape is very diverse. In some places you have a rugged coast, but the further you drive into the country, the quieter and full of green hills the country becomes. Furthermore, there are many forests, lakes and islands. A road trip along the coast of England is definitely not to be missed!

The English gardens

In the 18th century, the English started to create gardens in the English style. It is therefore the counterpart of the French garden. There is no symmetry at all, but mainly wild. The idea was to create a beautiful and romantic terrain with all kinds of trees surrounded by water. This makes the English garden appear more natural than the French.

Cost of living

Before you leave for England, you would of course like to know what your living expenses will be. This is important when emigrating. Here are some examples:

• You will pay 29% less for bread in England.
• For cheese you will also pay about 50% less.
• Rice is also about 34% cheaper.
• Bananas cost about the same
• Tomatoes are about 3.7% more expensive in England
• For wine you will also pay about 39% more than in the Netherlands.

Of course, the United Kingdom has a different currency. Their currency is the pound. £1 is equal to €1.19.

Buying a house in England

In England they have a huge variety of different types of houses. The prices for these vary enormously. This not only has to do with the type of house you live in, but also in which region you want to buy a house. In large cities such as London you will really have to pay a lot more than if you were to live in Leeds for example. Most people really cannot afford a house in London. Furthermore, it is customary in England to negotiate well about the price of the house. People often say that by negotiating when buying a house in England they ended up paying an average of 5% less. This is of course a nice bonus.

Finally..

A move to another country is of course not nothing. The fact that you have to leave the familiar Netherlands and get used to the new customs in England can of course be a bit exciting. Maybe you have lived in the United Kingdom for a longer period of time and you already know what it is like. Whatever it is, in England you can be assured of a good life.

Compare International Moving Companies

Of course, you can't just leave the Netherlands. Of course, you want to take your belongings with you. It is important that you look for a moving company that specializes in international removals. This is the best way to move your belongings. Request free quotes from various moving companies so that you know in advance what the moving costs will be.

Do you have any questions?

Do you have any questions about other matters concerning your emigration? Think for example about your pension, the tax authorities or bank account? Then you can also read the other articles on our website. You can find a lot of information about that here.