Moving from the US to the UK FAQ
san...@epunix.sussex.ac.uk
Posting-Frequency: monthly (no guarantees)
Last-Modified: 8 September 1994
US TO UK MOVING FAQ
Written and maintained by Greg Sandell
* san...@epunix.sussex.ac.uk
* or san...@cnmat.cnmat.berkeley.edu
* Access to this doc by WWW:
+ UK/Europe: http://ep56c.ep.susx.ac.uk/uk_faq.html
+ USA/Canada: http://www.charm.net/~web/uk_faq.html
* Last updated September 8, 1994
Description: This is a list of Frequently Asked Questions by people
planning to move from America to the UK. Possibly also useful to
anyone travelling to the UK, or moving to Europe in general.
A note to WWW users:
* If you are having transmission problems perhaps you aren't using
the closest Web site that is available to you. See above.
* The whole FAQ is contained in this single document. If the links
don't seem to work, you can still view the whole FAQ by scrolling
through it.
Any other questions?
* Try reading the "administrivia" section. If it still doesn't
answer your questions, try sending me email.
QUESTIONS
* Administrivia
+ Permissions
+ Availability of this doc
+ How was this FAQ written?
+ A note to British readers
+ Acknowledgments
* Can I run US-made electrical devices (appliances, stereos,
computers) in the UK?
+ What are the differences?
+ How can I convert?
+ What are the differences in power plugs/jacks in US and UK?
+ What features should I look for a transformer?
+ Where can I get a transformer, and for how much?
+ What items should I not bring?
+ What items should I bring?
+ Will phone items (modem, answering machine) work?
* How should I transport my belongings to the UK?
+ Intro
+ Freight Forwarding
+ UPS
+ Air Freight
+ Extra baggage on passanger flight
+ Moving Vans (Mayflower, Bekins, etc.)
+ The other end: storing your belongings in the US
* How much of my stuff should I take?
* Will I have to pay import duties, VAT, etc. on items I bring into
the UK?
* What sorts of documents should I bring with me?
* How is health care in the UK?
+ Statistics comparing the UK and US
+ Will I get health care for free?
+ How is the quality of coverage?
+ How concerned are Brits about health and fitness?
+ Dentistry
* How expensive is it to live in the UK?
* How can I get a bank account?
* What kind of housing will I find?
* How do I get utilities (gas, water, phone, etc)?
+ Getting hooked up
+ Telephones
+ Long distance carriers
+ Television
* How should I manage my financial affairs back in the US?
* How much will I be taxed (in US and UK)?
+ These rules change every year!
+ UK taxes
+ US tax
* Will I be able to stand food in the UK?
+ Is store-bought food decent?
+ What's this about British food being bad?
+ Where can I find restaurants with good food, then?
+ When can I eat?
* Do I want to get around by train, bus, or car?
+ Trains and busses
+ Do I want to drive in the UK?
+ Do I want to be a pedestrian in the UK?
+ Do I want to be a bicyclist in the UK?
* Is internet easily accessable?
* What kind of Visa/Permit do I need?
* Do I want to go?
+ How does the standard of life in the UK compare to the US?
o Some statistics comparing UK and US
o Will life be very very different?
+ What makes living in the UK so great?
+ What's it like being a foreigner in the UK?
* Do I want to be an academic in the UK?
* What should I read before moving to the UK?
+ Fiction
+ Non Fiction
* Basic facts comparing the US and UK
Administrivia
PERMISSIONS
Feel free to duplicate and circulate all or parts of this document
provided you do so on a non-profit basis, indicate my name as author,
and do not alter it in any way.
AVAILABILITY OF THIS DOC
The primary way I maintain this FAQ is as a World Wide Web document
(WWW), that is, written in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). It is a
much nicer read under WWW. Further details about WWW accessability are
mentioned near the top of the present document.
Alternatively, it may be read as a raw ascii text file. Here are ways
in which it is available in raw ascii form:
* By anonymous ftp to rtfm.mit.edu. You will find it in the
directory pub/usenet-by-hierarchy/news/answers under the title
"US-to-UK-moving-faq".
* It will be posted regularly (as time permits) to the following
USENET newsgroups:
+ soc.culture.british and uk.misc
+ rec.travel.misc
+ news.answers, rec.answers and soc.answers
* By sending email to me. Please use this only as a last resort!
A note to readers viewing this in raw ascii text: the recurring phrase
"Back to list of questions" refers to a WWW-specific feature, and you
should ignore it.
Back to list of questions...
HOW WAS THIS FAQ WRITTEN?
Before I moved to the UK to take a job, I posed several dozen
questions to the readers of the USENET group soc.culture.british about
such things as electrical products, how to move a household, and
general questions about what to expect in the UK. I found there were
more than just a few people who'd gone through the same thing, and
later, that there were many others asking the same questions. I
resolved to eventually write a FAQ so I wouldn't keep having to
writing the same advice over and over again.
FAQs are customarily compendiums of wisdom by many people on the
subject in question. The first verson of this FAQ was written almost
purely from my own first-hand experience, since there wasn't that much
accumulated wisdom on this sporadically discussed topic on the net.
Since I first posted it, however, several people (credited below) have
mailed suggestions and corrections to me, so it grows.
I live (or lived, depending on when you read this) in Brighton, a
mid-sized UK city. Cities with a population size close to Brighton are
Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Leicester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
Nottingham, Plymouth, and Southampton. Although the information here
might not apply to some of the smaller or more remote towns, I suspect
it will apply to much of the UK. I have to confess to not knowing much
about the experience of living in London; London is probably so
different from any UK city in terms of costs and necessary survival
skills that it might require a FAQ twice this size. I wish I had the
time to research this topic to make it more widely applicable, but
here it is, and I hope it is useful to someone.
Also keep in mind the information here reflects a particular point of
time (specifically, April '93 when I moved to Brighton, until the
present, June '94). I have no doubt that that many of the facts and
certainly the prices will all sound very quaint in about five years'
time. I put all costs in US dollars for the purpose of simplicity. The
exhange rate I use is $1.50 to the UK pound, which is what it has
hovered around (plus or minus 2 cents) during the time I've been here.
For further information, try asking anyone else who has spent
considerable time living in both the US and UK. Beware of
out-of-date advice; someone who hasn't lived in the UK for five years
or more may remember a different place than it is now.
Back to list of questions...
A NOTE TO BRITISH READERS
All sorts of people have read this FAQ and given me lots of helpful
comments and suggestions by email. Even when I get replies from Brits
who don't actually have much trans-Atlantic experience, their
corrections on factual matters have been very helpful on a number of
occasions. On the other hand, some of the matters having to do with
how a person from one culture views another culture fall in a vague
area that has more to do with perception than facts. May I ask before
you email your criticisms to me on any particular detail of the FAQ,
that you consider the following points:
* This is a guide for Americans, to give them a clue as to what
their experience in the UK will be like, based on their
lifetime's experience of being accustomed to life in the US.
* Generalizations are a necessary evil. To cover all the execeptions
would make this a most ponderous FAQ indeed. Furthermore, if I did
point out every occasion in which there is an exception to the
rule, Americans reading this FAQ might be misled into thinking
that "things aren't all that different in the UK."
* There can be no such thing as a "true guide" for an American
moving to the UK. The only "truth" is that which exists in the
experience of the individual, once he or she has actually made the
move and is living here. I am assuming that readers of a guide
such as this are interested reading one author's version of the
"truth": they want to know what I really think about things like
food, the pleasantness of various places, the level of comfort,
and so on. Furthermore, they want it said in a "no holds barred"
manner, rather than behind a veneer of politeness. If I attempted
to make my observations "representative" by querying Americans
living in all sorts of parts of the UK it would risk watering down
the guide to the point of losing the "ring of truth" that readers
value so much (and besides it would take too much of my time!).
Back to list of questions...
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to the following people who have given comments, suggestions
and corrections:
* Al Crawford (aw...@dcs.ed.ac.uk)
* Brian McKinney (bmck...@viking.dvc.edu)
* Sylvain Louboutin (slou...@dsg.cs.tcd.ie)
* Julian Bradfield (j...@cds.ed.ac.uk)
* James Shippey (shi...@gwis.circ.gwu.edu)
* Mark Brader (m...@sp.com)
* Charles Bryant (c...@chch.demon.co.uk)
* Roger Pollard (rog...@sr.hp.com)
* Andrew Henry (A.H....@bath.ac.uk)
* Ian Preece (ia...@dktower.demon.co.uk)
* Jerry Cullingford (j...@crosfield.co.uk)
* Richard Parratt (rpar...@london.micrognosis.com)
* Steve McKinty (smck...@france.sun.com)
* Paul Johnson (p...@gec-mrc.co.uk)
* David Hembrow (dav...@harlequin.co.uk)
* Phil Buglass (ddn...@is001058.bell-atl.com)
* Jolyon "Jol" Silversmith (jsil...@nyx.cs.du.edu)
* Simon FitzMaurice (s...@east.alsys.com)
* Richard K. Lloyd (r...@csc.liv.ac.uk)
* Frank E. Ritter (rit...@psyc.nott.ac.uk)
Back to list of questions...
Can I run US-made electrical devices (appliances, stereos, computers) in the
UK?
Bing! You've just asked the very most Frequently Asked Question
regarding a move to the UK. The UK, of course, has a completely
different electrical standard than the US (in terms of voltage,
current available, frequency, and physical plugs). There is a lot of
information to consider here, at different levels of technicality. A
warning: the advice given here is based on my own experience, and the
information I have recieved from informed individuals. However none
of it should be considered the advice of a professionally qualified
electrician. I cannot be held responsible for any accidents or
lawsuits that occur from following the advice contained in this FAQ.
In my view, your best start is to find a store that deals primarily in
selling foreign electronics good, and get a friendly salesman to
explain the ins and outs of power conversion. Such shops (found only
in large cities, I'm afraid) will be listed under "Export shops" in
the yellow pages; you might also try "Freight Forwarding" and ask
where such shops may be found in that area.
Back to list of questions...
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?
There are four matters relating to using US appliances in the UK
* the voltage ( US = 120V, UK = 240V )
* the number of watts the product draws (different for each product)
* the frequency ( US = 60 Hz, UK = 50 Hz )
* the plug on the power cord
Back to list of questions...
HOW CAN I CONVERT?
To have a US item run under UK current you need to buy a transformer,
a product that you plug into the wall and has a US-style jack at the
other end. The transformer will "step down" in voltage from 240 to
120v. From there you may want to plug in a US-style power strip and
provide current for several products.
Next you need to consider how many watts your transformer is providing
(all transformers should clearly indicate this). The more wattage
required by the electrical item(s), the bigger (and more expensive)
the transformer will need to be. Add up all the watts that every one
of the components will draw that will be turned on at the same time,
then throw in 20-25 extra watts for good measure, and that's about the
size you need. So if you have three stereo components drawing 30 watts
each, get a transformer than delivers about 120 watts. Don't try to
draw more than what the transformer provides: you will be risking the
health of you and your electronic components!
Now, on to the frequency of the product, a subject which is notorious
for causing great confusion. UK outlets provide a frequency of 50 Hz.
Transformers do not provide a conversion to US 60 Hz; you are stuck
with UK 50 Hz. The only electrical products that need concern you
regarding this frequency mismatch are products that contain motors
(i.e. things that run fans, spin wheels, rotate things, etc.).
But...there are two kinds of motors that will be found inside
electrical products, and one type is effected by the frequency, while
the other is not.
* Synchronous motors are affected by the frequency mismatch. When
they are made for 60 Hz but get 50 Hz, they run at 5/6 speed. You
will generally find that any product that contains a motor that
runs at high speed (e.g. hair dryer), or must drive something with
great force (e.g. power drill) will be a synchronous motor.
* DC motors are not affected by the frequency mismatch, because
the product supplies the correct frequency for this motor
internally. That is, as long as the proper transformer is
supplied, the motor inside will run at the correct speed.
Generally, any product which requires only a small motor (e.g.
Walkman cassette player, computer disc drive) uses its own
low-voltage (5 or 12 volts) DC motor.
You may ask: "So if I don't particularly mind that a product with a
synchronous motor is running at 5/6 speed, can I run it safely
anyway?" The answer is "maybe." I have been warned that, for products
that contain their own internal transformer to supply a synchronous
motor, you have to check that the minimum frequency it may be run at
is 50 Hz; if it is rated for no lower than 60 Hz, it may overheat and
thus be unsafe to operate. People tell me such products are extremely
rare (and probably violate UL electrical code, in fact), but to be
safe you should probably have an electrician examine the product
before you try it.
Back to list of questions...
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES IN POWER PLUGS/JACKS IN US AND UK?
There is only one type of plug in common use in the UK, a three prong
plug, larger than the US three-prong equivalent. A schematic below
(which requires a non-proportional font to be viewed correctly)
illustrates the differences between the blades of the two plugs:
US: UK:
o |
| | - -
There is an older, two prong plug which apparently is still in use in
older dwellings that haven't been updated, but I have never seen
them, even in quite old fashioned cottages. So if a salesman selling
you UK/US adapters tells you need to need to be equally prepared for
both kinds of plugs, he's wrong.
The UK plug also differs from the US one in that a fuse is contained
inside. Until recently, when you purchased an electrical product often
times it would have no plug at the end of the power cord, which you'd
have to buy separately and attach yourself. The practice has recently
(January 1994) been abolished by law, so you will probably not
encounter the problem. While we're on that subject, you'll also
discover that most UK electrical outlets have switches on them, like
the switch on a power strip. And, like all other switches in the UK
(such as those used for room lights) the effect of the position of the
switch is opposite that of the US: down means on, up means off!
Back to list of questions...
WHAT FEATURES SHOULD I LOOK FOR A TRANSFORMER?
Go for good quality here. I am suspicious of the kind of products that
are made for the vacation traveler, sold at department stores and
places like Radio Shack. They sell itty-bitty transformers that claim
to be able to convert power for things like hair dryers, but it
doesn't make sense: hair driers consume vast numbers of watts. One
person wrote to me: "They aren't transformers, they play games with
capacitors. They are not very good, and have a nasty tendency to
'short-circuit', blowing up whatever they are powering."
Go instead to an export shop, if you can find one. Look at the back of
every one of your electrical items you plan to bring to the UK, write
down its power consumption in watts, and take this list to the vendor,
and see what he/she recommends.
Many commercial transformers I have seen only provide a two-prong US
jack, i.e., no ground, so you'll have to look harder to find one with
a ground, i.e., three prongs. People with some expertise have told me
that it can be very risky to bypass the ground plug (with one of those
three-to-two-prong adapters) when using products that require a
ground.
Back to list of questions...
WHERE CAN I GET A TRANSFORMER, AND FOR HOW MUCH?
First of all, you might consider whether it might not be better to
wait until getting to the UK to buy transformers. There's not much of
a market in the US for converters, since there is only one electrical
standard in the US and Canada. Europe seems to be a little more aware
of the existence of different electrical standards in the world, and
thus stores probably have better availability and wider selection.
Also, keep in mind that they are very heavy (and you'll have to ship
it rather than take it on the plane with you). On the other hand, they
may be cheaper in the US (see prices below).
There is a electronic parts catalogue sales company called RS
Components which deals in transformers; however, this is a supply
company which does not sell to the general public. Also, I'm told that
a hardware chain store in Britain called Ryness sells transformers.
A U.S. place that sells transformers and other goodies for short-term
abroad residents is Magellons Essentials for the Traveler (Santa
Barbara, CA), 1-800-962-4943 (they have an extensive catalog). Or a
particularly clever way to find transformers might be to ask Americans
who are returning from abroad if they'd like to sell theirs.
A 60 watt converter might be about $25 to $30. The Magellons catalogue
lists a 1000 watt at $118.50 and a 1500 watt at $169.50. The RS
Components catalogue listed a 500 watt converter for $105. I have a
1000 watt converter, and it's about 4x4x4 inches in size, and about 35
lbs in weight.
Back to list of questions...
WHAT ITEMS SHOULD I NOT BRING?
Easily replaced items that draw vast amounts of current are unwise to
bring because the cost of the transformer you will need for them will
probably be a few times more than the cost of buying the product anew
in the UK! For the following items take a look at the number of watts
they require, consider the cost of transformers you'll need to convert
them, and imagine how they'll look sitting on kitchen and bathroom
counters. You should just replace them with the same items bought in
UK stores. This may sound expensive, but if you settle for a cheaper
food processor to replace your industrial-strength Cuisinart, it won't
be bad at all.
* Hair driers
* Kitchen appliances with motors: blenders, food processors, coffee
grinders
* Any other item with a high speed motor, e.g. power drills
Your US-made LP record turntables or cassette decks may contain
synchronous motors, in which case they will run at 5/6 speed, or about
3.2 musical semitones too flat (yes, bad enough that it will ruin the
music: even John Cage's 4'33" will come out lasting 55" too long!).
Battery powered Walkman cassette players will be fine, though, even
when run with the AC cord.
Do not bring any TV sets, Video Cassette machines, or your video
cassettes from home, although not specifically for reasons of power
incompatibility. British TV sets and VCRs (yes, both) run on the
PAL standard, whereas US TVs and VCRs run on the NTSC standard.
Although both PAL and NTSC appear to use the same kind of VCR
cassette, they encode the information on them differently, so don't
expect to be able to play NTSC tapes on a PAL machine, or vice-versa.
So, unless you want to plan to watch nothing but VCR tapes you bring
from home, your US TV and VCR is worthless here. If for some reason
you have to run both standards, I think the export shops sell TV/VCRs
that run on both NTSC and PAL. Also, digital AM radios (car radios,
Hi-Fi tuners) may not work, since the channel step in the UK is in
units of 9kHz, while in the US it is 10.
Don't bring anything that won't fit through the door of your UK home.
You may laugh, but you can actually purchase (from export shops in the
US or US Army bases in the UK) US-made, US-size refrigerators, washing
machines that run on UK current. But, one of the reasons that UK
products of this type tend to be smaller is because of smaller
dwellings, so you may find yourself having brought over a
refridgerator at great expense and not be able to use it!
Back to list of questions...
WHAT ITEMS SHOULD I BRING?
Provided you use the proper transformer, you can expect these items to
work in the UK.
* CD players. Manufacturers make them so the motors are internally
supplied with the correct frequency.
* Personal Computers. The motors in their disk drives are internally
supplied with the correct frequency.
Here's some specific information about computers. Many computer
manufacturers these days are making products that run on both
standards of current. For each component that you plug in, check the
information near the power cord: if it says something like "AC
100-240, 50/60 Hz", you are golden (this applies to any electrical
product, not just computers). You won't need a transformer at all,
just a plug converter. Good news for Apple Macintosh users: everything
after the Mac Plus was made in this fashion (although check the back
to make absolutely sure). If it turns out you have several such
products, you could get a mere plug converter, plug in a US power
strip to it, and then plug all your components in (although you do
not want a power strip with a surge protector, since it will freak
over receiving 240v). But only do this if everyone in your household
is smart enough not to plug just any US product into that power strip!
Back to list of questions...
WILL PHONE ITEMS (MODEM, ANSWERING MACHINE) WORK?
Yes, provided you supply the correct adapter for the different
standard of phone plug and the correct power, modems, answering
machines and extension cables will work on the British phone system.
(I am not sure if phones themselves will work.) However, I should
point out that it is technically illegal to do so. The only products
which may legally be hooked up to the phone lines are those with a
special BT green sticker of approval. But if you do want to do this,
you may want to take these items on the plane with you, since you'll
find them useful right away.
Back to list of questions...
How should I transport my belongings to the UK?
INTRO
Bing again! This is the second most frequently asked question. People
living abroad for a while tend to want to bring a larger amount of
possessions with them than can be brought along as luggage on the
plane. Here's a guide to the various methods for doing so. One bit of
advice: before selecting any one company, call around and compare
prices. You'll be surprised how much they vary!
Back to list of questions...
FREIGHT FORWARDING
I start with the method I used, which I decided to be the best value
for the money of all the available methods. I engaged a "Freight
Forwarding" service, which performed the services of enclosing my
items with a crate, insuring it, shipping it by sea, and arranging for
an equivalent UK firm to receive the crate (thus there are two
companies with which you make a financial transaction). These kinds of
firms are probably available only in port cities, unfortunately (on a
coast, or one of the Great Lakes, or maybe even the Mississippi
River).
One advantage is that almost anything can be shipped by this method:
sofas, refrigerators, even automobiles are handled by these companies.
In the warehouse of the company I used I saw a Mercedes being prepared
for delivery, and a crate of household belongings the size of a medium
sized bedroom!
The crate I shipped contained 3 boxes of books, 3 boxes of household
items, a large box of clothing, a button accordian, and two mountain
bikes in their boxes. The crate measured 38 CF (cubic feet). The
overall cost of this shipment, from start to finish, came to about
$896, which we found a tolerable price to pay. Here's how the costs
broke down, more or less:
* Charges on the US end:
+ $3.75 per CF basic cost
+ $1.90 per CF to build the crate
+ $75 handling charge
+ $7.50 communications charge
+ Insurance costs 3% of the total estimated value of the
belongings (which we calculated to be $8284).
* Charges on the UK end (in US dollars):
+ $1.50 per CF
+ Customs charge ($81)
+ Delivery from London to Brighton ($105)
The UK company would accept only money order or cash as form of
payment. Regarding crating the items: another option is to have them
put your stuff on a pallet and shrink-wrap the whole thing; they call
this "palletizing". Presumably that means they don't try to stack
stuff on your shipment (but how can you be sure?). The cost for this
was a flat rate of $20. We felt much safer using the crate method. The
Freight Forwarding company will require a fairly detailed packing list
of the items in your shipment, with an estimated value for each. Your
shipment will be submitted to inspection by customs authorities at
the UK end. This could range from them merely examining your packing
list, possibly taking a quick peek under to lid to see if it looks
believable, to a full examinaton of every item in your crate. The
receiving freight company acts on your behalf at the customs ceremony,
but you can attend if you want to take the trip into London (or
wherever). See another section of this FAQ for details about customs
and paying import duty.
Our stuff (coming from California) had to go through the Panama Canal
to get to England. It was estimated to take one month to deliver; in
reality it came to just about two! No doubt it will be quicker if your
shipment is leaving from any of the other coasts, or via the St.
Lawrence Seaway, but keep in mind that sometimes your crate sits
around in a warehouse for a while (weeks, maybe) before they find
which vessel it will go on. There was virtually no damage to any of
our belongings, and the customs ceremony was completely unremarkable.
The cost of shipping that Mercedes, by the way...I asked...was around
$900, which struck me as tolerable. That was probably not including
crating and insurance, though.
Back to list of questions...
UPS
Sounded very expensive, but definitely quick. They were very
discouraging about shipping anything which might be assessed an import
duty. The number for UPS International shipping is 800-325-0365.
Back to list of questions...
AIR FREIGHT
Standard airlines such as United have a separate freight shipping
service, and you can even make sure it goes on the same plane as
you're traveling on. It's expensive, but not as much as I'd thought.
You wouldn't want to ship a whole household, but smaller fragile
items, or things you have to have immediately might be handled this
way. Charges are obscure: they use a formula that takes into account
both weight and size. One agent mentioned $2.83 per pound as a sort of
ballpark figure. Virgin Atlantic charges $2.50 per kilogram up to
100kg, $2 per kilogram if it's over 100kg.
Back to list of questions...
EXTRA BAGGAGE ON PASSANGER FLIGHT
Between $76-85 for each extra checked piece not exceeding 62" (height,
depth, width added together) and 70lbs. If larger than 62": $152.00.
If heavier than 70 lbs: $228.00. Bicycles have a special arrangement
where they are treated as a standard extra item ($76) even if over
62". If your bike is over 70lbs, I recommend getting your money back
from the guy who sold it to you.
Note that if you are sending computer or other fragile equipment this
way, the airline does NOT insure it in any way against damage. If you
decide to ship a computer this way anyway, to be safe, use the
original box with the original packing materials. If you don't have
these, there are packing companies that make made-to-order
injected-form packing for any item (we did this on a Mac monitor and
CPU at the cost of $70).
Back to list of questions...
MOVING VANS (MAYFLOWER, BEKINS, ETC.)
The costs quoted to me by these companies sounded very high. I was
told that a 250-lb box of stuff could run $700-$1250 depending on size
and dimensions. It appears that the companies engage a freight
forwarding company to do their work for them, the very thing you can
do on your own (see earlier). The advantage is of course that they
will handle the delivery door-to-door from US to UK. If your new
employer in the UK is picking up moving costs (they call it "removals"
in the UK), this might be the easiest way to do things.
Back to list of questions...
THE OTHER END: STORING YOUR BELONGINGS IN THE US
It has cost us about $600 a year to keep our US household in a storage
locker. This, actually, is a bargain compared to other storage locker
services we could have tried. Make sure to shop around for the best
deal; you may find widely varying rates!
Back to list of questions...
How much of my stuff should I take?
Assuming you are only making a temporary move to the UK, there will no
doubt come the time when you agonize over what things you should leave
behind and what you should take. Obviously this is a personal matter,
but here is some advice based on my experience.
If you particularly like to cook, take your favorite cookware with
you. You'll hit yourself for having to pay all over again (at higher
prices) for the favorite cast iron saucepan that you use for making
spaghetti sauce, say. Don't bother taking silverware and plates, since
rented accomodations are frequently furnished with such in the UK (see
elsewhere). A good idea is to make photocopies of your favorite
recipes rather than bringing several enormous cookbooks with you (and
for that matter, bring US measuring spoons and measuring cups with
you, since they'll be impossible to find in the UK). As far as kitchen
appliances are concerned see elsewhere for reasons why you should not
bother bringing them.
Use common sense about your clothes. There's nothing profoundly
different about the way they dress in the UK (except perhaps for
women's shoes, which have 2-3" platforms these days), so bring
whatever it is you need and like to wear. Clothes are more expensive
here, and good-quality clothing is more widely available in the US, so
if you can afford it, go on a shopping spree before you leave.
Books are a very personal matter, but also one involving common sense.
If you're an academic or technical person, you should of course bring
the books that you need to have for your work, since replacing them
will cost far more than shipping them. As for novels and other books
for passing the time, I'd suggest leaving them all home, since there
will be plenty of things you will want to buy in the UK. But as for
music, I'd say bring all your most beloved CDs and cassettes, since
they are relatively small and overpriced in the UK.
If you're going to be running any of your US electrical products in
the UK, take plenty of electrical adapters, power strips, extension
cords, and equivalent items for telephones as warranted; they will all
come in handy.
If you are moving to the UK permanently, you may wonder whether to
bring large items such as furniture and cars, or sell them before you
leave. This is not an area in which I have any personal experience. I
do know that cars are extremely expensive here, so it might be more
realistic to move a nice car than to sell it in the US and buy anew.
Of course, consider that a car with the wheel on the "wrong" side is
trickier to drive, less safe, and will have lower resell value in the
UK. On the other hand, depending on the job you are taking, a company
car may be provided for you. If your furniture is high quality stuff,
it too may actually be economical to have it shipped rather than
replace it at high cost here.
Back to list of questions...
Will I have to pay import duties, VAT, etc. on items I bring into theUK?
First of all, the following is non-official information based on
heresay and unverified personal experience. For official information,
try the US Dept. of Commerce (202-482-3748).
Anything you bring into the UK, whether with you on the plane, or
shipped separately is fair game for the customs officials to inspect,
and possibly liable for import duty. Newly purchased goods (defined as
items less than 6 months old) are the only things that you need to
worry about: customs can charge you an import duty of 17.5% on these
items. A sales slip or purchase invoice is considered the proof of the
age of the item, so have these on hand if you think you might get
asked about anything. There is probably little to worry about if you
are bringing in household-type items (what they call "personal
effects") and you can prove that you're coming over to live and work
in the UK for an extended period of time. However, if you are bringing
in a bunch of new looking products in their original boxes (like a
personal computer system), I'd say your chances of being asked some
questions are good.
As you enter customs (after getting your stuff off of the baggage
carousel), you'll see two lanes to exit from, one for where you have
nothing to declare, and one where you have to declare. I've heard that
the rules say that items you intend to reexport (return to the US) are
exempt from duty (which is why regular tourists don't get charged for
cameras and such). So newly purchased items pertaining to your job
(say, a new Mac Powerbook) can probably be considered exempt. I
suspect that customs mainly concern themselves with snagging people
who bring in non-duty-free alcohol and cigarettes, drug smugglers, and
people transporting merchandise for resale (like ten Mac Powerbooks,
say). There is also a limitation on the amount of cash assets you can
bring in the country. Anything over $10,000 can be assessed for duty.
Our passage through customs and immigration was completely
unremarkable, despite having six large pieces of luggage. However, we
did see two parties being submitted to extensive baggage searches
(down to examining individual scraps of paper). Sad to say, I have
read that people with darker skin get stopped more frequently in UK
customs.
Back to list of questions...
What sorts of documents should I bring with me?
The following are suggestions of documents it might be good to bring
just in case you need them:
* Birth certificate (in case you need to apply for a new passport)
* Marriage certificate (esp. if you and your spouse have different
last names)
* Last set of dental X-rays (although see the Health section on
dentists)
* Results of last medical exam
* Photocopies of your university diplomas (might be needed when
applying for jobs)
* Some bank statements showing a solid banking history and a nice
fat balance
* A letter from your bank manager testifying to your sterling
history at their bank
* A similar letter from your previous landlord
* A utility bill proving the address of your residence in the US
* Your US Driver's license (and make sure it's not due to expire
while you're abroad)
* If you're working on a degree back in the US and want to do
research in a British library, get a letter from your adviser or
department chair, and this will assist you in getting a library
card
Back to list of questions...
How is health care in the UK?
STATISTICS COMPARING THE UK AND US
* Infant mortality (deaths per 1000 live births):
+ UK: 8
+ US: 10
* Life expectancy:
+ UK: 73 (M), 79 (F)
+ US: 72 (M), 79 (F)
* Fertility rate (children born per woman):
+ US and UK: 1.8
(Source: 1992 CIA guide)
WILL I GET HEALTH CARE FOR FREE?
The universal health coverage in the UK is known as the National
Health Service, or NHS. According to a 1990 source, you are entitled
to NHS coverage if:
* (1) you are from an EC country
* (2) you are from a country with a reciprocal health agreement with
the UK
* (3) you are a student in a course lasting more than 6 months
* (4) you came to the UK with a work permit
* (5) you have refugee status or Exceptional Leave to Remain
* (6) you are the wife or child of a person in 1-5.
In my case (as an employed person in category 4), monthly payments
towards NHS are taken out of my pay like a tax. This amount is $186 a
month in my case. So I wouldn't exactly call it free, but it gives me
medical coverage (there is no bill to settle when I visit a doctor)
and covers drugs (except for a nominal fee of $6.75 for each
prescription, no matter how costly the drug).
Back to list of questions...
HOW IS THE QUALITY OF HEALTH COVERAGE?
I have been fortunate to not need many visits to the doctor, but I
find the NHS system in many ways to be not much different than
membership in an HMO (such as Kaiser or Michael Reese) in the US. You
may have to wait a week or two to see a specific doctor, but if you're
willing to see any one of the available doctors, you can be seen
within a day or two. The quality of doctors can be uneven, since NHS
is understaffed, and they sometimes call in substitutes. My preferred
doctor is very sharp and professional, and I've seen two or three
other satisfactory doctors, but on one occasion I saw a sub whom I
considered incompetent. So you may have to be a little aggressive to
get the proper attention you deserve, but this is no different than
the survival skill you need to get by in the US, in my view.
If you anticipate requiring more frequent medical care, or you are
just plain nervous about it, the NHS could be real grief for you. I
know a couple with a child who needed his tonsils removed (with
complications that were making his breathing difficult), and they were
put on a waiting list that was over a year long. Worse still, the
current conservatives government seems more keen on dismantling NHS
than improving it. Not surprisingly some people choose, although at
enormous cost, to join private health organizations and bypass NHS
entirely.
Back to list of questions...
HOW CONCERNED ARE BRITS ABOUT HEALTH AND FITNESS?
On the whole, Brits seem less concerned about maximizing their
personal health and fitness than Americans are. In fact (get ready for
this one), they view America as a nation of "health nuts," all
consumed by the pursuit of the "clean life" and a fixation on having
the perfect skin, body, legs, and so on. Not long ago an article in a
London paper on the Irish actor Stephen Rea remarked that, when Rea
ordered mineral water (rather than beer) during the interview, it was
telling proof that he'd "gone Hollywood." The book
"Brit-Think/Amerithink" has some funny material on this cultural
difference (details elsewhere).
Here are a few random observations on health in the UK. Although the
movement for banning smoking in public places is gaining ground, it
remains a more a minority sentiment in this country. Pubs are
tremendously smoky, although thankfully, smoking is not allowed in
movie theatres. Probably because Britain makes some of the best ales
in the world, people drink a lot (3 or 4 pints an evening is not
considered particularly excessive here), and they seem to start very
young. The institution of The Pub is an omnipresent, essential public
facility; for example, Universities won't have just one pub, but 3 or
4 spread over the campus. You will not see any oriental restaurants
proudly displaying a "No MSG" sign, and waiters may consider the
request unusual. There are many workout clubs, but you will not find
many men in aerobics classes; the British sense of macho identity
seems to regard that as a domain for women. Magazines on childbirth,
instead of glorifying more natural methods of childbirth, contain
testimonials from women who were so glad they were drugged up for
delivery: "It was wonderful, I didn't feel a thing."
And then there's the incredible amounts of grease and deep frying in
their foods. In particular, there is the "English Breakfast" you will
find served at every restaurant and Bed & Breakfast: greasy fried egg
(although on alternate days, tolerable scrambled eggs), greasy
sausage, greasy bacon, slices of bread fried in grease, hash browns
fried in grease, plus the piece de resistance, the small half-tomato
fried in grease. You have been warned.
Back to list of questions...
DENTISTRY
In the US, dentists strongly believe in preventative care: periodic
visits for cleaning, X-rays, and so on. Two US dentists I have talked
to, including one who actually practiced in the UK for a while, tell
me that this preventative approach is not nearly as much a part of the
UK dental scene. Indeed, this contrasting mindset was apparent to me
when I asked a British friend if he could recommend a good dentist
because I'd not seen one for some time, and he asked me, "what's the
matter, do you have a bad tooth?" I've never myself actually visited a
UK dentist--I arrange to have my coverage during trips to the US--but
if I did I'd certainly see a private dentist rather than an NHS one,
as I understand NHS pays dentists poorly.
Back to list of questions...
How expensive is it to live in the UK?
Manufactured goods such as CDs, books, clothes, and appliances can be
25-50% more expensive than in the US; sometimes it seems like
"whatever it costs in dollars in the US, the cost in the UK will be
the same number of pounds."
Restaurants are slightly more expensive than in the US, but food
bought at grocery stores is not; in fact, it is often cheaper.
Salaries in the UK are for the most part lower than in the US. This is
considered so patently true by most Brits that when preparing for an
interview for a lectureship at a British university recently, I was
advised to be ready to answer the question "Why would you want to work
here when you could earn a much larger salary working in the US?" So
it may very well be that the salary you will make as an X (engineer,
lecturer, student) in the UK will provide less purchasing power than
what you would make as an X in the US. If you are coming here for an
academic job (see elsewhere) and with a family, keep in mind that
it'll be hard to get by on a single income; it's been said to me that
an academic career pretty much rules out every buying anything better
than a second-hand car.
So the UK does tend to be more expensive than the US, but it is not
impossible to live here (as the exaggerated estimates of US tourists
who have stayed in expensive London hotels and restaurants might have
you believe). Not all things that you'd think are expensive actually
are; sometimes they are cheaper than in the US. Brits can be
extraordinary penny pinchers, and prices for essential items are often
low because otherwise nobody would buy them. Also, even if you find
that you can afford less living here, you will adapt quickly, live as
others do, and not even notice much of a change.
A rather conspicuous source of increased expense in the UK is the
nasty tax called VAT (Value Added Tax), which is 17.5%. Just about
everything (restaurant food, manufactured goods, home heating fuel) is
subject to VAT (although usually you are unaware of it because the
retailer figures the VAT into the price).
VAT is not the only new sort of tax you'll need to cope with; a list
of other little expenses to which you'll have to become accustomed,
either as part of living in the UK or as part of living abroad, is
shown below. Many of them are discussed in greater detail in other
sections of this FAQ.
* VAT (17.5%)
* Council Tax (ca. $50/month or more; see elsewhere)
* National Insurance (ca. $184 out of each paycheck; see elsewhere)
* Income Tax, it you're paying it (20-27% of salary; see elsewhere
* TV License ($150/year for a color TV; B&W is cheaper...see
elsewhere)
* Charges for local telephone calls (see elsewhere)
* Initial deposit paid for utilities services (ca. $150 each for
gas/electricty, water, phone; see elsewhere)
* Paying to keep your stuff in a storage locker in the US (see
elsewhere)
Ways in which you may save money, on the other hand, are:
* Free health coverage
* Not needing a car if rail service is convenient
* Car provided by your company (if you're lucky)
To get right down to the nitty-gritty, here are the prices that things
cost right now (summer 1994). Gasoline is sky-high (remember the US is
the only country that does not add a separate tax to its gasoline),
about $3.50 per US gallon. Dinner at a yuppie-style restaurant, with
beer and a dessert, runs about $30, while take-out Fish & Chips with a
soda is only about $4. Renting a Ford Escort from Hertz for a week
costs $252 (insurance included). A 2-3 mile trip in a cab is about
$5.50. A medium-sized novel is $7.50. CDs are notoriously overpriced,
from $21-27 each. A round-trip plane ticket (they call it "return
fare") to Brussels in July is $153. A ticket for a movie costs $6, and
a videotape rental is $3.75. Some items at the store: potatoes are
$.51/lb; peas $1.20/lb; green bell peppers $1.40/lb; apples and
bananas $.60/lb; $1 for 6 eggs. A Sony 25" TV is advertised for $750.
A new, British-made (Rover) economy car costs $9000 (financing is
18.41% APR). A cheap futon/couch costs $277. A daily paper is $.75.
To follow the fluctuation of the value of the US dollar against the UK
pound, see any major newspaper's financial section, or check the
frequent VNS (Vogon News Service) posting on soc.culture.british.
Back to list of questions...
How can I get a bank account?
A checking account (sometimes called a "current account") is an
absolute necessity here, since (1) you will need a bank account to pay
your bills, (2) most companies that require a monthly payment wish to
be paid by auto-debit, and (3) your employer all but requires you to
be paid by auto-deposit. Banking conveniences are pretty much the same
as in the US: there automatic tellers (ATMs) everywhere, you can pay
with your ATM card auto-debit for just about anything (groceries,
restaurants, department stores). There are ordinary banks, such as
Barclay's and NatWest, and bank-like companies called "Building
Societies" (such as Abbey National) which are like "Savings and Loans"
in the US. You probably want to use an ordinary bank.
However, your ATM card is really useful only if it is also a "check
guarantee card." This essentially makes it good for credit and insures
merchants against theft. Without that status it will be useless as a
debit card, and perhaps more importantly no merchant will cash your
check without it (although it will be accepted as payment for bills
over the mail). Therefore when you get an account you want to insist
on getting a check guarantee card.
And this one detail may turn out to be the biggest hassle you have to
go through in the UK. Banks will happily open a plain savings and
checking account with almost no questions, but they'll make getting
the check guarantee card almost impossible because you have zero
credit history in the UK. Unfortunately, no matter how sterling your
credit history in the US is, no matter how amazing your assets and
investments in the US are, they meaning NOTHING abroad, and help not
one bit towards getting that important card.
Probably the best way win the trust of the bank to give you this
credit is to ask your employer (someone in the salaries office, say)
to call the bank to vouch for you. They in fact may be motivated to do
this because they are eager to find a way to auto deposit your
paycheck. Some other things that might help are:
* Get a fellow employee from your new job who has a bank account at
the bank you want to write a letter on your behalf
* Open the account with a HUGE initial deposit so that they will
roll out the red carpet for you (however, there are limitations on
the amount of money you can bring into the country with you...see
an earlier part of this FAQ)
* Get someone from your bank at home to write you a letter telling
how long you've been an excellent customer there, etc.
* Show them several bank statements from your US account
demonstrating a nice, fat monthly balance.
Back to list of questions...
What kind of housing will I find?
There's as much variety in housing in the UK as in the US, so there is
no simple way of advising you on what kind of place you'll be living
in. Keep in mind that flats in general can be old here (living in a
200 year old flat is no big deal), so they are likely to look more
like Brownstones in NYC rather than pre-fab apartments in California.
The primary way flats are advertised are via Estate Agents (why call
them "Real Estate Agents" when there are no Imaginary ones?). Go to
their offices and ask to see a listing. They will drive you around to
any of the properties that interest you. Advertisements for flats
often give the price on a per-week basis, although you actually pay
monthly. "Hob" (a hot plate) or "cooker" (synonymous with stove) are
other words you will find in advertisements. By the way, many British
stoves, even modest ones, have a open broiler on the top, which is a
real treat: they grill steak and fish much more effectively than the
down-below broilers of US stoves.
There is a nasty property tax called the Council Tax, formerly known
as the Poll Tax, which you are required to pay, even if you are merely
renting the property. The tax is paid only 9 out of 12 months of the
year. We pay $66 a month for our flat. Good news for students: there
is a special provision that may make you exempt, depending on your
living situation, so look into it before you pay it.
Furnished flats are quite common in the UK. They will include living
room (called the "lounge") furniture, a fridge and stove, a kitchen
table, and kitchen cookware and utencils, but usually no beds. You can
bargain a bit with the landlord on the items that are included in the
furnishings (after all, you are paying more than for a non-furnished
flat). Note that the kitchen cookware includes only enough items to
cook basic meals. You'll have to outfit them with more to make your
favorite recipes like fancy omlettes, stir-fried oriental dishes, etc.
In the part of the country I'm in, central heating is no longer
considered a luxury. A flat with independent space heaters in every
room rather than radiators fed from a central heating source should
probably be considered fairly "low rent." The lounge often has, even
in a centrally-heated dwelling, a small heater (usually gas) located
where a fireplace used to be. These are a cherished, cozy item,
although some are unfortunately festooned with tacky decorations or
pseudo log-fire regalia. The lounge often has a door on it (to keep
the heat in); strangely enough, these are sometimes made of an opaque
glass rather than wood, like something you'd see in a hair salon.
Clothes washers are often included in a flat; it's not too demanding
to include that as one of your requirements. UK clothes washing
machines tend to be low-capacity and low-speed (they are smaller,
usually kept underneath the kitchen counter, just like a dishwasher).
Some of them, even ones of fairly recent vintage, don't even use
microprocessors, using instead a primitive mechanical programming
system that clicks away like Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine.
Also, many do not draw hot water from the household hot water supply;
rather, they take cold water and heat it electrically inside the unit.
The slow rate of heating the water means that each load can take over
an hour to complete (but I'm told the ones in France take even
longer). However, if you pay enough you can always buy as high-tech a
washer as you like; but what you'll find in rental properties will
tend to be the more modest ones. Clothes driers and dishwashing
machines are less-frequently included items in UK flats.
UK home showers also merit some comment; compared to US showers, they
run at a pathetic trickle. Take a nice long shower before you leave
for the UK, it's the last decent one you'll have for a long time.
Water pressure within the usual British household is obtained entirely
by gravity. Unfortunately, the hot-water storage tank is frequently at
a location just below the shower head, so an "electric shower" (one
that pumps and scalds the water as quickly as it can, which is not
very) is found in most homes. I find rinsing my hair to take so long
under our shower that it's easier to wash my hair while taking a bath,
dousing my head with a pail of water. The quality of electric showers
varies: one that costs $450 might be able to deliver a fair amount of
water pressure, but in an average quality flat the shower will
probably be cheap. At an even greater expense you can actually install
a pumping system that will give you a good US-style shower.
The day you move in to your new dwelling, MAKE SURE to have whomever
is providing the flat show you how to turn on the central heating and
water heater. The workings, appearance (a square box mounted on the
side of the wall), and location (sometimes the kitchen) are completely
different than in the US. Also it includes a device with several
switches for controlling fuel efficiency. We spent our first weekend
in our flat unable to take a hot bath because we didn't know where the
water heater was!
Back to list of questions...
How do I get utilities (gas, water, phone, etc)?
GETTING HOOKED UP
The experience of getting water, gas and electricity bills for your
dwelling is fairly straightforward and very much like in the USA. It
is not nearly as difficult as getting a bank account (see elsewhere),
but you are stuck in a nasty Catch-22 because utility companies will
not give you access until you have a bank account. (I'll never forget
when I pointed that out to a bank clerk and he responded by lighting
up and saying, "well yes, it is a bit like that, isn't it?") After
that is taken care of, they may require an initial deposit, since you
will not have a previous history with a British utility company.
If you are on friendly terms with the previous tenant, it may be to
your advantage to take over their old phone number, and other utility
accounts, as it can save a lot of time, money and hassle in hookup.
Utility bills are billed quarterly (every 3 months). Beware of your
long distance calls to the US...you could be quietly running up a huge
bill and not know it until your third month here!
Back to list of questions...
TELEPHONES
Note that every phone call, even local ones, costs money in the UK,
and it is billed by the minute. If you use a modem with your phone
(see elsewhere for information on bringing your phone-related products
from home), note that it's costing you money to be logged in! However,
a discount rate begins at 6 pm and continues until 8 am the next
morning, so your nighttime login sessions won't be so bad.
As in the US, phone numbers consist of an area code (used only when
dialing from outside the area) and a local number. Numbers are not
standardized in length in the UK: the area code may have 3-4 numbers,
the local number 6-7 numbers. Within the country, area codes always
begin with a zero; calling from another country to the UK, however,
you omit the zero.
For information, you dial 192, and for operator, 100. Intuitive, huh?
Emergency is 999.
Phones: the BT (British Telecom) system appears to understand both
'touch tone' and 'pulse' dialing over most of the UK, as far as I
understand. The physical phone in your home may one or the other, but
even if it's pulse, it will respond to tones dialing from your modem
or pocket dialer, if you have one. Pay phones: the standard BT pay
phones are pulse dialers, but BT's competitor Mercury are touch tone
dialers.
UK Phone companies have just begun to offer fancy phone services such
as call waiting, or message leaving and answering services.
University phones: at my university, off-campus dialing for many
phones is disabled after 'business hours'. Very frustrating!
Some British pay phones do not take coins at all; instead, they take a
"money card" that you buy at shops with between 1 and 20 pounds of
calls encoded on them.
Back to list of questions...
LONG DISTANCE CARRIERS
I still use US Sprint as my long distance carrier, and my wife still
uses MCI as hers...there are European access numbers for reaching
their operators. (By the way, France and Germany are about to buy a
40% interest in US Sprint.) However, strangely enough, we recently
discovered direct dialing from home is cheaper than our long distance
carriers; but when you're at a public phone you may need your carrier.
Warning: neither Sprint or MCI can place calls to Canada from the UK
(I haven't the slightest idea why).
Back to list of questions...
TELEVISION
You may wish to buy a television and VCR (you certainly don't want to
bring yours from the US...see elsewhere), but it is rather common
practice for people to rent them. If you shop around, you might find a
TV/VCR combination for as cheap as $27/month. However, as you are a
foreigner some shops may balk at renting you a set, and probably will
require a deposit of around $150, so getting a TV may require some
perseverance.
There's a joke that goes "In America you have to have a license for a
gun; in Britain, you have to have a license to watch TV." Laugh if you
like, but it's literally true. You purchase a yearly license to watch
TV from the Post Office (!), and it costs more for a color TV than a
B&W one. The license helps pay for the BBC. Trucks prowl around your
street from time to time and make surprise visits to see if you've
paid up your license. They even have equipment that tells them if "TV
rays" are coming from your living room. Go ahead, don't believe
me...but this is completely true!
Back to list of questions...
How should I manage my financial affairs back in the US?
Chances are you will have at least some bills you have to keep paying,
so you will want to keep your US Bank account(s) open, and be able to
write checks on those funds to pay your bills. Also, you probably have
some monthly statements that you will need to monitor regularly. We
changed our official mailing address to our UK home for all such bills
and statements and have had little difficulty receiving them (although
it does seem to pose their computers a bit of a challenge).
If you have to move cash from the US to the UK, or if you will be
living in the UK off of funds in a US bank account, using an AMEX
(American Express) card is a good way to go. You tell them to set up
your account in such a way that when you use your card at an AMEX cash
station (which can be found in every large town in Europe), the
checking account at your US bank gets debited. Or you can even use
your bank's ATM card to do so. ATMs are everywhere, and if your card
is on either the "Cirrus" or "Plus" networks (look at the back of the
card), it will work. From either card, the conversion is done at that
day's exchange rate, and no more (unlike the money changing service
such as Thomas Cook, who charge a fee for the transaction). You can
also cash an ordinary American check at any AMEX office. I think AMEX
limits the amount of transactions to a total of $1000/month, but it
may depend on your account.
Given the difficulty with obtaining bank accounts (described
elsewhere), it should behoove you to apply for US credit cards before
you leave the US, since you will have no credit history in the UK and
may be flatly denied a credit card. Also take the trouble to go get
PINs (personal passwords) encoded on your cards. An AMEX card doesn't
have one unless you get it put on, and you'll need to visit an AMEX
office to do so.
Once you have a British bank account, you will also probably be able
to draw US cash from US ATMs of off funds from your UK bank account
during your trips to the US. Once again, look for the Cirrus and Plus
network.
Back to list of questions...
How much will I be taxed (in US and UK)?
THESE RULES CHANGE EVERY YEAR!
Take this information only as a guideline for what may be possible.
This is an area which you absolutely must enquire about on your own,
because the laws can change profoundly from year to year.
UK TAXES
If you are employed in the UK and drawing a salary, and you are going
to be in the UK for two years or less, you may be exempted from paying
income tax. Request a "Claim for exemption from United Kingdom Income
Tax" form from H.M. Inspector of Taxes, and submit it to your salaries
department, and taxes will not be deducted from your salary. Once you
stay even one minute into the third year in the UK, however, Her
Majesty will expect you to pay all two years of those back taxes to
her.
If for some reason you do wish to pay income tax, the monthly
deductions will be between 20-27% of your salary (mine was 20%).
National Insurance is a different affair. No-one is exempt from this,
I believe. $186 per month is taken from each monthly paycheck I get.
Back to list of questions...
US TAX
Here was how we figured our taxes at the end of fiscal year 1993 (keep
in mind that the rules change each year, and depend heavily on what
properties you own, what investments you have, and so on). If you
spent at least 330 days of that fiscal year outside of the US and the
total amount of income you earned that year (combined from all sources
of income, regardless of country) was less than $70,000, that income
is termed "foreign earned income," and you will owe no taxes on it.
Before you leave, visit with a qualified tax accountant to find out
exactly how you should handle things. Even if it costs you $100 or so,
you might just be saving several thousand.
Back to list of questions...
Will I be able to stand food in the UK?
IS STORE-BOUGHT FOOD DECENT?
Absolutely ! Your local supermarket will carry very high quality goods
and fresh produce in large quantities, so you should be able to eat
and cook at home pretty much in whatever way you like. Many American
products you are accustomed to are sold here, and the European brands
are often equivalent in quality. The produce is as fresh as the
produce that most Americans eat (with the exception of, say, the
agriculturally more fortunate Californians). At my house we have no
problem cooking the way we like: Pad Thai, Baba Genugh, salsa, and
guacamole (to name some particularly non-British selections).
Vegetarians and Vegans will find many of the items they want at
supermarkets, and (in Brighton, at least) there are natural foods
stores. If someone tells you that British markets have miserable food
selections, their experience may be several years out of date (perhaps
before Britain joined the E.C.). I'd have to say that the US has a bit
of an edge on the quality of meat, however; beef products taste a
little more "grey" here, and fish seldom seems as flavorful. One
exception is bacon, which is much better in the UK (Brits are utterly
appalled at the fatty, streaky stuff that is sold in the US under the
name "bacon").
British supermarkets (Sainsbury's, Waitrose) are about the same size
of the average American supermarket. The American chain Safeway is
also found in the UK.
Back to list of questions...
WHAT'S THIS ABOUT BRITISH FOOD BEING BAD?
British Cuisine can be quite good. I can't speak for how it's cooked
in other homes, but friends of ours have had us over and served up
delightful meals. The fare you get in most British restaurants,
however, is pretty low quality, and that's where the reputation
comes from. When you go to a restaurant in the US, say a restaurant
unknown to you, usually the worst consequences are that the food will
turn out to be pretty mediocre. Taking similar chances in the UK, I
find, yield experiences in which the worst outcome is not merely
"mediocre," but "simply awful" with greater frequency. More than once
I've left a restaurant with the food on the plate (but still paid the
bill, good soul that I am) because I simply did not consider it to be
edible.
As I've pointed out elsewhere, the bad food is certainly not
attributable to poor quality foodstuffs; the bad reputation is due
entirely to the way in which it's prepared. I break this down into
four causes:
* Brits can be notorious penny-pinchers, and would rather cut costs
and cook quickly than take the trouble to make good cuisine
* An odd sense of what ingredients go together (you find pineapple,
tuna and sweetcorn in the oddest places)
* A dislike of strongly seasoned food; very little garlic or spices
used, so things taste bland (even a restaurant claiming to be
Schezuan will serve barely-spiced food)
* Many British recipes involve astonishing amounts of frying in
grease (see the description of the English Breakfast in the
section on health).
Back to list of questions...
WHERE CAN I FIND RESTAURANTS WITH GOOD FOOD, THEN?
Naturally, ask among your friends for the better restaurant, and
experiment. But here are a few rules of thumb. Italian restaurants are
superb, and nobody knows why, just count your blessings. Everywhere
you go there seem to be Italian restaurants with great food, and
staffed with waiters who shout Italian to each other and run their
eyes over the women customers. Ask around for the best Fish & Chips
shop. There are good French restaurants here and there, and they're
often not as costly as you'd think. Indian food can be fabulous,
although since there are so many Indian restaurants and takeout shops,
the quality can be very uneven.
Back to list of questions...
WHEN CAN I EAT?
This isn't exactly a frequently asked question yet, but it will become
one after you've moved to the UK. You will discover that America is an
extremely "catered society": we can get whatever meal we want,
whenever we want it. UK restaurants aren't open quite as many hours of
the day, and in fact exactly what pattern of hours they follow will
seem obscure at first. In the UK, I find few restaurants are ever open
before about 10:30 a.m., so plan to have food at home for breakfast.
Brits (and Europeans as well) tend to have later dinners; showing up
at an empty restaurant at 5pm asking if they are serving dinner is a
comically American trait (wait until about 730 or 8pm). Yet you will
find lots of places open after 11pm; what gives? Simple: the bars
close at 11, and hungry customers flood the street. You'll hear the
advice to try "pub food", but this is mainly a lunchtime affair; if
you come in after 2pm and allow the menu on the wall to get your hopes
up, be prepared to get a strange look when you ask if they are serving
food. I've found that lasagne served at Pubs is often very good, by
the way.
Sundays are a special case fraught with legal and historical problems.
Until very recently there were actual laws ("Sunday Trading" laws)
keeping merchants from operating on Sunday, apparently in the name of
labor rights, preserving Sunday as a religious day, and who knows what
else. Fortunately (or unfortuntely, if you're the person who has to
work on Sundays) this is all becoming part of history now, and many
supermarkets and other merchants are open on Sundays. However, habits
die hard, and Sunday still remains a day when you will find most
things closed, making finding a restaurant a little tricky. Guess what
the exceptions to this rule are? The American chains, like Pizza Hut,
MacDonalds, Burger King, and KFC. And by the way: you may in fact find
that you go to these fast food chains more frequently in the UK than
you ever did in the US, both for the Sunday hours, and because believe
it or not, they come the closest to providing American-style
hamburgers and pizza.
Back to list of questions...
Do I want to get around by train, bus, or car?
TRAINS AND BUSSES
Despite the recent initiation of a privitization scheme, travel by
rail (either for long-haul trips or for commuting) is still one of the
most appealing and best-run aspects of the UK. Unless you live in a
remote area, chances are that you will be able to catch some train
between home and work if you choose to, and if close enough to a
shopping area, do without a car altogether (I do). If you commute to
London you can get there amazingly fast from most parts of the
country. However, note that long trips can be quite costly. One-way
from Plymouth to London was $52 each for some friends of mine recently
(and it would be much more if they were traveling at rush hour);
note that renting a car, although less convenient in some ways, is a
much better bargain ($42/day). However, I get to work every day (about
5 miles away) for $1.40 round-trip. Busses are lumbering and slow.
Yes, the double deckers look charming from the outside, but they are
really bumpy inside, making reading difficult. For longer distances,
busses (coaches) are cheaper than going by rail, but of course rail is
always nicer than bus. Many trains make it very easy for bicyclists to
bring their bikes on board, by providing a special car with a cage for
the purpose; a conductor will even open the door for you and help you
in and out.
Back to list of questions...
DO I WANT TO DRIVE IN THE UK?
Driving on the left is a trick, but by no means a major challenge to
the experienced US driver. Before you get behind the wheel, however,
have someone explain the rules of a UK "traffic circle" or
"roundabout" since they involve specific rules of who-goes-first which
will not be intuitive to you (although there are traffic circles in
some parts of the US, I don't believe the rules of precedence are
defined). Better yet, take a drive with someone and have them explain
what they are doing in a traffic circle. The book "Coping with
England" (details elsewhere) shows how it's done. Also the UK "Highway
Code" is available for a small price at most bookstores. Reading it is
advised, since there are many signs and road markings which are
unknown to the US driver.
A US license evidently allows you to drive on the road, since many
(but not all) car rental companies will rent you their car with only a
US license. No doubt if you stay in the UK for an extensive period of
time you are obliged to get a UK drivers license eventually, but I
don't have any information on that. Passing the driver's test is
sufficiently tricky that it is advised that you take a few driving
lessons; on the bright side, however, your license will be good until
you are 70 years old! If you expect to visit the continent, you may
also wish to get an "International License" which simply translates
the information on your current license into 19 different languages.
Note that many companies (not universities, unfortunately) provide
"company cars" for employees, which you can use exactly as if it were
you own car. It's one of the compensations for salaries being
generally lower in the UK than in the US, and cars being so obscenely
expensive.
Back to list of questions...
DO I WANT TO BE A PEDESTRIAN IN THE UK?
I'm kidding; this is not really a Frequently Asked Question. But I'm
not kidding when I say that being a pedestrian in the UK is noticably
different than in the US. And I'm not talking about being careful
about drivers being on the left (although you should); I'm talking
about the attitude drivers here have toward pedestrians.
Unlike the US, where white lines are painted to indicate a crosswalk
at practically every intersection, there are few such zones of safety
in the UK; there are just rare "zebra crossings" (like on the Abbey
Road album cover) with flashing lights that oblige the driver to stop.
When there's no zebra crossing at an intersection, drivers do not
think you belong in the road (and will barrel down on you, expecting
you to leap out of the way). The fact that they don't think you belong
there even when your were there first, before the car arrived on
the scene (say, if they came from around a blind corner), lends an air
of uncivility to the experience of being a pedestrian.
I thought I'd compare highway codes of our two countries to see if
they were the source of this societal difference, and sure enough, in
the US the burden is on the driver to watch out for pedestrians, while
in the UK the burden is on the pedestrian to watch out for cars.
Here's what the most recent UK highway code tells the pedestrian on
the subject of crossing the road: "If there is any traffic near, let
it go past. When there is no traffic near, it is safe to cross.
Remember, even if traffic is a long way off, it may be approaching
very quickly." Here's what the 1992 California Driver Handbook says to
the driver about pedestrians: "Pedestrians have the right-of-way at
intersections, whether or not crosswalks are marked by painted white
lines. . . . Always stop for pedestrians crossing at corners. Stop for
anybody crossing the street. Do not pass a car from behind that has
stopped at a crosswalk. A pedestrian you can't see may be crossing."
You might almost say that you don't need to worry all that much about
which direction traffic is coming from, because you'll have to run
like hell to avoid getting hit anyway.
To be fair about it, however, it must be observed that roads tend to
be much smaller here than in the US. Consider that an average road in
the UK may have been laid down in Roman or Medieval times, and with
the cities that have grown around them have made widening impossible.
As a result, there is very often simply no room to spare for the
drivers, and even putting one foot in the road puts you at risk.
Back to list of questions...
DO I WANT TO BE A BICYCLIST IN THE UK?
Because of the narrowness of the roads, described immediately above,
you will often find not only no bike lanes, but virtually no margin on
the road at all to keep you safely out of traffic. I ride my bike to
work occasionally, but I refuse to ride in the road, because of my
sense of self-preservation (it's one of my quirks). I must endure many
nasty looks as a result of my riding on the sidewalk (pavement, they
call it here), but I'm alive to write this FAQ now, so there.
Thinking of taking bicycling trips, with camping gear, and so on?
Well, before you do consider the fact that the roads will be even more
narrow in the countryside (even one lane), June/July/August are the
only months you can hope to have stretches of several days without
rain, and while Britain is a relatively "gentle" landscape (the Rocky
Mountains it ain't), you will still find plenty of steep hills to wear
you out.
Back to list of questions...
Is internet easily accessable?
At universities, a system know as JANET (the one that brought you
backwards email addresses, such as edu.berkeley.garnet) used to be
primary network carrier, but now most universities have moved to
becoming full-fledged members of the internet. Most machines have IP
addresses and can be telnetted and ftp'd to and from. However,
vestiges of JANET remain, and network communications can sometimes be
a bit baroque as a result.
USENET newsfeeds are available at many universities, but not all the
groups available in the US are available here. Most or all of the
entire "alt." hierarchy, for example, is not available at many sites.
There are internet providers in London which can be reached by dialup
for a monthly charge. The prices I've heard sound very reasonable, but
if you don't live in London, your phone bills will be huge. The
company that seems to be the most popular is Demon Internet Services,
phone 081-349 0063, email inte...@demon.co.uk. You can probably find
the names other companies by making a query on soc.culture.british or
uk.misc.
The university I work at has dialup modems (although not very many),
so I am able to work from home when it's necessary.
Back to list of questions...
What kind of Visa/Permit do I need?
If you are going to the UK for some kind of legitimate employment
lasting for six months or more, your UK employer should have gotten
(or is currently getting for you) a Work Permit or Work Visa. If not,
any time you spend over the six months you're allowed as a traveller
will be technically illegal, and you'll be thrown out as soon as
Immigrations catches you. I know nothing about how student permits
work, I'm afraid.
My wife accompanied me to the UK, and she was automatically (well,
after a visit to a British Consulate in the US) granted a work permit
as well. I fact, her work permit is less restrictive than mine: my
permit is good only for the job for which I was hired, whereas hers
gives her unrestricted freedom in the entire E.C. Not bad, being a
spouse!
My work permit allows me to leave and re-enter the UK as many times as
I wish. If your job renews you for a period extending beyond the
originally requested duration of the job, they will need to reapply to
the Home Office. This can take a long time, during which they take
your passport from you (and your spouse...your spouse's passport, that
is). But if something pressing requires you to travel out of the
country, they will let you have it back temporarily.
The laws change constantly...call the British Consulate to find what
the current rules are on these things.
Back to list of questions...
Do I want to go?
No doubt at some point you'll be forced to decide whether you really
want to take this position, degree program, or whatever. Although this
is a very personal issue, I can provide a tiny bit of food for
thought.
You have a chance to live in another country for a while? Wow, what an
opportunity! You want to pass up this possibly once-in-a-lifetime
chance? I'm sure glad I didn't, is all I can say.
What part of the UK will you be in? Every country is going to have
parts of it that are wonderful, others that are sheer hell. You'll
just have to ask other Brits what places are like, and if it sounds
doubtful, make a visit if you can. Unfortunately, I've only seen a
fraction of the country, but I can testify that Brighton, Bath, and
Edinburgh fall into the wonderful category. My confidence would not be
especially high for South Wales or Liverpool, although I've never
actually been there (perhaps industrial, economically hard hit,
dirty?). Most of Cornwall and Devon is very lovely, and I'd enjoy
living there (not many big universities out that way, though). The
"northern industrial cities" like Birmingham, Sheffield and Manchester
are known to be rather colorless and depressing in the winter (see
David Lodge's books, described elsewhere), but the universities there
are top-notch (although they do place a strong emphasis on "practical"
research useful for local industries). You no doubt know of Northern
Ireland's reputation, but in its defense, what is true about the
larger cities (Belfast, Derry) is not true about the smaller towns
(see Paul Theroux's book, elsewhere). Before moving to London, try
talking to a Londoner to find out about the many complications of
living there. I love London for it's many historical and cultural
wonders, but with the way the residents complain about the crowds and
traffic, I'm in no hurry to move there.
Back to list of questions...
HOW DOES THE STANDARD OF LIFE IN THE UK COMPARE TO THE US?
Some statistics comparing UK and US
* per capita GDP
+ UK: $15,900 (1991)
+ US: $22,470 (1991)
* Unemployment rate
+ UK: 8.1% (1991)
+ US: 6.6% (1991)
* Kilowatt hours produced per capita
+ UK: 5520
+ US: 12,080 (US, 1990)
"The US has the most powerful, diverse, and technologically advanced
economy in the world, with the highest per capita GDP of all major
industrial nations. . . . The UK is one of the world's great trading
powers and financial centers, and its economy ranks among the four
largest in Europe."
(Source: the 1992 CIA Guide)
Will life be very very different?
Perhaps the statistics above say it all: Americans make more money and
consume more resources in spending it, but in the world scheme of
things, the ranking of the British come very close. Personally, I find
the UK an entirely satisfactory place to live, although I do miss some
aspects of the US: there is much quicker access to new technologies
and products, services are more diverse and competetive, and
manufactured goods are made better, and sold cheaper. Any Brit will
tell you that one of the advantages of traveling to the US is picking
up CDs and clothes at cheaper prices. But fear not, you will
definitely not find the UK to be a primitive place, lacking comforts
and material goods that you consider essential.
Examples of UK disadvantages in the area of comforts, convenience, or
material wealth relative to the US are: small refrigerators, slow home
laundry machines, only four standard television stations, home showers
with pathetic water pressure, stores closed on Sunday, and expensive
gasoline. In defense of the Brits, however, it's a matter of how you
look at it: many of these things could be chalked up to the
"comparative wastefulness of Americans" with equal fairness.
One important fact to point out is that this situation is constantly
evolving. Britain has become much better even over the last five
years, and is still changing rapidly (thus, be careful about trusting
any descriptions from someone who last lived in the UK over five years
ago). In terms of access to technology and high-quality manufactured
goods, the UK is rapidly becoming indistinguishable from the US.
Back to list of questions...
WHAT MAKES LIVING IN THE UK SO GREAT?
* Pubs: an essential part of the social infrastructure, unlike
anything in the US. Pubs are hardly at all like US "bars", being
much cozier, friendly (usually) and not sleazy (usually).
* Fabulous beers and ales. You'll be spoiled for life.
* Fabulous natural and historical sites all over the UK, all
reachable within a day. Dozens of trips worth taking (see a
guidebook). My personal favorite is the western highlands of
Scotland.
* The opportunity to view your own country in a completely different
light. Come to learn US history better and understand what makes
it unique. Gives you a grasp on the American national identity.
Make a hobby out of comparing US and UK cultures, and see how
other countries view us.
* Getting to experience a foreign culture without the inconvenience
of a language barrier.
* Cheap and easy travel to the continent. A ferry to France from
where I am costs less than a round trip ticket to London! Package
weekend deals to Paris including flight and hotel for less than
$200 during the off-season.
* The excitement of having many cultures in a smaller place. The
European Union is making life particularly interesting here.
* A fabulous rail system that goes seemingly everywhere
* In a word, "civilized." People are much more agreeable and less
conflict-prone than in the US; they solve problems by talking
things through rather than arguing and posturing. People in
positions of authority tend to consider the facts more
thoughtfully instead of making inappropriate snap judgments.
* Slower pace of life. People tend to really leave work at 5pm and
go home, and not come into work on weekends. Everyone gets six
weeks of vacation here. All of this is much more conducive to a
better family life.
* A sense of a social safety net. Universal health care, so there's
not that sense of grave fear of becoming unemployed that one has
in the US.
Back to list of questions...
WHAT'S IT LIKE BEING A FOREIGNER IN THE UK?
If you're worried about sticking out like a sore thumb as an American,
don't. Britain is full of people from all over Europe, speaking
different languages, so being a native English speaker makes you only
a semi-foreigner. I have experienced virtually nothing but good will
from people here, and rarely see any traces of an anti-American
sentiment. Your accent will even give you a number of advantages:
* Your friends recognize you immediately when you call on the phone
* People will be interested in asking you what you think about the
UK and why you came
* Because Brits tend to size each other up by the way they speak,
you will be completely classless to them; that is, they'll show
you a little respect by default instead of judging you quickly.
Brits tend to view the following as stereotypically American traits
(and it's up to you decide if they are admirable or not):
* Bragging, lacking modesty: proudly proclaiming one's
accomplishments at work or school, or the fabulous vacation
they've had
* Blundering into a situation without studying it first, making
unwarranted snap judgments, being a "gunslinger"
* Talking with with your guard completely down, blurting out
personal things to near-strangers (Debra Winger's character in
"Shadowlands" was a good example of this)
* Talking loudly in public places to your friends so that everyone
around can hear your private remarks (US students riding the tube,
if you have to tell a story containing the sentence "I was so
drunk last night", say it more quietly, okay?).
Will you acquire an accent? If you acquire a full-blown British accent
I'd say you were either working at it, or you are extremely
impressionable. You probably will acquire, at most, the faintest trace
of an accent.
Make sure to get straight the difference between "England" and the
"United Kingdom" (and furthermore "Great Britain" and the "British
Isles", and even "Europe" for that matter). Scots and Welsh can be
quite insulted by your referring to them as being English, or living
in England.
Back to list of questions...
Do I want to be an academic in the UK?
A large number of people who request this FAQ are academics who are
considering taking a position at a University in the UK. Since this
was my own situation here, I thought I'd supply some information in
that area.
What is the research ranking of the department you are going to work
for? All British universities are ranked on a 5-point scale for
research excellence, and the standards are very high. A department
with a five rating means that there are many faculty members with
strong reputations and long publications lists; you can probably
assume that it is competetive with the best department of its type
anywhere in the world, and that it is probably drawing in huge amounts
of research money. The rating review is performed every five years.
The word "professor" has a different meaning here. The only people who
are called professor are the ones with the rank equivalent to "full
professor" in the US. Other translations: assistant professor (US) =
lecturer (UK), associate professor (US) = senior lecturer (UK).
Prepare for a very different interview process. First, it is quite
typical for all the candidates for the position to interview on a
single day (so be prepared to meet your competitors). It is not the
grueling whole-day affair that US interviews tend to be, where you are
marched around to see dozens of future colleagues and deans. Rather,
you'll give a presentation (not always!), and a 20-30 minute
interview, maybe be given a cursory look around the department with
your competitors, and that's all. Sometimes it happens that the
committee makes their decision on the day of the interviews and tells
you before you leave! If you give a presentation, for
research-oriented departments this is the single most important
component of your visit, so do it well. For your interview, be
prepared to describe your work at differing levels of technicality;
make it so someone outside your field can get the basic message of
what your work is about.
This may be arguable, but the image of a professor here seems to be a
little more casual, as though looking untidy is a sign of
intelligence. This means men might get by with slightly longer hair
than in the US; but I would still wear a suit of some sort to be safe.
Here is the latest UK salary scale from April 1994. I'm not exactly
sure how the different categories relate to the more familiar US
categories; use your imagination.
* Lecturer Grade A: $22134 to $28989 in seven steps
* Lecturer Grade B: $30199 to $43134 in ten steps
* Senior Lecturer and Professor: $40527 to $49510 in eight steps
Back to list of questions...
What should I read before moving to the UK?
The following is a list of suggested readings to get a feel for the
UK, the language, and what to expect. Read the non-fiction before you
go, and the fiction shortly after you arrive.
FICTION
* "Changing Places" by David Lodge (Penguin Press): story about an
American and a British professor who swap positions at their
respective universities for a year. Extremely insightful and funny
view of the cultural differences between our countries. Highly
recommended! "Small World" is a followup novel by the same author.
If you're going to Birmingham, these two novels, and his "Nice
Work" are a must-read.
* The "Rumpole of the Bailey" stories (many different volumes) by
John Mortimer. Deserves a place alongside Sherlock Holmes for
great criminal fiction, although in this case from the view of a
cynical trial lawyer rather than a detective.
* "The British Museum is Falling Down" by David Lodge (Penguin
Press). Novel from the early 60's about a PhD student trying to
get work done on his dissertation at the British Library.
* "Lucky Jim" by Kingsly Amis. Novel from the 50's about a recent
college graduate stuggling to get by in his first year as a
college lecturer.
Back to list of questions...
NON FICTION
* Paul Theroux, "The Kingdom by the Sea" (Penguin Press, 1983). A
"travel biography"...author decides to see the UK by visiting
every city along its permimeter, staying on foot as much as
possible. Excessively cynical at times, but some good insights,
and you'll learn about lesser-known places worth seeing.
* "Coping With England" by Jean Hannah. A mostly factual quide of
what to expect in England, not at all cynical as its title might
suggest. Starting to get a bit out of date.
* "Brit-Think/Amerithink, a Transatlantic Survival Guide," by Jane
Walmsley. Written by an American author. Pokes fun at the mindset
of Americans and Brits with equal sarcasm. Very funny at times,
although some of her ideas about Americans are odd (we don't all
get plastic surgery, Jane), and she feels obliged to tell us what
it's like being a TV producer in the UK (three guesses as to her
occupation).
* "British English, A to Zed" by Norman Schur. A dictionary of
British words that are mostly unknown to Americans. Needs an
update, but still pretty good. Very useful for reading British
novels.
* "An American Looks at Britain," by Robert Critchfield (1991).
Recommended by someone on the net (I haven't seen it myself).
* "The Underground Guide to University Study in Britain and
Ireland," by Bill Griesar, Intercultural Press, 1992. Aimed at the
foreign student, everything from a language glossary to the rules
for cricket. (Also recommended by someone on the net.)
* "How to Study and Live in Britain," by Jane Woolfenden. Northcote
House, 1990. A bit more stolid, but lots of useful information
(i.e. on registering with the police, immigration, etc). (Also
recommended by someone on the net.)
* "Studying and Living in Britain," by the British Council.
Northcote House, 1991. Essentially a shorter version of Jane
Woolfenden's book, although it's "official." (Also recommended by
someone on the net.)
Back to list of questions...
Basic facts comparing the US and UK
* Total area:
+ UK: 244,820 km2 (slightly smaller than Oregon)
+ US: 9,372,610 km2 (38 times larger)
* Population:
+ UK: 57,797,514 (1992)
+ US: 254,521,000 (1992; 4 times larger)
* Type of government:
+ UK: constitutional monarchy
+ US: federal republic
* Constitution:
+ UK: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and
practice
+ US: 17 September 1787, effective 4 June 1789
* Legal system:
+ UK: common law tradition with early Roman and modern
continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of
Parliament
+ US: based on English common law; judicial review of
legislative acts
* Percentage of non-white ethnic groups
+ UK: 2.8 (year unknown)
+ US: 13.9 (1989)
* Full name of the country
+ United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
+ United States of America
* Major Regions
+ UK: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales
+ US: no official regions
(Source: the 1992 CIA Guide)
Back to list of questions...
san...@epunix.ep.susx.ac.uk