Work
and study
London has a long tradition of welcoming people across the globe to
study, holiday, and to somewhat lesser extent now, to
work. It is about the most accommodating
country in Europe. With a common language and history make the United
Kingdom (UK) an
ideal place for Singaporeans to further their studies or to as a
platform to take
businesses global.
There are so many things to think about when you move, not to mention
the work involved with getting your new home in order once you arrive
— sourcing for a handyman, setting up of Internet, finding
the
nearest supermarket and getting acquainted with your new surroundings.
You will be faced with difficult choices regarding
accommodation, assistance with movers, as well as a number of other
unfamiliar issues that will effect how smoothly your relocation will
progress. You may even have to resolve to make the sacrifice of doing
domestic chores of
baby sitting, dish washing and cooking, as a trade off to enjoy other
good things of life in London.
The information above may seem a bit daunting but don't be discouraged
because your stay in London is a great way to enrich your life, open
your mind, make new friends and possibly with some hard work and good
luck, find fame and fortune.
London Universities
Health care
UK runs a more welfare regime that provides
unemployment benefits, universal health care and (until recently)
pension schemes. The eligibility to receive free hospital relates to
residency rather than nationality.
The National Health Services is a publicly funded health services
founded by the Labour government.
Events
London has a large community of Singaporeans and there are many
different events to help them stay in touch with home. Those
that
involve eating seem to be the most popular.
A chili crab festival organised by Tiger Beer
Accommodation
One of the most daunting questions when moving to a new foreign country
is ‘Where do I stay?’ First thing on the mind would
be to
find a roof over your head for the first few weeks while taking your
time to look for an ideal home.
The vast majority of people in the UK live in houses rather than flats.
But in central London, the other way round may be true as housing gets
a lot more expensive. Most rent prices are determined by location.
Public housing estates often refers to council flats are mostly purpose
built with the working class in mind are among the cheaper to rent in
London. However, these council flats look drab and often undesirable
compared to our affordable HDB flats.
For family with children, we would recommend a house near a park.
You can consider the following areas:
a) Clapham/Wandsworth area - Northcote road also known as Nappy Valley
(Northcote road)
b) Regent's park
c) Greenwich park = Convenient if you are working in Canary
Wharf/Docklands
To find good schools around the area you decided to move in, you may
want to check the OFSTED inspection report (http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/)
to check the school ratings which works a bit like our Singapore school
rating system.
Council tax
All residents of the UK are required to register with their local
authority after moving into their new home.
Banks
The big 4 banks in the uk are Barclays, Lloyds TSB, HSBC and Natwest..
Banks are usually open between 9:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday to Friday and
9:30 am to noon on Saturday.
Checklist
Before you
come
- Visa
application
- Open bank
account
- Shortlist
area of London you like to stay in
- Find
temporary or permanent accommodation
- Arrange
shipment
After you
settle
- Register
for council tax
- Register
with Singapore embassy
- Register
with national insurance and tax offices
- Register
with a doctor/GP
British
Culture
British
Slang
| Blimey |
Wah
seh - Exclamation and surprise |
| Tube |
MRT
- underground railway |
| Cuppa |
Lim
Teh? - A cup of tea? |
| Pants |
Underwear
- can mean trousers in Singapore |
| Gobsmacked |
Wah
Biang - Astonished |
| Bonkers |
Siao - Crazy |
| Bollocks |
Tok cock - Speaking rubbish |
| Chavs |
Ah Beng - Young white people of working
class background |
British
Humor
Land
of CCTV cameras
Chicken breast meat
Statues
Paddington
bear
Charlie Chaplin
Peter pan
Pub quiz
Markets
Fish market
- Billingsgate market, Steve Hatts
Meat market - Smith field market, Scottish hero, William Wallace was
executed.
It is cheaper and more convenient to eat out at a hawker centre
than to buy groceries and cook..
Learn how to cook
Supermarkets
Waitrose
Marks and spencer
Sainsbury
Tesco
