New to England: paperwork, housing and money

Katerina Galkina · EN · 04/10/2026

Eight chapters about your first weeks in England: documents, banking, housing, transport, healthcare, work and the everyday rules people rarely explain before you arrive. Read them in order or start with whatever matters most right now.

This is the first of three parts of the complete guide, covering chapters I–III. Continue with transport, work and meeting people ↗ and healthcare and everyday life ↗.

The first 72 hours

Do not try to understand the whole of England in a day. In the first few days, focus on the basics: a phone connection, a way to pay, an address, a doctor and knowing where to go for paperwork.

• A SIM card and internet access.

• A bank account or card for everyday payments.

• Check whether you already have a National Insurance number, and apply if you need one.

• Register with a GP.

A few useful starting points: bank account requirements depend on the provider; deposits for ordinary private tenancies need an approved protection scheme; contactless is convenient in London; and it is easier to register with a GP while you are well.

A possible settling-in rhythm: documents, phone and banking in week one; housing, GP registration and transport in month one; work, taxes and credit history in month two; then people, routines and everyday life. Treat this as a guide, not a compulsory timetable.

Chapter I. Paperwork

National Insurance, a bank card, a SIM and GP registration are the less exciting side of moving, but they make everything else easier. Start with the official GOV.UK and NHS services, then compare banks and mobile providers.

National Insurance number

Your National Insurance number is a permanent identifier for tax records and National Insurance contributions, not a separate card or permission to work. You keep it for life, so do not apply again if you already have one. Check your documents and UKVI account: it may already appear with your eVisa. You can apply while living in the UK if you have the right to work and are working, looking for work or have a job offer. You can start work before it arrives if you can prove your right to work ↗. See GOV.UK eligibility ↗.

Apply online through GOV.UK ↗, without a paid intermediary. Have your passport or an eligible European national identity card ready. The application explains the information and photographs required; if online identity checks are not possible, you may need an appointment or to post document copies. The number can take up to four weeks after you prove your identity. Keep the application reference from your email. Eligibility and timing checked 4 October 2026.

Bank accounts

For an account you can apply for through an app, compare Revolut ↗, Monzo ↗ and Starling ↗. If branches matter to you, look at HSBC ↗ and Barclays ↗. Each provider has its own residency, identity and address requirements, so an account cannot be promised to every newcomer in ten minutes or without proof of address.

Check whether the account meets your needs for salary payments, rent, transport and online shopping. Compare foreign currency fees, overdraft terms and available support. A provider might accept an HMRC letter, council tax bill or tenancy agreement as proof of address, but confirm its own list. A separate account with a bank that has branches makes sense if it solves a particular problem; you do not need to open several accounts immediately to receive a salary or pay rent.

The original guide included the author's Revolut referral link ↗. Check the app for any bonus, promotion dates and conditions: rewards depend on the current offer, rather than simply following the link.

SIM cards

Major networks include EE, O2 and Three ↗. For plans without a long contract, compare Giffgaff ↗, Lebara ↗ and Smarty ↗. Look at data allowances, coverage at your address, roaming rules and cancellation, as well as the introductory price.

A Pay As You Go SIM can work for your first week; look in shops such as Sainsbury’s ↗ or Tesco ↗. Choose a longer contract once you know where you will live and how you use your phone. Checks and plans vary by operator; a first payslip alone does not guarantee approval.

GP: your general practitioner

GP registration in England is free. Find a surgery by postcode using the NHS search ↗, then complete its online form or a paper form at the practice. You do not need ID, proof of address or proof of immigration status, and an NHS number is not required either. NHS registration rules ↗ checked 4 October 2026.

Register before you become ill. A GP can help with prescriptions, planned assessments and referrals when needed. Ask how your surgery handles appointment requests and what to do outside its opening hours.

First-week checklist

• Check whether you have a National Insurance number; apply through GOV.UK if needed.

• Open a suitable account and check the details for salary and rent payments.

• Buy a SIM; compare PAYG and short plans to get started.

• Register with a GP and save the surgery's contact details.

Chapter II. Housing

Rightmove, a tenancy agreement, council tax and a deposit: understand these before signing. Your type of accommodation matters especially: an ordinary private tenancy, a room with a resident landlord or another arrangement.

Where to look

Rightmove ↗ and Zoopla ↗ are useful for flats; SpareRoom ↗ for rooms and flatmates; and OpenRent ↗ for properties offered by landlords. Rooms and flatmate requests also appear in the Russian-speaking community chat sproshulondon ↗.

The original edition gave rent ranges for rooms, studios and flats in London, Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham. Build a new budget from current listings: neighbourhood, condition and whether bills are included can make a large difference. Compare the total monthly cost, including rent, council tax, utilities and commuting. Outside London, you may find more room in your budget and more choice, but assess demand and pace in the specific city without assuming you will have several days to decide.

Tenancy agreements after 1 May 2026

The old advice about a standard 12-month AST with a six-month break clause no longer describes most ordinary private tenancies in England. On 1 May 2026, most ASTs became assured periodic tenancies (APTs), which roll on without a fixed end date. Different rules apply to lodgers with resident landlords, some student halls and other accommodation types. GOV.UK tenancy types ↗ and the official APT guide ↗ checked 4 October 2026.

For an APT, check the agreement's notice terms: the general rule is two months' written notice, with a shorter period possible by written agreement. The end date must be a rent due date or the day before it. For tenancies that began before the reforms, check the separate transitional rules. How to end your tenancy ↗.

Before signing, check:

• The rent, payment date and who is signing the agreement.

• The tenancy type and current rules for giving notice.

• Who pays utilities, internet and council tax.

• The deposit amount, its protection, deductions and inventory.

• Rules about guests, requests to keep pets and repairs.

• The property's condition and a written record of existing damage.

For an APT, a landlord cannot accept or demand rent before both parties sign the agreement. After signing and before an ordinary monthly tenancy starts, they can usually require no more than one month's rent in advance. A holding deposit to reserve the property is separate and capped at one week's rent. There are exceptions: see the rent in advance and deposit rules ↗.

Deposits and protection

The maximum tenancy deposit is generally five weeks' rent when annual rent is below £50,000, and six weeks when it is £50,000 or more. Five weeks is not a universal cap at every rent level. GOV.UK deposit limits ↗.

A cash deposit for an APT must be protected in an approved scheme within 30 days of receipt: Deposit Protection Service ↗, MyDeposits ↗ or Tenancy Deposit Scheme ↗. Protection can be custodial or insurance-backed: what matters is scheme membership and the required documentation, rather than simply whose account holds the money. How schemes work: Shelter England ↗. GOV.UK deposit protection ↗.

If a deposit has not been protected when required, check with the schemes and get advice before going to court. A court can award compensation of up to three times the deposit; it is not an automatic payment after a message to your landlord. GOV.UK next steps ↗. Limits and protection checked 4 October 2026.

Council tax

Council tax helps fund local services. The bill depends on the property's valuation band and its council, so budget using the charge for your actual home. See how council tax is calculated ↗ and ask the council who is responsible in your circumstances.

If you are the only counted adult in the property, a 25% discount is usually available and needs to be claimed. A household made up entirely of qualifying full-time students is exempt. Mixed households need a separate check. See who pays and gets discounts ↗, student rules ↗ and apply through your council ↗. Checked 4 October 2026.

Utilities and TV Licence

Electricity and gas may come from one supplier, such as British Gas ↗, Octopus ↗, EDF ↗ or Ovo ↗. Your water supplier depends on the address; Thames Water ↗ serves much of London. Identify the suppliers and record meter readings when you move in.

A TV Licence ↗ is a separate expense. You need one to watch or record live TV on any channel or service, and to use BBC iPlayer. Only watching on-demand content, such as ordinary recorded YouTube videos or Netflix programmes, does not itself require one; live TV on those platforms changes the position. GOV.UK rules ↗ checked 4 October 2026. If you do not need a licence, you can tell TV Licensing ↗; that declaration does not replace checking what you actually watch.

Chapter III. Money and taxes

Tax codes, HMRC, ISAs and credit history are easier to understand at the start than to untangle later. Begin with your payslip and Personal Tax Account, and choose longer-term accounts once you know your goals.

Tax codes

The tax code on your payslip tells your employer how to deduct tax. 1257L is currently used for most people with one job or pension. BR, D0 and 0T have other meanings and are not always errors: income from a second job may be taxed without a separate allowance. GOV.UK tax code explanation ↗.

For 2026/27, the standard Personal Allowance is £12,570. With that allowance, ordinary employment income in England is taxed at 20% up to £50,270, 40% up to £125,140 and 45% above that. The allowance falls when adjusted net income exceeds £100,000 and disappears at £125,140; rates apply to the relevant portions of income. Dividends and some other income have separate rules, and Scotland has different bands. GOV.UK rates ↗ checked 4 October 2026.

Use your Personal Tax Account ↗ to check tax information and investigate an incorrect code or overpayment. First make sure HMRC has the correct job and income details; do not change a code merely because it differs from 1257L.

Self Assessment and HMRC

Employment tax is usually deducted through PAYE, but other income may need separate reporting. Self Assessment is required, for example, for a sole trader whose self-employment income exceeds £1,000 before expenses. Rent, dividends, interest and foreign income may also create an obligation. A high salary alone does not make the old £150,000 threshold an automatic filing rule. Use the GOV.UK return checker ↗ and registration service ↗.

The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. You normally need to notify HMRC about a first return by 5 October after that year ends; the online return and tax are due by the following 31 January. For 2025/26, those dates are 5 October 2026 and 31 January 2027. Special deadlines and payments on account can apply. GOV.UK deadlines ↗.

For self-employed people in 2026/27, Class 4 National Insurance is 6% on profits above £12,570 up to £50,270 and 2% above that. These are contributions on profit, not all turnover. GOV.UK rates ↗.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies from 6 April 2026 to qualifying sole traders and landlords whose qualifying income for 2024/25 exceeded £50,000. Exemptions exist; the measure is HMRC's definition of income, not simply your current salary or profit. Check the official HMRC service ↗ for your start date and preparation. Compare MTD compatibility when choosing software; the original guide mentioned FreeAgent ↗, Xero ↗ and QuickBooks ↗. Self Assessment, Class 4 and MTD rules checked 4 October 2026.

ISAs: Individual Savings Accounts

An ISA ↗ lets eligible holders save and invest with tax advantages. The total contribution allowance for 2026/27 is £20,000. Types include Cash ISAs, Stocks & Shares ISAs, Innovative Finance ISAs and Lifetime ISAs; opening requirements include age and residence. A new tax year starts on 6 April. Interest and investment income within an ISA receive the relevant tax exemptions ↗, but tax advantages do not make an investment risk-free.

A Lifetime ISA ↗ can be used for a qualifying first-home purchase or later life. Make your first payment before 40; you can contribute up to £4,000 a year until 50, with a 25% government bonus of up to £1,000 a year. The £4,000 is part of your overall ISA allowance. Check the withdrawal conditions ↗ before opening one: withdrawals outside permitted circumstances may incur a charge. Checked 4 October 2026. Check future tax years separately instead of treating the old guide's Cash ISA forecast as a current rule.

Credit history and overdrafts

Credit history may be considered for rentals, mobile contracts and mortgages. You can inspect your information through ClearScore ↗, Experian ↗ and Credit Karma ↗. These are different services, not a single government score.

Useful habits include paying bills on time, checking your report for accuracy, avoiding unnecessary credit applications and understanding repayment dates and terms if you use a credit card. Do not borrow simply to raise a score. MoneyHelper explanation ↗. Checked 4 October 2026.

An overdraft can carry charges: check your bank's rate, limit and options to disable it or set alerts. Rates depend on the product. How overdrafts work: MoneyHelper ↗. Checked 4 October 2026.

Continue the complete guide

Part 2: transport, work and meeting people ↗ · Part 3: healthcare and everyday life ↗.