The Land of Buckingham Palace, Beefeaters,

Shakespeare & Robin Hood

Information on Relocating to the United Kingdom

• The capital city of the United Kingdom is London with about 7 million people. London is also the political centre where the Queen has her major residence. The United Kingdom is a constitutional Monarchy.

• Language: The languages spoken are English and Welsh (about 25% of the population of Wales speak Welsh). The TV programs are in English, with dedicated programs for each region. There are 5 main channels, although it is possible to obtain many more through subscriptions to satellite or cable.

• Population: The population is about 61 million people of which English 84%, Scottish 8.5%, Irish 3% and Welsh 5%. Ethnic minorities make up about 7.9% of the population.

• Expat areas: Popular areas for the expat community are in and around; plus in and around major cities such as Belfast, Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Reading.

• Housing: Providing you are flexible in areas, the availability of houses in London is abundant, in the rest of the country and particularly in the expat areas it varies. Most expats rent their apartments but a few buy. Both options are available and will be looked at with you, but mainly depend on your company policy, income, and the length of your stay.

• Cost of housing: Varies from area to area and the size of the apartment you'll pay anything from Pounds 250-7000 per week!!!! (Euro 300 - Euro 8500) This is the London area. The local currency is Pound sterling.

• Schools: Around London there is a choice of American schools, International schools, and national schools (eg German, Dutch, Swedish etc) plus of course British State and Independent Schools. However, International schools are very rare in the rest of the UK. Depending on the age(s) of the children we can tell you about waiting lists, etc.

• Transportation: There is a great public transportation system in place: Planes, trains, coaches and buses provide transport around the UK, with the underground system and buses serving commuters in London. Black cabs operate in most major cities with taxis available in other towns and some rural areas.

• Banking: Banks in general are open on weekdays from 9.30 am until 4.30 pm, but a few banks open earlier. Some are open on Saturday morning. There are many ATMs where you can get cash "out of the wall". Opening hours are decided by the individual banks and may differ considerably from branch to branch, depending on the location. All banks are closed on public holidays.

• Shopping: Shops are normally open from 9.00 am until 5.30 pm. In London, shops in Knightsbridge (the area where Harrods is) and High Street Kensington stay open until 7.00 pm on Wednesdays, and those in the West End (Oxford Street, Regent Street and Piccadilly areas) stay open until 7.00 pm on Thursdays. In addition most major towns will have a late closing evening. Many large supermarket chains located on the edge of or near large towns and cities are now open 24 hours a day Monday to Friday.

• Climate: Although the British Isles are as far north in latitude as Labrador in Canada, they have a mild climate throughout the year. This is due to the Gulf Stream, a current of warm water that flows up from the Caribbean past Britain. Prevailing Southwesterly winds moving across this warmer water bring moisture and moderating temperatures to the British Isles making the UK warmer in winter and cooler in summer than other areas at the same latitude. The annual temperature in the far North of Scotland is 6°Celsius (43°F), and warmer in the Southwestern England, about 11°C (52°F). In general temperatures are around 15°C (60°F) in the summer and around 5°C (40°F) in the winter. Temperatures rarely ever exceed 32°C (90°F) or drop below -10 Celsius (14°F)anywhere in the British Isles.

• Culture: There is something for everyone whether you like old historic places, pubs, castles, the latest musicals and plays, concerts, taking a boat trip on rivers or canals, regular shopping, taking a walk in one of the many parks. There is also ‘the season’ with sporting events such as Wimbledon and Ascot.

• Public holidays: January 1st, Good Friday, Easter Monday, first Monday in May, last Monday in May, Last Monday in August, Christmas day and Boxing day.