According to Internation’s 2017 Expat Insider survey, the most common reason for expats to move to the United Kingdom is for work. In fact, the HSBC Expat Explorer survey ranks the UK in third place (out of 46 countries) for career progression, and London as the second best place in the world for expat job opportunities.

With 75% of expats believing that London offers them better career progression than at home, it’s not difficult to see why it’s such a popular destination for those relocating for work. However even if it is for your dream career, moving countries can still be an overwhelming task. This expat guide to living in London gives you some of the insight you’ll need to make your move effortless.

Moving to London

London, as well as being the capital of the UK, is a real cultural hub. In fact, 62% of expats feel that it has a vibrant cultural scene on top of being a great place to move up the career ladder. When considering where to live in London, it’s important to understand this vast city; London is split into 33 boroughs, with The City of London at the heart lined by 12 inner boroughs and 20 outer boroughs which make up the capital.

It’s difficult to single out a specific borough as being the most popular for those moving to London. However, almost every borough of the city does have a wide range of people from different cultural, religious and financial backgrounds. Research your new neighbourhood based on practical considerations and your personal preferences: proximity to work, transport links, schools and childcare options if relocating with your family.

You may also want to look into the amount of green spaces or proximity to the countryside, for ease of time away from city life during your spare time.

Renting and house prices

The cost of accommodation is a contentious one for the capital; London has seen decades of increasing rental and property price hikes and as a result is one of the most expensive places in Europe to find accommodation. The most expensive boroughs of London include Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill and West Brompton.

The average rental price in Kensington is £677pw (roughly £2,700 a month) for a two-bedroom property, while the average cost of buying a flat is more than a million pounds. At the other end of the scale, renting and buying in Barking and Dagenham would only set you back an average of £1,200pcm for a two-bedroom rental, or around £300,000 for a purchase.

The high cost of accommodation within the central boroughs of London may make those looking to relocate to the capital wish to consider more suburban areas. However, keep in mind that property located close to transport links into central London are more desirable and therefore command a higher price. The Mayor of London’s site provides a map of rental costs throughout London which indicates which price band you could be paying for a certain property type in a specific area.

Working in London

Over the last 30 to 40 years, London has transitioned its economy from labour-intensive to service-based. In 1971, manufacturing accounted for over 23% of London’s employment, however, in 2012, this had dropped to 2.8%. However, sectors such as finance, business, tourism, science and technology and the creative industries are all thriving parts of London’s economy, offering a wide range of potential employment opportunities.

Finance is undoubtedly one of the city’s largest sectors, and while there remains uncertainty as to whether London will retain its status as the financial capital of the world after Brexit, it’s likely to continue to be a key player in the global financial sector.

Tourism is an ever-important contributor to London’s economy; in 2013 it was estimated that tourism as a whole supported 278,000 London jobs, and that cultural tourism (tourism which broadly engages with London’s arts and entertainment offerings) supported 80,000 jobs. London’s creative economy grew by almost 25% between 2012 and 2016 and now accounts for 16.9% of jobs in the capital.

The UK’s healthcare system

Healthcare in the UK is provided by the National Health Service (NHS) and is a predominantly tax-funded system which offers free, or heavily subsidised, universal healthcare to citizens and residents of the UK. The UK is incredibly proud and protective of its healthcare system, however it does come under criticism for having lengthy waiting times and trouble with underfunding in certain areas. Despite this, the quality of treatment and care you receive in NHS facilities, most of it is free at the point of use, is almost unparalleled.

Your family doctor, known as a general practitioner (GP), is the first point of call for most of your medical needs. You will need to register with a GP surgery once you have relocated to the UK. Most surgeries accept new patients on a catchment area basis – so your choice of NHS surgery may be limited based on the area you’re living in – but London GPs have shorter waiting lists on average than practices elsewhere in the UK, partly due to the sheer quantity of available options out there.

The UK also offers a high quality private healthcare system which UK nationals and expats alike can choose, if they want to skip queues and waiting lists. If you’re considering private healthcare as an option, it’s wise to also explore expat health insurance policies, as the cost for private medical treatment can be high. London is home to a number of world-class private medical facilities, so no matter where you choose to settle you’ll find that you aren’t far from the very best in healthcare services when you need them.

Pharmacies

If you’re prescribed a medication, or even if you would like to pick up an ‘over the counter’ remedy (non-prescribed medication), then you will need to go to a pharmacy. There is a flat-rate, subsidised prescription fee that you will have to pay when collecting your prescribed medication (unless you meet the NHS criteria for an exemption certificate). Pharmacists can also help recommend treatments for minor or common ailments, to save you a trip to the GP.

Many GP surgeries will have an attached or preferred pharmacy, but while you’re settling in, trustworthy brand names to look out for around London include Boots, Lloyds and Superdrug.

Dental treatment

Dentalcare in the UK is not free, however, it is subsidised by the NHS. You have a choice to register with an NHS dentist or a private dental practice – if you choose private dentalcare, check with your health insurance provider as to whether dentistry is covered as part of your plan.

If you are registered with an NHS dentist will have to pay a contribution towards the cost of any dental treatment that you have, whether this is a check-up, a routine treatment or an emergency treatment. The NHS has a payment band system to cover the type of treatment you have. As with most NHS treatments, there are exemptions.

Whether you are moving to London to soak up the culture of the city, or to progress your way up the career ladder, it’s clear that London is a melting pot of international talent and offers exciting opportunities for expats looking for a new challenge.