intern in britain! 2! intern in britain welcome to the uk handbook wow – it feels real now!...

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Intern in Britain Welcome to the UK Handbook

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Wow – It feels real now! Hopefully you’ll be well on your way to securing your Tier 5 visa by the time you are reading this, and you are thinking about all the great things you can get up to during your up coming British, and European adventure!

This Handbook will help you understand and get through the everyday when you make the move here to the UK. If you have any questions about any of the topics in this handbook, remember we are always at the other end of the phone waiting to help you.

Section I: Accommodation

Find out abut our great accommodation options! If you are looking to move to London we have the home away from home for you! We’ll also cover general house hunting advice in this section.

Section II: Getting Around

The UK is bigger than it seems, but is very well connected with public transport. Here we’ll cover what you need to know to get around London, and the rest of the country.

Section III: Setting up a bank account

If your internship is paid, you will need to set up a UK bank account, which is no mean feat! But don’t worry; we’ll help in this section.

Section IV: National Insurance and Income Tax (and how to claim it back)

You may need to obtain a national insurance card, equivalent to a social security number. If you are being paid you will also likely pay income tax. Here we’ll go over how this will work, and how you may be able to claim some or all of this back.

Section V: Euro-tripping and sightseeing in the UK

You can’t travel all this way and not see some of the worlds most famous sights, immerse yourself in history, 1000’s of years old! We’re pretty familiar with what there is to see in the UK, and our friends STA Travel, and Gadventures can hook you up with some great travel perks for travelling across Europe!

Section VI: Registering with the Police

This only applies to you, if you were instructed to register with the Police by way of letter when you received your visa.

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Intern in Britain Supporting Documents Handbook BUNAC Accommodation Options Take your pick from the below accommodation options and then fill out this quick and easy online form to secure your base in London! Residence Hall: If you want to stay in or close to Central London and are looking for a more independent lifestyle and the chance to socialize with other students, a room in a hall of residence could be your ideal choice. Our halls of residence are located primarily in zones 1 and 2 of the London underground system, close to public transport. There is sure to be a hall that is near to or within easy traveling distance of your place of study. Click here to learn more Apartments: This accommodation offers single, double and twin rooms which are book able by the room or bed. Prices vary, depending upon the location of the apartment. Click here to learn more House Share: Fully modernized houses in convenient locations to suit all budgets. This accommodation offers single, double and twin rooms which are book able by the room or bed. Prices vary, depending upon the location of the apartment or house share. Click here to learn more Home Stay: Staying in a Homestay is an ideal introduction to living in London, and also provides English language students with the opportunity to speak English outside the classroom and the experience of being part of a British home. We aim to provide you with a safe, happy, comfortable home away from home. Hosts are selected for their friendliness and their homes must meet British Council and English UK standards. Click here to learn more

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Looking for accommodation can be the major concern for many participants and whilst understandable there are plenty of rooms out there and plenty of ways for you to find them!

Shared Houses Most BUNAC participants will find a room in a house/flat share. The length of time it take you to find a room depends on you and how specific you are about the room you want. It might take you 2 days or it might take you 2 weeks to find somewhere. SpareRoom www.spareroom.co.uk Gumtree www.gumtree.co.uk Into London www.intolondon.co.uk TNT Magazine www.tntmagazine.com Moveflat www.moveflat.com Housepals www.housepals.co.uk Easy Room Mate uk.easyroommate.com Room for Tea www.roomfortea.com Airbnb www.airbnb.co.uk The City Rooms www.cityrooms.com Areas Within London, there are many areas to choose from and to keep your options open we would suggest that you don’t limit your search to specific areas. Be open-minded and judge each property on its own merits. Average Rent Rent in London ranges from £650 - £1500 per month, often including bills, and if you are prepared to share a room you may be able to pay a little less than this. Outside of London average rents will differ enormously. Agencies If you are looking to rent a whole property with friends you can also consider including properties offered by agencies too. If you rent a property through an agency you will need to pay a fee but this varies for companies and depends on the price of rent. To find a list of approved agencies visit this website: www.nalscheme.co.uk Important Points

ü Consider that you usually need to have 1 months rent in advance and 4-6 weeks as a deposit ü Make sure you read and sign a lease/contract so you know the conditions ü Get a receipt for your deposit and make sure that it’s registered into a deposit scheme ü Ask if your bills are included, if not, ask for an estimate of how much they will be ü Try to meet the current housemates ü View a few properties in different areas so you can compare and adjust expectations and

standards ü Never hand over money before meeting someone, visiting the property and signing a

lease/contract

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Getting Around As the Majority of our interns stay in London, we’ll start there:

LONDON: There are many ways to get around in this wonderful city! You can use an oyster card or a contactless card (debit/visa) for most transport in London. Transport for London: www.tfl.gov.uk Can be used to plan journeys, provides service updates (if any lines have delays) and how to get around over the weekend. You will need to register your oyster card here and you will be able to top up when needed.

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Travelling Outside of London While you are here – make the most of many different cultures and cities as possible! Travel can be cheap in the UK if you book in advance and do a bit of research on where you are heading. Trains are great if you want to arrive quickly however buses can be very scenic. Trains: Train Line: www.thetrainline.com Great for travel around the UK. EuroStar: http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en For travel from the UK to Europe destinations Buses: National Express: http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx Can be cheaper than the train but longer travel time. You can get around the UK and to Europe. MegaBus: http://uk.megabus.com/ Runs from many locations across the UK and Europe. Cheaper than the train but longer travel time. Flights: Call us! Our friends at STA Travel will sort you out!

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Opening a Bank Account It can be very difficult to open a bank account in the UK. You need to appreciate that you have arrived in this country with no UK credit history and banks will be wary of offering you their services. However, there are several things you can do to make the process easier. 1) Things to take to the bank (as many as possible) • Three months worth of bank statements and/or a bank reference letter from your bank in your home

country. • Proof of your UK address. A bank reference letter from BUNAC will have your UK address on it

which some banks may accept. However, many banks will want a utility bill or a bank reference from your home bank sent to your UK address. Some banks may accept a lease agreement or contract as proof of your address.

• Take your passport and another type of photo ID, preferably a driver’s licence. • An introduction letter from your employer stating that you are now a paid employee, ideally with

your UK address on it. It is unlikely that you will be able to open an account before you have a job, unless you have a large sum of money to deposit initially (over £1000).

2) Things to say/not to say • Ask for a basic savings or deposit account. Current accounts with cheque books etc. will be more

difficult to open. You just need a basic account that will allow you to get paid. Almost all accounts in the UK will allow you to have an ATM card.

• If you say you are only staying for 3 months for example it will be highly unlikely that they will open an account for you.

3) International Accounts • If you have an account at home with an international bank like HSBC you could try opening an

account at a UK branch of this bank as it may be slightly easier. However, just because you have an account with them in another country doesn’t automatically mean that you can get an account with them in the UK as the banking laws here are different.

• Listed on the next page are some international banks that may be able to help you to open an account.

4) UK Banks & Building Societies In the UK you will find the following banks on the high street:

Barclays HSBC NatWest Lloyds TSB Royal Bank of Scotland Bank of Scotland Halifax Alliance and Leicester Woolwich


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All British banks have websites with details of accounts; you can find these by typing in the name of the bank at a search engine such as www.google.co.uk. All banks will have their own policies about opening accounts. However, certain branches of the same bank may be more lenient than others, as it is ultimately up to the branch manager’s discretion who they give an account to. So, for example, if you have been turned down by a particular branch of Barclays Bank don’t feel that you can’t try other branches of Barclays! 5) HSBC HSBC may be able to open you a ‘Passport Account’. Pop into any branch of HSBC and ask about this particular account. BUNAC can provide you with a letter stating your UK address and if you have a passport, it should be quite straight forward. There is normally a £8 per month charge for the account over a 12 month period.

NATIONAL INSURANCE & INCOME TAX IN THE UK This is only applicable to you if your internship is PAID 1) What is National Insurance (NI)? If your internship is paid and you are receiving a monthly income then you are required by the UK Government to have something called a National Insurance number. This is similar to a Social Security number in your home country. With your national insurance number the UK Government works out how much contribution you must make in the form of income tax and national insurance. Your contributions to national insurance are then used by the UK Government to provide state assistance for people who are sick, unemployed, or retired. 2) Who must pay National Insurance? You must pay National Insurance if you’re: • 16 or over • an employee earning above £155 a week • self employed and making a profit over £5,965 a year (unless you get an exception)

3) How much do you pay? The exact amount you pay depends on: • how much you earn • whether you’re employed or self-employed You pay National Insurance with your tax. Your employer will take it from your wages before you get paid. Your payslip will show your contributions.

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Intern in Britain Welcome to the UK Handbook 4) How to apply for your National Insurance Number You must call “Jobcentre Plus” to apply for a National Insurance number. You must have the right to work or study in the UK to get a National Insurance number. Jobcentre Plus may also ask you to go to an interview to confirm your identity. If you’re moving to the UK you can only apply once you’re in the UK. Jobcentre Plus Application Line Telephone: 0345 600 0643 Monday - Friday, 8am to 6pm Welsh language: 0345 602 1491 Monday - Friday, 8:30am to 5pm National Insurance Number Interview Jobcentre Plus may write to you and ask you to come to an interview where you’ll be asked about your circumstances and why you need a National Insurance number. The letter will also tell you which documents to bring to prove your identity, eg: • Passport/identity card • Residence permit • Birth/adoption certificate • Marriage/civil partnership certificate • Driving licence BUNAC can also provide a proof of address letter for you which you will need when you attend your interview. We would advise you to wait until your interview approaches before requesting one of these, as your address may change and you may have some proof of your own. 5) Organisations that need your NI Number These organisations in the UK will need to know what your NI number is: • HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) • Your employer To prevent identity fraud, keep your National Insurance number safe and don’t give it to anyone who doesn’t need it. 6) Changes in circumstances You must tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if you change your personal details, eg your name, address or marital status To contact HMRC, you will need to select the reason why you are contacting them to get full details: https://www.gov.uk/contact-hmrc

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INCOME TAX

1) Overview Income Tax is a tax you pay on your income. You don’t have to pay tax on all types of income. You pay tax on things like: • Money you earn from employment • Benefits you get from your job 2) How you pay Income Tax Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Most people pay Income Tax through PAYE. This is the system your employer uses to take Income Tax and National Insurance contributions before they pay your wages. Your tax code tells your employer how much to deduct. 3) Income Tax Rates The rates of Income Tax you pay depend on how much taxable income you have above your Personal Allowance. This allowance is how much taxable income you can have before you start paying Income Tax. For the most up to date personal allowance information including the rate can be found on the UK government website.

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HOW TO RECLAIM INCOME TAX If you’ve paid too much tax during your internship in the UK, how you can get a refund depends on your circumstances. 1)When you get a refund automatically Sometimes HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will send you a refund automatically when you’ve paid If you’ve started a new job and overpaid tax, HMRC will usually ask your employer to pay it back to you. 2)When you can claim a refund If you don’t get a refund automatically, you may be able to claim if you:

• Had too much tax taken from your pay • Have stopped work • 3)How to make a claim a) To make a tax claim you will have to fill out the P85 form (you would need to request this from your

employer). b) In the space (or box) on the top left of the form you will need to write in the following address:

HM Revenue & Customs Pay As You Earn PO Box 1970 Liverpool L75 1WX

This is also the address that you will send your completed P85 form to.

c) Complete the remainder of the form, indicating your flight date home and that you are not returning to the UK.

d) On the form you can specify which method of payment you wish to receive your refund. Most BUNAC participants request to be mailed an international cheque that can be cashed abroad.

e) Things to enclose include: a very detailed cover letter (see at end of this information sheet),

photocopies of later pay slips from your job, photocopy of the P45 from your last job and photocopies of P60’s from each job (you will be sent these at the end of April by every employer you worked for up to April 5th). It is not essential that you have all of these forms to make a tax claim but it does help (the P45 is the most important one).

f) Take a photocopy of everything that you send to the tax office for your own records. Sending your claim by registered post means you have proof of delivery.

g) Generally it takes about 3-‐4 months and while refunds are not guaranteed some participants on our

programme have received a full or partial refund. However, there is also the chance that you could end up with a tax bill. If you do end up with a tax bill there is unfortunately nothing BUNAC can do about this and you will need to pay it.

h) The length of time taken for your tax claim to be processed depends on whether you have filled out the

correct tax forms and followed the correct procedures during your time working in the UK

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Intern in Britain Welcome to the UK Handbook i) There are several companies in the UK that can assist you to make a claim but they do charge a

commission for this service. For more details try:

www.globaltaxback.co.uk www.1stcontact.co.uk www.freedomtaxrefunds.com www.rapidrefunds.co.uk www.taxback.co.uk

4) Important Notes

• You may make a claim for a tax refund but there are no guarantees that you will get any money back. In some circumstances it could also work out that you owe MORE tax. If you have been working in the UK for less than 6 months you may not be considered resident for tax purposes, in which case you may not receive a refund and you could be asked to pay further taxes. You have up to 5 years to make a tax claim.

• It is not possible to claim back National Insurance contributions.

• You can only make a claim AFTER you have finished work for the last time. • You do not need to be in the UK to send in your claim form, you should send your form either when

you are just about to leave the UK, or once you have returned home. • If you had more than one job during your stay then your tax records should all be up-‐to-‐date with your

most recent employers tax office, provided that you remembered to hand in a P45 from your previous job each time you changed jobs. If you’ve not handed in a P45 from an old job when starting a new job then your tax records will be spread between several tax offices and you should make your cover letter very detailed and enclose as much paperwork as possible.

• You should have filled out a P46 form when you started your first job and if you have paid tax you

would usually be on a 747L or 810L tax code. If you did not fill out a P46 then you might be on a BR (Basic Rate) tax code (this is also sometimes called emergency tax). Some employers will also put you on a BR tax code if you do not have a permanent National Insurance number. If you have been tax exempt you will have had an NT (No Tax) tax code and it is not necessary for you to make a tax claim.

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Sightseeing in the UK I challenge you to go to google, and type in the 10 best places to visit in the UK – and to try and visit them all! But don’t stop there! There are literally hundreds of great places to go and things to see in the UK! Here is a small sample of some of the great things to see in London, and in the UK as a whole: Natural History Museum It was officially known as the British Museum until 1992. It is the home of life and earth science specimens that range over to over 70 million items. Visitors can see collections related to mineralogy, paleontology, zoology, and entomology. The best part? There is no admission fee! Stonehenge This place is considered to be one of the most famous sites in the world. One can feel the dense complex of the Neolithic age and the Bronze Age as one sets foot in thisarea. Archaeologists believe that this place was created from 3000 BC to 2000 BC. But some are claiming with the use of radiocarbon dating that the first stones were raised from 2400 to 2200 BC. It was added to the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 and some studies released in 2008 stated that Stonehenge may have been a burial ground in the past. The Tower of London Also known as Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, it is a historical castle located on the North bank of the River Thames in central London. It was founded at the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. It served as a royal residence and contains a complex of several buildings within the two concentric rings of defensive walls. Throughout history it has been besieged several times and has been used as a treasury, menagerie and at the same time an armory. The Royal Greenwich Observatory This place has played a significant role in the history of navigation and astronomy. It is located on the hill in Greenwich Park, and is overlooking the River Thames. The Royal Observatory has been commissioned by King Charles II for the special purpose of “rectifying the motions of the heavens and the places of the fixed stars and in order to find the desired longitude of places in order to master the art of navigation.” The place is currently being maintained in the UK as a tourist attraction. The two clocks in the area were built by Thomas Tompion and were installed in the principal room of the building The Lake District National Park It is often referred as The Lakes and is located in a mountainous region in the North West England. It is famous due to its amazing lakes, forests and mountains. Visitors will be delighted to know that the place is associated with 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth and the other Lake Poets. The place also has the deepest and longest lakes in England like the Windermere and the Wastwater. The UK is trying to enter it into World Heritage Status in the cultural landscape category. Cambridge University Aside from being the center of public research in the United Kingdom, it is also the second oldest university in the English-Speaking world. Visitors will be able to appreciate the cultural and practical associations that the university portrays. Today, the University of Cambridge is a collegiate university and has a student population of 18,000 with 31 colleges occupying the various locations. The university offers students art centers, sports clubs and other school related amenities. Be sure to check out the numerous historical, metropolitan cities of the UK other than London, such as Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds Norwich etc! Sourced: http://list25.com/25-things-that-you-must-do-if-you-ever-visit-the-uk/1/

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European Tours We have teamed up with Gadventures to bring you the very best European tours! We chose to work with GAdventures, because they provide an authentic, thorough and tailored experience to all of their participants (that could be you). What’s even better is we can get you exclusive discounts on all tours!! Call our London Office on +44 (0) 333 999 7516 to talk to a travel expert to find out more. Trips ranging from 7 – 14 days including travel in between cities, some meals and accommodation. You will get free time in each city and options on what you want you to see and do.

Here is a small sample of some of the trips you could find yourself on during or after your internship here in the UK: London to Barcelona (14 Days) Highlights:

• Picnic in front of Eiffel Tower • Orientation walk of Interlaken (Swiss Alps) • Leaning Tower Pisa • Coastal path between Riomaggiore and Monterosso • Free day in Nice

Budapest -> London Highlights:

• Free time to explore Hungary's capital • Walk up Kosciuszko's Mound for the best panoramic views over

Krakow • Enjoy an orientation walk around town including a visit to a

genuine beer hall in Prague • Included bike tour around Berlin • Free day to explore Amsterdam

Berlin -> London Highlights:

• Free time to explore all cities • Opt for a tour through the canals, hit up a museum, or wander

through Amsterdam • Bruges—options include a brewery tour or cycling around

the historic centre.

London -> Rome Highlights:

• Picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower • Orientation walk through Interlaken, a small city in the Swiss

Alps. • Opt to check out the famous Roman sites from times past like

the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican and Pantheon

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Registering with the Police in the UK You may need to register with the police if you are coming to the UK for 6 months. You will be told if you need to register with the police on one of the following documents:

• Your entry visa vignette • Your Tier 5 GAE visa in your passport • The Home Office letter that approved your visa application

If this applies to you then you must register with the Police within 7 days of your arrival into the UK or within 7 days of getting your biometric residence permit. If you don’t register, this can affect any future UK visa applications and your current leave can be shortened. You can find full details of registration on the Police website: http://content.met.police.uk/Site/overseasvisitorsrecordsoffice If there is no mention of police registration on your visa then you don’t have to register with the police. If you are staying in London you will need to register at the following location: Overseas Visitors Records Office 323 Borough High Street London SE1 1JL Opening hours are 9am – 4pm, Monday – Wednesday and Friday; the earlier you visit the better as it can get very busy! Tel. 020 7230 1208. This is a 24 hour recorded information line but messages are not accepted. Nearest tube station: Borough (on Northern line) If you are based outside of London then you can simply visit your local police station. Registration Fee - £34. You can pay at the police station Required Documentation You will need to bring with you the following as well as your Passport and/or Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) if applicable: • Completed OVRO Registration Proforma (http://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/students/ISIS/pdf/Tier-4-

PDF/Registration-Proforma---August-2013-(v-3).pdf) • Two passport sized photographs (photographs must be in colour, cut to size and stapled to the

completed proforma prior to attending) • A copy of the identity page from your passport • A copy of the Visa page from your passport as well as a copy of both sides of your Biometric

Residence Permit (if applicable) • The Home Office letter that approved your visa application **You will not be registered if you do not provide ALL of the above documents** Change of Circumstances: If you registered with the police you must tell them if any of the following information has changed:

• Your full name • Your marital status • Your address in the UK • Your passport details • Change in dates of internship/visa

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Got Questions? Please contact us! We’re here to help:

BUNAC, Priory House, 6 Wrights Lane, London W86TA, UK

UK Office: +44 333 999 7516

US Office: +1 866 220 7771

Email: [email protected]