Survival/preparation advice for the first months starting over in the UK.

Ok brexit aside (I would not like to add concerns about paperwork, visas etc. to this discussion because it will be already complex as is, for the purpose of this topic lets assume that all the rules for EU citizens apply as in pre-Brexit era)

I am a 29 years old male and I would like to start a new life in the UK (preferably in a big city if not in London).

I have nothing to put on my CV mostly because I can not validate anything from my past experience..

I have strong IT knowledge and worked in various small business IT positions from assembling computers to setting up small to medium networks for other businesses, providing technical support etc. I have a very small engineering background(1 year lessons + 6 months practice in a cargo ship as a junior engineer).

These are the more "official" jobs I have done but I was not officially registered as an employee (for tax evasion purposes I assume) and that is why I can not prove any of that in my CV.

I also have done a variety of other jobs such as door to door sales, call center operator, waiter etc my education consist of a high-school diploma and some semesters in the field of applied mathematics as an undergraduate student and I also have some basic coding skills in VB,C,Java and python and a comprehensive knowledge of MS office -as does everybody I guess -


But as I said I am 29 years old I have two hands two legs a sane and witty brain (I hope) and the will to work hard and make a living.

My 1st year goals are these:

Find at least one job (or e.g two part time jobs or a full time and maybe some part time etc) and stick to it.

Be able to sustain my self (pay for decent speed internet, electricity and other bills as well as normal food that wont make me sick or fat -like cheap frozen pizzas and cheetos- )

Be able to live in a neighborhood where I could stroll around day or night without being afraid that a gang of chads would put a knife in my bag just because they dont liked my face or to steal my cheap phone etc.

Be able to live in an apartment (preferably alone but I understand that this might be expensive so roommates are ok) with basic hygiene where I can sleep without having cockroaches or mice walking over me and having basic privacy where I sleep and for the bathroom.

Be able to pay for lessons or books to get some IT certifications such as cisco CCNA.

Be able to buy a second pair of trousers if my current one needs to be thrown away or to buy a basic TV and other non luxury essential accessories or pay for lets say piano lessons to relief the stress of being an immigrant and working hard to survive..

My 2nd year goals include my 1st year goals but also

Be able to pay for getting an advanced certificate in English such as IELTS or TOEFL

Be able to enroll to a university (I have the grades) and hopefully live in a dorm (else the living conditions of 1st year goals apply) -Also preferably getting a student loan to enroll in the best University I probably could.


The problem is that I know 0 stuff regarding how it is to live in the UK so I need advice on how to start like:

Which cities are more suitable for meeting my goals (in terms of having more entry level jobs compared to others and good living conditions)?

Which regions inside those cities should I look for finding an apartment?

What is the minimum necessary spending money I should have when coming here? (the less the better)

what listings should I avoid ?

Are there any scams I should be aware off? Any dodge stuff I should know?

Were would you look for jobs if you were in my shoes? Any other advice and tips?

Generally I would like to imagine yourself in my situation and think of what would be best to do and what would be best to avoid and generally share with me some of your streetsmarts.

For example there is this business company weblink removed by moderator which for some reason asks for Greeks to come and get trained in cooking and taking care of elderly people and get paid for that.

But upon googling the brand further I saw mixed reviews were quite a lot of them were plain out negative mentioning that the pay is bad and that they have to work many hours and pay for taxis in order to get to the places they need which makes working there expensive etc.

So I am worried that if may find a job that will deplete my resources and finally get scammed or not being able to get by and that terrifies me ...

I thank you all in advance

Sorry for the typos, I did check my post last night for errors but it seems that I was tired and still missed a few that I can not correct anymore because I miss the "edit" option now.

Also could a mod transfer this post back to the general discussion forum? I see no reason for it to be in such a specific sub-forum as EEA-route Applications. Thanks.

It was moved to this forum as you are an EU citizen wanting to move to the UK and will get better advice here from EU citizens who have moved here than you will in the General Immigration forum.

I will just offer a few quick points to consider - your post is very long which makes it difficult to get responses - you need to do lots of research yourself before asking general questions here.

1. Find someone in Greece and/or in the UK who has been through the process.
2. It is unwise to plan on the basis that whatever job you get here (if you get one) you will be able to support yourself with the earnings. Recommend you bring a few hundred (or thousands?) of Euros/Pounds as a start-up fund. Life in London and other urban areas is very expensive, especially rents.
3. On arrival get all your paperwork in order, apply for Residence Card, etc. The UK government website has lots of details: gov.uk.

Generally, the Midlands/Northern parts of the country are a lot cheaper to find accommodation (almost double or triple the price in London)

You sound like an intelligent person with a drive and passion for IT. There are so many opportunities but the difficulty is your experience, you will need to have something already in your hands as experience for any employer to take you on. NHS is a really good stepping stone if you are willing to start from the bottom and make your way up. Get all your experience written in a CV and start posting online. We cannot share weblinks on this board but I am sure you can figure it out centric to IT and junior positions.

All else is a matter of finances - if you manage to hold down a decent job and expand your career - you can achieve whatever you want.

In terms of scams - don't pay anyone to help you get to the UK or get a job, make it on your own Good luck to you

For me and my Husband everything happened by chance because when we arrived in the UK; it was in January 2015 with 15K aside in our bank account in Portugal. Therefore enough money to spend several months to register with the relevant authorities such as with the Jobcentre plus. In addition although we thought it would be the hardest; but it turned out that by February 2015; we had signed our Tenancy Agreement. So, with a Tenancy Agreement and an EU Passport the banks made it easy for opening a bank account even if it was a basic bank account that we kept for 1.5 years prior to opening our first Current Bank Account with another bank. I found work within a month working for an NHS Hospital in IT. However it took almost 2 years for my husband to find an ideal job in the Hospitality industry because he lacked of credentials. So there are no rules even though you come prepared because London is so unpredictable. Your English is almost perfect, and if you can afford it, I would hire someone to work with you on your CV even though you can't substantiate your previous work experiences; because work experience is what is needed by most IT Companies hiring new recruit. London is yours when ready... Good luck, Trevor

I'm in the IT sector myself, a lot of companies would give people a chance if they have a natural skill and talent (I worked for many who would hire just to cover a customer service desk)

Also, there are many stores that have reasonable price groceries - so you can be frugal in spending until you get on your feet.

I would say have enough to finance you for a year if you want some decent life.

If you average £400/500 per month in a double room/flat/home share which has bills included and broadband, you have to account for travel cost, food, clothing etc so that'll add up. Part-time/skilled/non-skilled work per hour rates vary but it depends on how much you would want to make it. A little hard work won't hurt and sure you can make it