Many individuals dream of working and living in the United Kingdom, particularly in England. It’s got one of the best work environments and a system that really takes care of its immigrant workers. However, if this is your first time to work in England, there are certain things that you simply have to prepare for. The following are 5 things you simply need to have when starting to work in England.
 

Visa

 
If you are a citizen of any European Union member country or even a national of member countries of the European Economic Area or a Swiss national, you don’t really need to secure a visa to work in England. It should suffice that you have your passport and other identification papers to show that you are indeed, a national of these countries. This simply means that you can work or even set up your own business in England. However, if you are not a citizen or national of these countries, you will need to secure first the appropriate working visa in the British consulate in your country. Only then will you be allowed to enter and work in England. 
 

Work Permit

 

Your work permit is not the same as your visa. Your visa typically defines your purpose of stay in the country whether you are a worker, a tourist, a student, a diplomat, or some other form of classification. The work permit is what authorizes and certifies you to work within a particular field doing a particular function. This also means that the scope of your work will be specified in your work permit. 
 

Bank Account

 

You will also need to open a UK bank account because this is where English employers will transfer the salary of their employees. You can do this yourself or avail of the services of an agency to do it for you. 
 

National Insurance Number

 

This is very important because part of your obligation as a worker and temporary resident in England is to contribute to the National Insurance System. This helps provide you access to state-provided services such as the National Health Service, student loans, and even pensions. There are essentially two ways you can get your NI number. You can personally apply for an NI number where you will be scheduled for an interview to serve as your evidence of identity. For many foreigners living and working in England, a much faster and easier approach to obtaining an NI number is through a variety of service providers like NI Apply. For a fee, they can facilitate the process without the need for the EOI interview. 
 

Tax Code

 

As a worker receiving compensation income, you will need to obtain your own Tax Code from the HM Revenue and Customs. Your employer will typically use this information to compute for your tax deductions through the UK’s PAYE system.

Working and living in England can be a dream come true for many. However, you really have to prepare for it if you want to succeed.