London is a dynamic, fast-paced international city--which is likely the reason you are dreaming of living here. As many have learned from personal experience, moving to London can be both exciting and challenging. The more you know before you make the decision, the easier your transition and move will be. I am well into my third year in London after movning from the US for work in 2009 and still find myself learning new ways to navigate this city. Here you will find insight from many seasoned YSAs who have lived here, loved it and most of all survived it!
The purpose of this blog is to give you tools to help assess whether you are ready for the move to London and to provide resources for your transition when you decide the timing is right. Although we do not directly help people find accommodation, we provide tools to help you get started--along with occasional listings of available flat-shares with members.
You will find information that many people wish they had known PRIOR to moving all the way to London, which would have made their preparation and transition much easier and more thorough. Some even claim they wouldn't have taken the plunge had they known all that it would entail. I would guess that 95% of those people didn't do enough research and weren't adequately prepared. There's a saying that a good day in London is better than a great day anywhere else, but nothing is worse than a bad day in London! Let there be no misunderstandings, coming to London unprepared is a very big (and costly) mistake. It's important that you carefully consider all the aspects of what living in London entails from the financial, economic and temporal to the spiritual and emotional. But rest assured, if you're prepared, you have no reason to fear and are in for the experience of a lifetime.
Please use the tabs at the top of the webpage to navigate through the content on this website. If you require further assistance, feel free to contact me using the details on the Contact tab.
Monday
VISA Information
All Visas are issued through the border agency of the UK Home Office.
EU Nationals
EU Nationals have easier requirements for obtaining a right to live and work in the UK. Follow the link to find out more about the documentation required.
Visas for Non-EU Nationals
Here you can find information on types of visas required for work, study, and travel depending on your nationality.
Visas fall under a few main categories:
UK Ancestry Visas
If one of your grandparents has/had UK citizenship and you are part of the Commonwealth (Australia, Canada, South Africa, etc), you may apply for an ancestry Visa that would give you the right to work in the UK.
EU Nationals
EU Nationals have easier requirements for obtaining a right to live and work in the UK. Follow the link to find out more about the documentation required.
Visas for Non-EU Nationals
Here you can find information on types of visas required for work, study, and travel depending on your nationality.
Visas fall under a few main categories:
- High-value Migrants - (Tier 1)
- Skilled Workers - (Tier 2) - the border agency operates a points-based system, which includes requirements for certificate of sponsorship (ie, employer), English language abilities, maintenance funds, etc)
- Temporary Worker
- Domestic Worker / Other (Overseas worker, film crew on location, etc)
- Student Visas
- Visiting the UK (Tourism, Family Visit, Business Visit, etc)
UK Ancestry Visas
If one of your grandparents has/had UK citizenship and you are part of the Commonwealth (Australia, Canada, South Africa, etc), you may apply for an ancestry Visa that would give you the right to work in the UK.
Sunday
London LDS Temple Information
. Additional travel information provided is based on general practices of members in the area.
Physical / Mailing Address
West Park Road
Newchapel
Surrey RH7 6HW
England
West Park Road
Newchapel
Surrey RH7 6HW
England
Traveling by UK National Rail
Lingfield (from London Victoria; destination is usually East Grinstead; cost around10-12)
Three Bridges (from London Victoria; cost around 15)
Both journeys take just under one hour; however, the train to Lingfield is closest to the temple and is generally cheaper. The train to Three Bridges runs via Gatwick Airport, so may be more convenient if you are traveling from the airport.
Discounts are usually granted for groups of three to four for the price of two tickets. You much purchase these from the ticket agent.
Check UK National Rail for train times and prices.
Taxi
From either train station, you can take a taxi to the Temple. Cost is generally around 6 per journey depending on taxi service. It is advisable to book your taxi prior to arriving at the train station as many of the taxi services have a high demand and take additional time to arrive. There are three main local taxi service providers in Lingfield as noted below. As demand oftentimes outweighs supply, it's a good idea to note all of these so you don't get stranded at the station! For early morning arrivals, it's best to book your taxi the night before.
Lingfield Minibus & Taxi Hire
Tel. 01342 835099
Iveydene Cars (6 per journey)
Tel. 01342 835835
Phoenix Carz LLP (6 per journey)
Tel. 01342 836620
Walking from Lingfield Station
Walking from the station to the temple takes just under one hour and part of the stretch does not have a proper footpath, so extra care should be taken when selecting this option.
Telephone
(44) 1342-832-759
Facsimile: (44) 1342-834-465
2012 Endowment Sessions Schedule
| Monday | Open on Bank holidays only: Every hour from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon |
| Tuesday | Every hour from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Every hour from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
| Thursday | Every hour from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
| Friday | Every hour from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | 8:00 a.m.; every 30 minutes from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; 3:00 p.m. |
Special Sessions
Additional sessions are available by appointment. Please contact the temple for times.
Additional sessions are available by appointment. Please contact the temple for times.
Baptisms
Baptisms can be scheduled by appointment. Please contact the temple for available dates and times.
Other Ordinances
Other ordinances can be scheduled by appointment. Please contact the temple for available dates and times.
2012 Maintenance Closings
Monday, February 27, through Monday, March 12
Monday, September 3, through Monday, September 17
Monday, September 3, through Monday, September 17
2012 Other Dates Closed
Saturday, March 31 (sessions only at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 a.m.)
Saturday, October 6 (sessions only at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 a.m.)
Tuesday, December 25
Wednesday, December 26
Saturday, March 31 (sessions only at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 a.m.)
Saturday, October 6 (sessions only at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 a.m.)
Tuesday, December 25
Wednesday, December 26
2012 Special Openings
Bank holiday Mondays (sessions every hour from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon):
April 9
May 7
June 4
August 27
All accommodation reservations must be made through Accommodation Reception.
Telephone: (44) 1342-831-420
Facsimile: (44) 1342-836-187
Stake and ward group reservations should be made through priesthood leaders.
Living Ordinances
Please make an appointment with the temple before coming for living endowments, marriages, or sealings.
Family Name Cards
Ordinances for family names must be done in proper sequence. If you wish to complete an endowment for a family name, allow sufficient time to complete the initiatory ordinances before the endowment session. If you are going to do the baptism the same day, you will need to allow even more time.
Although family name cards are welcome at any time, many temples have reserved times for family names. Please call the temple for an appointment.
To prepare family names for the temple, visit familysearch.org.
Group Attendance
Please contact the temple to schedule a group visit.
Services Available
- Cafeteria service available
- Clothing service available
- Guest housing available
- Distribution Centre (limited opening hours)
- Visitor Centre (keeps same hours as temple)
Milestones
- 10 Aug 1953 - Temple Announced
- 27 Aug 1955 - Groundbreaking
- 16 Aug 1958 - Open House Start Date
- 3 Sep 1958 - Open House End Date
- 7 Sep 1958 - Dedication Date
Maps of London
When searching for housing, it's important to familiarise yourself with the areas of London. Most flat listings will include the postcode or borough name. Rental rates are usually tied to the postal code. These maps will guide you through the general areas, boroughs, and postal codes. The final map shows the postal codes in relation to how much you should expect to spend on rent in each postal code area.
London by General Geographic Area
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London by Borough (ie, neighbourhood) Name
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London by Postcode
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London by Postal Code based on Rent Prices
Utilities
Gas & Electric
British Gas has some of the most competitive gas and electricity rates in London. You should plan on anywhere from £30 to £100 per month per flat for gas and electricity expenses.
http://www.britishgas.co.uk/
Water
Thames Water provides water in London. There are two types of payment plans. One is a fixed fee paid twice per year (appx. GBP 450 per year per flat). The other requires Thames Water to install a water meter in your flat. This fee will obviously fluctuate with the amount of water you use. If you go to their website, they have a tool that you can use to estimate your water usage and thus your monthly water bill.
http://www.thameswater.co.uk/
British Gas has some of the most competitive gas and electricity rates in London. You should plan on anywhere from £30 to £100 per month per flat for gas and electricity expenses.
http://www.britishgas.co.uk/
Water
Thames Water provides water in London. There are two types of payment plans. One is a fixed fee paid twice per year (appx. GBP 450 per year per flat). The other requires Thames Water to install a water meter in your flat. This fee will obviously fluctuate with the amount of water you use. If you go to their website, they have a tool that you can use to estimate your water usage and thus your monthly water bill.
http://www.thameswater.co.uk/
Getting Around London
If you've ever visited London, you are likely familiar with "The Tube" which is London's underground rail network that operates throughout many areas of London. You should be aware that the Tube is not the only public transport available: there are also buses, overground trains and the Docklands Light Railway--all of which use the Oyster card in zones 1-6. The "Greater London" area, which basically includes all areas within the M25 ring road, has six travel zones. Zone 1 covers central London and zone 6 is the farthest away from the centre. (The zones are situated around the city centre quite like a target, each successive zone being a ring around the first as noted in the map below).
Cost of Transport
How much you need to pay for transport depends on where you are working or attending university and where you live. Familiarise yourself with your expected travel routes before you set out house-hunting. Depending on how much you will travel and the time of day (more expensive during peak morning and evening hours), it may be more economical to purchase a weekly, monthly or annual travel card rather than single journeys. If you are not going to travel into Zone 1, or are only going to do so rarely, it is possible to buy travel cards which are much cheaper.
By midnight, most public transport closes, apart from night buses. So if you work late or have a long night out, it may take longer to get home if you live farther outside London.
London Transport Websites
Council Tax
What is Council Tax?It is a charge made by Local Authorities on residential properties to pay for local public services. It is not a tax on an individual. Council Tax is payable by home owners or occupiers. There is only one bill for each dwelling. The charge for each property is based upon its 'band' value. There are eight valuation bands (A - H) and the band which applies to your home is shown on your bill
Council tax bands:
http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/councilanddemocracy/counciltax/bandvalues.aspx
Who has to pay the Council Tax?
The Council Tax is a property and person based charge that results in one bill for each household. Paying the bill is normally the responsibility of the freehold or leasehold owner if he or she lives in the property as his or her main or only home and is over 18. If the owner does not live in the property, the responsibility falls to residents in the following order: statutory or secure tenants, people living there under a licence and other residents.
Discounts and Exemptions:
The basic Council Tax charge is based on two or more adults living in the property. If you are the only adult resident in a property you will be eligible for a 25 per cent discount, which should have been applied to your bill if the council already knows that you live alone. Your bill will not increase if there are more than two adults living in the property.
Full list of persons entitled to discount:
Student Council Tax Discount
The best way for a full-time student to avoid problems with their local authority on the payment, or as it should probably be, non-payment of Council Tax is:
1. To make sure that you only share with other full-time students.
2. To get from your College Registry or School Office, an exemption certificate stating that you are a full time student and send it your local authority (keep a copy). If you do not know the relevant local authority then ask your Landlord/Agent.
Only properties occupied by all full-time students are exempt. A full time course of education is sometimes defined as one which requires on average at least 21 hours of study a week and 24 weeks of attendance each year but it may be less if your college or university defines your course as being full-time.
Where students share with part-time or non-students the full-time students will be disregarded for the purposes of calculating the household’s bill. However, it is for the members of the household to decide how the bill should be apportioned and paid as with any other household bill. From 1st April 2004 local authorities have not been able to bill or enforce payment from any full-time student member of the household.
Student with a spouse and/or dependants
The spouse and dependants of an international student should also be treated as if they are full-time students provided they are not British citizens and are prevented from working or claiming welfare benefits by the terms of their leave to remain in the UK. We are aware that some students in this situation have had difficulties with their local council; seek advice early if your partner receives a bill. A UK student sharing a flat just with their partner will be entitled to a 25% discount on their Council Tax bill (provided that their spouse is not also a full-time student in which case they will be entitled to the full exemption).
Information taken from the following sources:
http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/councilanddemocracy/counciltax.aspx
Council tax bands:
http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/councilanddemocracy/counciltax/bandvalues.aspx
Who has to pay the Council Tax?
The Council Tax is a property and person based charge that results in one bill for each household. Paying the bill is normally the responsibility of the freehold or leasehold owner if he or she lives in the property as his or her main or only home and is over 18. If the owner does not live in the property, the responsibility falls to residents in the following order: statutory or secure tenants, people living there under a licence and other residents.
Discounts and Exemptions:
The basic Council Tax charge is based on two or more adults living in the property. If you are the only adult resident in a property you will be eligible for a 25 per cent discount, which should have been applied to your bill if the council already knows that you live alone. Your bill will not increase if there are more than two adults living in the property.
Full list of persons entitled to discount:
- full-time students, student nurses, apprentices and those on Youth Training courses
- people in hospital
- people being cared for in residential homes, nursing homes, hospices, mental nursing homes and hostels providing a high level of care
- people who are severely mentally impaired
- people kept in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983
- people in certain night shelters
- monks and nuns
- students who are 19 or who have just left school
- care workers on low pay and usually working for charity, such as Community Service volunteers
- people caring for someone with a disability, other than a spouse, partner or child under 18
- convicted prisoners and those on remand, except those who are in jail for not paying fines or Council Tax
Student Council Tax Discount
The best way for a full-time student to avoid problems with their local authority on the payment, or as it should probably be, non-payment of Council Tax is:
1. To make sure that you only share with other full-time students.
2. To get from your College Registry or School Office, an exemption certificate stating that you are a full time student and send it your local authority (keep a copy). If you do not know the relevant local authority then ask your Landlord/Agent.
Only properties occupied by all full-time students are exempt. A full time course of education is sometimes defined as one which requires on average at least 21 hours of study a week and 24 weeks of attendance each year but it may be less if your college or university defines your course as being full-time.
Where students share with part-time or non-students the full-time students will be disregarded for the purposes of calculating the household’s bill. However, it is for the members of the household to decide how the bill should be apportioned and paid as with any other household bill. From 1st April 2004 local authorities have not been able to bill or enforce payment from any full-time student member of the household.
Student with a spouse and/or dependants
The spouse and dependants of an international student should also be treated as if they are full-time students provided they are not British citizens and are prevented from working or claiming welfare benefits by the terms of their leave to remain in the UK. We are aware that some students in this situation have had difficulties with their local council; seek advice early if your partner receives a bill. A UK student sharing a flat just with their partner will be entitled to a 25% discount on their Council Tax bill (provided that their spouse is not also a full-time student in which case they will be entitled to the full exemption).
Information taken from the following sources:
http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/councilanddemocracy/counciltax.aspx
London by Area
When deciding where to live in London, you should aim to strike a balance between location, cost, and commute times to work or university.
People often want to live close to where they work or attend university. However, if you are planning to work or attend university in central London (Zone 1), the cost of living dramatically increases. Most people are able to find more affordable accommodation just outside central London in Zones 2-6, where cost of living decreasing the farther out one ventures.
Link to Maps of London Post
Link to Average Rental Prices by Area
http://www.london.gov.uk/rents/
More than two to three connections on public transport between your flat and your place of work increases the commute time. Finding accommodation on the same tube line as you primary place of work or university is advisable. Living farther out on the same tube line is often a faster commute than living closer to the city centre, but where you have to change trains/tubes/buses multiple times.
Link to London Transport Maps & Journey Planners
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/
Use this link to find routes between home and work. Transport for London (TFL) provides very reliable information for average commute times on bus and tube routes. However, the ultimate test of any commute is testing it yourself during peak hours (7 am - 9:30 am and 4:00 - 7 pm).
Balance between Housing Cost and Travel Cost
Another consideration in finding affordable accommodation is the cost of commuting. Living in zones 1 & 2 costs an adult £29.20 for a weekly travel card (£112.20 per month); whereas, a weekly travel card for zones 1 - 6 costs £53.40 (£205.10). Here you can see that as the rent gets cheaper, the cost of travel increases. Hence, striking a balance between the two is imperative.
Link to Oyster** Card Ticket Prices (See Transport tab for more information on getting around London)
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx
**Oyster cards are wallet-size transport cards (like a credit card) that allow you to either prepay a balance for future travel or purchase a weekly/monthly/yearly travel card. The prepay card needs to be topped up (prepaid) in order to travel and requires you to pay for each individual journey (ie, each tube journey is considered one journey regardless of how many changes you make; each bus journey is considered a separate journey). The travel card allows you to ride the tube as much as you like in the specified zones for which your travel card is relevant; all bus journeys are included no matter what zone.
People often want to live close to where they work or attend university. However, if you are planning to work or attend university in central London (Zone 1), the cost of living dramatically increases. Most people are able to find more affordable accommodation just outside central London in Zones 2-6, where cost of living decreasing the farther out one ventures.
Link to Maps of London Post
Link to Average Rental Prices by Area
http://www.london.gov.uk/rents/
More than two to three connections on public transport between your flat and your place of work increases the commute time. Finding accommodation on the same tube line as you primary place of work or university is advisable. Living farther out on the same tube line is often a faster commute than living closer to the city centre, but where you have to change trains/tubes/buses multiple times.
Link to London Transport Maps & Journey Planners
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/
Use this link to find routes between home and work. Transport for London (TFL) provides very reliable information for average commute times on bus and tube routes. However, the ultimate test of any commute is testing it yourself during peak hours (7 am - 9:30 am and 4:00 - 7 pm).
Balance between Housing Cost and Travel Cost
Another consideration in finding affordable accommodation is the cost of commuting. Living in zones 1 & 2 costs an adult £29.20 for a weekly travel card (£112.20 per month); whereas, a weekly travel card for zones 1 - 6 costs £53.40 (£205.10). Here you can see that as the rent gets cheaper, the cost of travel increases. Hence, striking a balance between the two is imperative.
Link to Oyster** Card Ticket Prices (See Transport tab for more information on getting around London)
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx
**Oyster cards are wallet-size transport cards (like a credit card) that allow you to either prepay a balance for future travel or purchase a weekly/monthly/yearly travel card. The prepay card needs to be topped up (prepaid) in order to travel and requires you to pay for each individual journey (ie, each tube journey is considered one journey regardless of how many changes you make; each bus journey is considered a separate journey). The travel card allows you to ride the tube as much as you like in the specified zones for which your travel card is relevant; all bus journeys are included no matter what zone.
When to look for housing
When you look depends on the kind of accommodation that you are looking for.
YSA Houses
London is a very transient place, especially for students and young professionals. YSAs are constantly moving in and out of London. As such, it's a good idea to keep an out for housing on the Facebook pages.
This is a link to the OFFICIAL London YSA facebook page. Here you will find postings for flatmates wanted and people looking for housing. Post your details here so that people can contact you if they have a room available or if they are looking for a group of people to start a new flat.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/hydeparkysa/
Here is a link to a historic London YSA facebook page that is still in use. Most people post to both pages, so there will be overlap, but it's a good idea to check both pages in the event that one page has a listing that the other does not!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/londoncfya/
If you are looking for a flat/house or a room with a resident landlord, you will not normally be able to arrange this more than 6 weeks in advance. The same is true for YSA housing. Most people who are not students will not list their housing availability sooner than a few weeks out.
Students
If you are looking for a place in an independent student hostel or private hall of residence, you may need to apply months in advance. Contact your university to find out more about these options.
Some university accommodation offices will encourage their landlords to advertise early for September. This means that some lucky students are able to arrange their housing as early as May. However, it is a small minority of students that are able to do this and there is no real evidence to show that housing found in May is any better than that found later on.
The majority of students do not arrange their housing until August/September. They will usually arrange temporary housing in London either in a hotel, college hall of residence (usually open to guests both within and outside the University over the summer) or hostel whilst they are looking. Provided you are well organised, it shouldn’t take more than two weeks to find your housing.
It's easiest to look for housing while in London, but some people are able to arrange for housing prior to arriving. Just know that you may end up with something that isn't your ideal situation. Do you research so that you are not surprised by the location, commute to your university or workplace, and the cost of living.
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