Moving to the UK? Start here.
Visas, the EU Settlement Scheme, Right to Work and Right to Rent share codes, plus a step-by-step admin checklist for your first 30 days as a UK resident — every guide you need, in plain English.
£1,420
Skilled Worker visa application fee
5 yrs
Continuous residence for settled status
£38,700
Skilled Worker minimum salary (2026)
5 yrs
BRP validity / digital eVisa rollout
Settling in the UK is part legal paperwork, part day-to-day admin: the right visa for your situation, a BRP or eVisa, a National Insurance number, an NHS GP, a bank account that does not refuse the address-with-no-history problem. Each one unlocks the next.
This hub orders every Selectra newcomer guide into four clear themes, so wherever you are in the journey — pre-application, on-arrival or already a UK resident — you can pick up exactly where you need to.
Four themes inside settling in
Where are you on the journey?
Each theme is a self-contained mini-library — pick the one that matches your status.
Visas & immigration
Work, study, family routes
Skilled Worker, Student, Family, Health & Care, Graduate and Visitor visas — eligibility, costs, what each one lets you do and how long it lasts.
Open the themeEU citizens after Brexit
Settled & pre-settled status
The EU Settlement Scheme explained: who still qualifies, how to apply or upgrade pre-settled to settled, and what to do if your status has lapsed.
Open the themeRight to Work & Rent
Share codes & checks
How to generate a Right to Work or Right to Rent share code on gov.uk, what employers and landlords are legally required to check, and what to do if a check is refused.
Open the themeNewcomer starter pack
Your first 30 days
BRP, National Insurance number, NHS GP, UK bank account, council tax — every essential admin task in the order to do it, with links to the official forms.
Open the themeThe full library
All 7 UK-relocation guides
Filter by topic to surface only the guides relevant to your status.
How to settle in the UK — new-arrival starter pack
First-30-days checklist
Read the guideUK visa types explained
Work, study, family
Read the guideRight to Work in the UK
For employers & staff
Read the guideRight to Rent share code
Landlord checks
Read the guideEU citizens after Brexit
Settled status hub
Read the guideThe EU Settlement Scheme
How to apply
Read the guidePre-settled vs settled status
Upgrade your status
Read the guideYour first 30 days in the UK
The five things to sort, in order
Do these in this order — each one unlocks the next.
Collect your BRP / eVisa
Within 10 days of arrival. The eVisa is replacing the BRP through 2026.
Apply for a NI number
Required for legal employment and to pay tax. Free, applied for online.
Register with an NHS GP
Free at point of use. Pick a surgery within your catchment area.
Open a UK bank account
Digital banks (Monzo, Starling, Revolut) accept newcomers fastest.
Sort council tax & bills
Tell the council you live there and set up utility accounts.
EU, EEA or Swiss citizen?
Pre-settled vs settled — what is the difference?
If you were resident in the UK before 31 December 2020, you needed to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. Pre-settled status is temporary (5 years) and must be upgraded to settled once you reach 5 years of continuous residence.
Moving to the UK — FAQ
The Selectra expert answers your questions
If you are not a British or Irish citizen, you almost certainly need a visa. The route depends on why you are coming: work (Skilled Worker, Health & Care, Graduate), study (Student visa), family (spouse, partner, parent or child of a UK resident), or investment. Each route has its own salary, language and savings thresholds. See our UK visa types guide.
The EU Settlement Scheme is the route by which EU, EEA and Swiss citizens (and their family members) secured their right to live in the UK after Brexit. The main application window closed on 30 June 2021, but late applications are still accepted with reasonable grounds. If you have pre-settled status, you must upgrade to settled once you reach 5 years residence. Full breakdown in our EU citizens guide.
Generate a Right to Work share code on the gov.uk service using your BRP, eVisa or passport. The employer enters the code, your date of birth and verifies the result. British and Irish citizens prove the right with a passport. The code is free, takes 5 minutes and is valid for 30 days. Step-by-step instructions in our Right to Work guide.
Same idea as Right to Work: generate a Right to Rent share code on gov.uk and give it to the landlord or letting agent. They are legally required to check it before signing a tenancy in England (it does not apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland). The code is free and valid for 90 days. Detailed walk-through in our Right to Rent guide.
Settled status (indefinite leave to remain) generally requires 5 years of continuous lawful residence in the UK. Some routes are faster: Innovator Founder is 3 years; spouse of a British citizen is 5 years; Global Talent fast track is 3 years for endorsed applicants. Once granted, you can apply for British citizenship after another 12 months (immediately if married to a British citizen).
Once you are in your new UK home
Sort the gas, electricity and broadband on day one
UK utilities are easy to switch — even on day one in your new address. Take five minutes now to lock in a cheaper tariff before the deemed-contract rate kicks in.