Moving To The UK
If you’re relocating to the UK, your To-Do list is never-ending. There are lots of things that you’ll need to be aware of, before making the big move and relocating to the UK.
This quick guide will give you all the important information that you need to know. It should result in your relocation is a smooth and stress-free process. If you want to find out more about the unrivaled, convenient and affordable service that My Baggage offers to make moving to the UK easier, read on!
About the UK
The United Kingdom is an island country, compromising four countries; England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is the ideal relocation destination that offers an array of opportunities to expatriates. The climate here is mild, the diverse cultures, and the relaxed lifestyle, all make the United Kingdom a more favorable location to set up home, as opposed to any other destination.
Top 5 Places To Live In The UK
- London
- Aberystwyth
- Belfast
- Bristol
- Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Quick Facts
| U.K Facts | |
| Prime Minister: | Boris Johnson |
| Capital: | London |
| Currency: | Sterling |
| Population: | 66.02 million |
| Expats: | 3,905,000 |
| Language: | English |
| Dialling Code: | +44 |
Why Relocate To The UK
It comes as no surprise to hear that the UK is one of the most popular locations to move to. The country welcomes many expats each year, but what is it that makes life in the UK so appealing? Have a look at why so many people, from all over the world choose the UK as the destination that’s ideal for them to set up home.
Relaxed Way Of Life
For several years now, the UK has experienced peace. This has encouraged people to move here, as it’s a country with very little trouble compared to other countries. The UK is considered to be a safe country to live in, which has resulted in the locals leading a relaxed life. The UK is known for being a country that provides people with a laid-back lifestyle, with little worry and more emphasis on family and personal life. Of course, this depends on where you choose to live in the UK, as you’re less likely to experience this in major cities.
Strong Education System
The United Kingdom is home to some of the world’s most prestigious schools, colleges, and universities, where many famous faces gained their all-important knowledge. Education in the UK starts from a young age and is monitored closely throughout the years to ensure students are progressing. There are several universities in the UK that have been rated as some of the best in the world. They provide great support to expats, allowing them to expand their academic horizons and become more knowledgeable.
Easy To Travel
Frequent travelers will consider whether or not their relocation destination will save them time and money in the long-run, before making the move. Living in the UK does just that for those who enjoy exploring the world’s offerings. The UK is geographically located well, allowing those who live there easy access to many European countries, making it all the more appealing as a relocation destination. Living in the UK means you can enjoy more short-haul breaks, as you can reach several top destinations in just a few short hours (max).
Adapting To Life In The UK
Driving In The UK
When in the UK, you might decide that your best way of getting from A to B is by car. The rules and regulations surrounding driving in the UK are likely to be different than the ones in your home country. In the UK, you can start driving a car at the age of 17, so long as you have a valid driving license.
One thing that you may be concerned about, is having to take them all over again! Not to worry though, as long as you are a member of the EU, your license can transfer easily. However, if you are not an EU citizen, your license will only be valid in the UK for up to 12 months. After this, you will need to do a theory and practical test to continue driving in the UK.
Bringing Your Pet To The UK
If you’re a furry friend at home, you’ll want to take them with you to the UK. Before this, you will need to take some time to research the UK’s quarantine requirements, what vaccinations they need, as well as your pet’s documents. All this will ensure that your pet can relocate with you.
It’s easy to think that your pet won’t understand the move, that all the stress and worry is on you. However, your pet will be facing a lot of confusion and possibly fear too. For this reason, you will need to make the move as easy as possible for them. Sticking to a daily routine when in the UK, similar to one that your pet is used to, will make them much more comfortable with the relocation.
Getting The Work-life Balance Right
There are currently some areas of work that the UK has a shortage of. Of course, these roles will not be suited to everyone, so it is important to research what there is a shortage of. However, it could mean that you could land yourself a job in the UK in no time.
Most UK workers will work long hours, and some even bring work home with them in the evenings and during the weekend too. This can make it difficult to spend time with friends, family, and most importantly, themselves. Getting a healthy balance of work and personal life can be tough indeed, and something that many expats living in the UK face.
However, you must work hard to get a good balance between the two. Finding a company and indeed, a job that promotes the importance of personal life is a good start. You should also set some rules, such as no email checking after 5 pm. Testing different methods of shutting off from work should help you find a way to adapt to this busy lifestyle and get the right balance.
How To Get Your Belongings To The UK
Moving abroad can consume a lot of your time, there are lots that you need to learn before relocating and even more to do! This can sometimes result in people choosing the first method of transporting luggage that comes into their heads. Of course, this isn’t ideal, and you must know all of the options out there. This way, you can pick a method that’s best suited to your budget and the time you have.
3 Important Things To Consider
- How urgent the shipment will need to be.
- Your budget.
- The size, weight, and value of the items you are sending.
Airline Baggage
Getting all of your belongings to the UK can be done by simply checking them on your airline. This way, your belongings will be near you at all times, which makes many travelers feel at ease. Sending your bags to the UK on your airline is the fastest way of getting your belongings to your new home, making it ideal for those who don’t want to be without their stuff for a few days.
However, if you do choose this method, do keep in mind your airline’s restrictive baggage weight allowances. Otherwise, you may have to pay expensive excess baggage fees at the check-in gate on arrival at the airport. When this happens, you can either pay the fees or you can say goodbye to some of your belongings to make your bag a little lighter.
International Removals
International removal companies specialize in helping people move their heavy and large items abroad. Things like sofas, beds, wardrobes, cars, and more can be sent to an international removals company. This service isn’t restricted to large items, you can send the rest of your belongings on it which aren’t particularly large. However, this service can be expensive and if you’re not sending any large household items, you might benefit from using a cheaper service.
Do be aware that depending on what you are shipping and where you’re shipping it from, it may take a long time for your belongings to be shipped to your new home. Some international removal services can take up to 2 months to arrive, simply because they are traveling by sea from a distance.
My Baggage
My Baggage provides a convenient, reliable, and affordable international removals service to those relocating to the UK. We are experts in shipping luggage to over 200 countries, across 1,000 routes worldwide. All of the services that we offer here at My Baggage include door-to-door shipping and full online tracking, making your relocation to the UK a little bit easier.
Why Use My Baggage?
Relocating to the UK can seem like an upheaval to many, your to-do list will be never-ending and your emotions will likely be somewhat unpredictable. My Baggage has been tried and trusted by thousands of people relocating abroad. These people don’t pick My Baggage out of a hat full of options, there are reasons why they use our service and not any other service to send their all-important stuff to the UK.
Affordable
Relocating abroad isn’t exactly a cheap process. There are lots of things that you’ll need to pay for and you’ll want to save money any way that you can. Getting all of your belongings to your new home can be one of the most expensive parts of relocating abroad. So, save money and ship your belongings to the UK with My Baggage. Our service makes moving abroad a little bit more affordable, and much less stressful – Two things that can make relocating an enjoyable experience for you and your family.
Convenient
At My Baggage, we understand that when it comes to your luggage and personal belongings, it’s only natural to feel apprehensive about handing all of your worldly possessions over to a removals driver. However, at My Baggage, we strive to provide an international moving service that you know you can trust.
My Baggage’s convenient door-to-door collection and delivery service mean you don’t have to worry about arranging for the transportation of your belongings to a port, nor do you have to worry about collecting them at the other side. My Baggage collects all of your belongings straight from your doorstep and delivers them straight to your destination.
Full Online Tracking
We understand that customers can be apprehensive when transporting their belongings abroad. There will be a lot of important things that you’ve packed and it won’t be long until you start worrying about the whereabouts of your much-loved possessions. When sending your belongings to the UK with My Baggage, you can keep updated on your shipment from the moment you make a booking on our website!
During the booking process, you can opt-in for email and text message notifications on your shipment. If you don’t want this, you can simply sign in to your online account and check where your shipment is at any time.
Top Customer Service
At My Baggage, we have a great team of highly experienced customer service experts. They know everything about the logistics of shipping luggage abroad and are dedicated to helping our customers move abroad seamlessly. If you have any questions at any stage of your shipment, or concerns, simply get in touch! Our unrivaled customer support team is contactable through phone, email, or live chat.
What Can I Send With My Baggage?
When relocating abroad, you’ll probably want to take almost everything that you own. My Baggage can transport a range of personal effects to your new home in the UK, including large and oversized items, such as instruments, sporting equipment, and much more. There are no hidden fees for sending oversized items on our services, but do ensure that these items are packaged appropriately for transit.
How My Baggage Works – Step By Step Guide
Step 1 – Begin your My Baggage booking by entering your current location and destination into the quote box below.
Step 2 – When you have a quote on screen, simply select what service you wish to use.
Step 3 – Enter the pick-up and delivery addresses.
Step 4 – Select a payment method and pay for your shipment there and then!
Step 5 – When you have paid for your shipment, we will send you a confirmation email and labels email.
Step 6 – You will need a printer to print off the labels we have sent you and then you will need to attach them securely to your shipment.
Step 7 – On the pick-up date, your shipment will be collected by our delivery drivers.
Step 8– We will then deliver it directly to your new home in the UK!
What You Can And Can’t Send With My Baggage
My Baggage gives you the freedom to ship your personal belongings all over the world, meaning you can send almost everything you would typically find in a standard holiday suitcase. However, for security and customs reasons, certain items are prohibited and cannot be carried; as is standard with most shipping companies.
As a general rule, you can be sure that the following items are prohibited:
- Medicines
- Perishable Foods
- Animal Products
- Aerosols
- Cash, Credit Cards, Debit Cards
- Dangerous Goods
- Hazardous Goods
- Plants
- Liquids
- Passports or other confidential personal documentation
It is important to note that several items can be carried on our services, however, they would be sent at your own risk as they are not covered under our compensation cover. If you choose to send any non-compensation items, please ensure that they are packaged appropriately, with plenty of internal packaging for fragile items.
Find out more about My Baggage’s prohibited and non-compensation items.
As import allowances, security, and customs processes differ all around the world; we recommend that you do your own personal research into what may be prohibited in your destination country before booking your My Baggage shipment to the UK.
Packaging Your Items
When sending your belongings to the UK with My Baggage, we recommend using either suitcases or strong cardboard boxes to package your items so as they are suitable for transit.
We advise against using fragile or expensive suitcases, as packaging is not covered under our compensation cover. With regards to boxes, it’s always best to invest in a new, sturdy, double-walled cardboard box as they are most durable and suitable for transit.
If you are sending fragile or delicate items, we recommend using internal packaging to protect them during transit. You can use materials such as bubble wrap or newspapers.
You can read through our complete packaging guide to find out more.
Customs Information
When shipping from the UK to anywhere else in the EU, goods do not pass through customs clearance and therefore are not subject to import tax or duty. If, however, you’re sending to the UK from a country outside of the EU, such as Canada or the USA, you are then legally required to complete and send a customs invoice with your shipment.
Whether you are simply sending personal effects or a gift to a loved one; if your shipment does not have a customs invoice attached, it will not make it past your local country border, and you may have to pay the return charged to get it back. My Baggage will automatically provide you with the appropriate customs documents for you to print, sign and attach to your shipment when you send luggage to the UK from outside of the EU.
Generally, My Baggage shipments clear customs on time, free from duties and taxes, as most countries offer a generous duty-free allowance for personal effects. However, as customs processes and allowances are different around the world, and because My Baggage has no direct association with any customs authority; we do advise doing your own personal research into UK customs regulations and quarantine before booking your shipment to the UK from outside of the EU. Please make yourself aware of potential customs duties in the UK and follow any advice provided by customs.
When completing your customs documents, it is important to do so properly and clearly. To demonstrate that your shipment consists of personal effects, you will be required to accurately describe each item included in the package. For example, you would declare: “4 x t-shirts, 2 x pairs of jeans, 3 x dresses” etc, as opposed to “10 x clothing”.
Make A Booking Today
Transporting your luggage from your current home to your new home in the UK is easy-peasy, thanks to My Baggage! Our online booking system is available 24/7 and can be completed in just a few short minutes. Simply start by obtaining a quote straight from our website. Once you’ve booked, we’ll send you some shipping labels to print and attach to your items. After that, you can sit back and relax. We’ll take care of everything else for you. Yes, it’s that easy!
Reasons Why You Should Use My Baggage:
- You can make a booking in just a few short minutes.
- We will pick up your shipment from your current home and deliver it to your new one.
- Online tracking with text and email notifications is available with all bookings.
- We offer express services on most routes – Fast collection and delivery!
- International luggage shipping to 200+ countries worldwide.
- Top customer support from our highly experienced Customer Service Experts via phone, email, and live chat.
So, what are you waiting for?
Learn more:
Luggage Shipping
College Shipping
Airline Allowances