What Do I Need Now That I’m Living In London?

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So now that you are living in London you have to figure out what exactly you need. Unfortunately, it’s not that exciting, but getting settled (or at least trying to feel like you’re settled) is necessary when you move countries. And now that you have a place to live, it’s time to do the general maintenance things so you can start to live your life and explore your new home (but more on that later)!

What Do I Need Now That I am Living in London?

Make Your Room Feel Like It’s Yours

When you rent from an agency, there are a lot of rules that you have to follow. I’m not allowed to hang anything on the walls, so I wanted to make my room feel more like me. A great way to do this is to head to Primark, Tiger Tiger, or Argos and shop their home sections.

Primark has a great home section that is super cheap and stylish. It has trendier decorative pieces that will add some personality to your new room/flat. I bought a basket for my makeup, a laundry bag, throw pillow, a flat sheet, hangers, and diffuser from here.

Tiger has some more practical things that aren’t expensive either. I bought a cute fake plant, a little dish for jewelry and my keys. I also got some washi tape so I could hang up my polaroids on the side of my dresser.

Argos is an interesting concept: you order online or from a catalog at the store and you pick up the items from the store. You don’t actually see anything besides a photo before you pick your stuff up, so it’s important to read the reviews. I got towels, a duvet cover, pillowcases, sheets, towels, and hangers here.

The great thing about all of these shops is that they won’t run you a lot of money. They’ll make living in London feel better because your space will be personalized!

Now For The Boring Stuff: National Insurance Number

If you want to be able to work while you live in London, you have to apply for a National Insurance Number. It’s actually quite simple, you just have to have an address, visa, or EU passport (for now). Follow these steps to get yours:

Call their number: 0800 141 2075, Monday to Friday 8 AM – 6 PM and create an appointment.
The person you speak to will ask you several questions over the phone and then they’ll schedule you an appointment. I was lucky, mine was the next day because they had a cancellation. Usually, you’ll have to wait about a week.
Bring the letter that the Job Centre sends you. You’ll also need a proof of address (I brought my lease agreement) and your passport/visa if you have one.
Arrive a little bit early for your appointment. You’ll have to wait outside but you’ll be called in before your time. From then you’ll either hand your letter to the person at the desk or fill out a form with your reference number. After that, you’ll be called into another room to wait for your appointment/interview.
My interview was easy enough. The interviewer asked me about how I obtained a Maltese Passport, wrote down my American details, and my address. She told me that I got my number and I will get it in the mail in a few weeks.

The Worst Experience Ever: Getting A Bank Account…Revolut To The Rescue

I went to three different banks before I was able to get a bank account. And I didn’t even end up getting one from a traditional bank. Apparently, my proof of address was not sufficient enough for HSBC, Barclays, and Lloyds. I was using my lease agreement and even though on the bank’s websites it was listed as an adequate proof of address, it is in fact not.

I was told to bring in a bill, but the agency I rent through pays the bills with my rent money so that was impossible. And then I was told to get a letter from my employer. As you all know, I’m self-employed so this was obviously not going to happen.

After much frustration, an Instagram friend of mine referred me to the app Revolut. Thankfully I was able to open up an account on there (more about this app later on).

The reason a bank account was so important to get is that I need to be able to pay my rent without being charged a fee. And I don’t want to lose money when I’m paid in pounds to my US bank account. I just thought that it was ridiculous that even though I am living in London, I wasn’t being allowed to open up an account! It was so frustrating!! So I’m glad that’s over…

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