Living in England: London or countryside?

Living in England as title is not random my guys and do you know why? Because England isn't just London, there are so many places where you can have an experience.

In this article I will give you a summary of what it is like to live in England. I will take advantage of this also making the distinction between “big city” and countryside . I will tell you about my personal experience thanks to a video that you will find at end.

Read the whole article which will then delight you with beautiful images. We just have to start by making a list of topics to talk about:

• Why England? (learning english – work experience)
• Big city or countryside?
• Life cost (rent - daily expenses)
• Job experience
• Transport (public - car - bicycle)
• Networking
• Bureaucracy
• Healthcare
• Brexit

Why England?

The first (and most important) question you should ask yourself. Why would you leave for England? To this question I have two simple answers, actually, I would have 3 but the third would be: there isn't much future in Italy (my Country) at the moment.

• Learning English. Top 3 Languages Spoken in the World (together with Chinese and Spanish). About 1.5 billion people in the world speak English (1/4 of the world's population). Just should make you thinking about how important English is. How many doors can it open for you and the audience you would reach if you have it as a "skill".
• Working experience. If you already know a little bit English you could have a different work experience. England is one of the countries where work is certainly not lacking, and you can find the most varied ones. A city that moves fast and grows even faster and needs many professionals. Even if you don't know English very well, you can start a career path. Always start from the bottom with humble jobs and then grow.

Living in England: big city or countryside?

Another question to be answered. I will help you understand what are the major differences between them. I will help you understand different lifestyles between big city and countryside.

Pros big city

• Big and more opportunities
• Very good network
• Lot of fun (if you can effort it economically talking)

Big city cons

• Too much stress
• Expensive (if you don't pay attention)
• Possibility of learning English much more slowly (due to often being with compatriots)
• Progressing (at work) more slowly. (Due to learning English slowly)

Countryside pros

• Stress free
• Cheaper
• Learning English faster (due to spending less time with compatriots)
• Progress (at work) faster. (Due to learning English faster)
• Getting around on foot or by bicycle (not to be underestimated at all)

These are, generally speaking, the “pros and cons” of both options for what “I” saw. I lived in the countryside (Oxfordshire) for which maybe "I'm biased". I can, however, assure you that I have heard many stories of people who live in London, tending more towards a negative approach.

Negative not because the city is ugly but because the costs are unsustainable. Especially if you have just arrived and, as we say in Napoli (city where I'm from), you have neither art nor part. That in London we can “switch” life, 101% but I will explain it better in the video at the end. Let's move on to the other topics.

Living in England: life cost (rent - daily expenses)

For some (and perhaps due to the recent ever increasing prices) a real nightmare. I, however, (as I will also explain in detail in the video) will show you that it is not so. Reason?

Well, I tell you that countryside is better about this topic as well and now I'll give you a “pros and cons” again. Let's begin by saying that the costs that we really cannot avoid are:

• Rent
• Daily expenses (especially at the supermarket)

Big city

• High rent prices for rooms and flats (area 1-2-3 very expensive). Reason why people move to the suburbs trying to save money. I say "try" because then moving still involves a cost but we get there later.
• The price for a room in London zone 1-2-3 can go up to £1000
• The cost of a generic shopping is slightly more expensive than the countryside

Countryside

• Rent prices for rooms cheaper than the big city and very variable.
• Prices for a room in the countryside can range from £400 to £700/£800. Where with £700/800 you are getting yourself a beautiful room (with private bathroom) in the centre. Oh I forgot, in a beautiful house.
• A good average is £550 (as I paid)
• The price of groceries (at the supermarket) is slightly lower than in the big city.

As you can see we are talking about completely different prices and that, in the long run, make the difference. My advice is start your adventure from the countryside, is an excellent "gym". Download the SpareRoom app, it will be very useful for you to find your ideal room .

Living in England: job experience

One of the topics for which I do not need to distinguish between "big city" and "countryside". Work is everywhere in England in every form . I've seen many different jobs being done (even in the countryside).

Work is not lacking and will never be lacking in a country like England. You can also start your own business (I was also self-employer). The self employer is a freelance (I was a photographer).

To register as a self-employer in the UK just go online. Even declaring taxes is an easy online procedure. Maybe for that I suggest you rely on an “accountant” which will do it for you (once a year).

Ways to pay in England

In England you can be paid

• By hour (in some kind of ways convenient)
• Salary (not convenient in a long term period)

Pay by hour

The reason why is convenient is that for every single extra minute you work you are paid extra. The inconvenient reason is that, if the company doesn't work too much, your shifts may be canceled.

Now try to imagine if you are in London with a rent weighing on your head to pay. And that for a month they make you work 6-7 fewer shifts at work, believe me, they make a big difference.

The advice I give you is to read the contracts and check the minimum hours that guarantee you. Try to always have a clarification with the hiring Manager for hours and pay.

Salary

The fixed salary may seem like a certainty (of economic income) but also an ordeal. Why? You'd have to do a wage job to understand that. I'll tell you (in short) my experience. Last job as a manager at a private members club (Soho House).

As Manager, one of your mission is to save money, saving money especially in bad times, very bad times. And what do you do in bad times to save money? STAFF CUTS (see point above) . And who is going do the work of all those people YOU send home?

Guess what… YOU, who work harder and stress more. Let's be clear, I'm not complaining, but as you can see it's a dog chasing its tail. The difference between the two is that (not always) salaries are given to positions of responsibility (Managers). Responsibilities = headache.

Living in England: transport

A topic which I often like to talk about and which I have often talked with other people.

Transport in a big city (like London)

• Paid with subscription (over £100 per month)
• If you live in the suburbs (see point "cost of living") you spend part of your time in public transport (metro or bus). And that's a waste of time in a certain sense.

Transport in the countryside

• As you can see from my wonderful photo, we mostly travel by bike
• If you love walking that is another great option
• The countryside is very well connected to the big cities (just in case you need to reach them)

People I've known complain about transport because they see it as a fixed cost. Which is a fact and it is true. At the same time I also say that if a service works, and even well, it is right that you pay for it.

What can i say about the countryside? Zero expenses and lots of physical activity to keep fit too.

Living in England: Networking

Connections that you can create in England may remain there Lifetime. Doing networking here is one of the coolest experience that you can do. In a topic like this, London has the upper hand.

London is full of very interesting people doing interesting things. A city that can enrich you and open your mind in many ways. I met super interesting people who inspired me a lot.

Living in England: bureaucracy

A few words for this topic: the NUMBER 1 . I think England is bureaucratically one of the countries most efficient in the World. Practically (almost) everything is done/available online.

If you have a little problem (my personal experience) solved in less than 24 hours. As I have already told you previously, I also worked as a photographer. Also in this case, bureaucratically talking, everything is very simple.

Living in England: healthcare

Topic for which to spend a few words on the premise that I hope you stay healthy always. From my inception you can understand that my personal experience with English healthcare has not gone the way.

Just 1 problem I had…(later found out I had to live with it – tinnitus). I consider public healthcare superficial. In 2021 (in Italy) I was diagnosed after visits (many and different) with tinnitus.

Annoying ringing (more or less loud) in the ears. Where could I make my first visits if not in England? And what doctor could I meet if not the one to tell me: YOU ARE WONDERFUL.

For medical visits in England you must:

• Register at a GP (General Practice) closest to your home
• Book appointments for medical visits online on the GP (General Practice) app

Again, I have seen so much superficiality both in visits and how they treat patients.

Without going into details, what I did was getting in the car (not in the plane) and go back to Italy. In the car because I was scared of the consequences of the pressure on the plane. Read my wonderful article England – Italy by car (with videos).

Living in England: after Brexit

Very hot topic with lots of questions from those trying to understand if you can yet to set foot in the UK for work. The answer is YES guys but with a series of criteria to be respected from now on. But let's go step by step.

After Brexit, what happens?

With Brexit, the United Kingdom decided to leave the Union European.

Consequences of working in England after Brexit

From now on, forget about putting a bag on your shoulder and setting off in search of fortune. The times of that England, in terms of work, are over. From now, to join the job market, you must have a visa.

How do you get a visa in England? Points system

To get a working visa in England (then I am attaching all the useful links) you need to:

• Already have an employment contract from a company that holds a “sponsor licence”. Sponsor license which sponsors you.
• Have a minimum educational qualification equal to a high school diploma
• Have a minimum level of English "B1". Reminding all of you readers that people go to England for that, as well as for work.

Lo and behold, with these 3 NON-NEGOTIABLE requirements ,you must have, you get 50 points. But points to let you enter the country you need 70.

How to get 20 more points?

• Earn a salary of £25,600 per annum or more
• Another option is to have a PhD in the subject you are looking for a job
• Carrying out a job that belongs to an industry with a shortage of workers.
• Healthcare or education

For the duration and cost of the visa, I'll redirect you to the Gov.uk site where you can also apply. You will find all the useful information with many examples and different needs.

Living in England: 6 months experience without a visa, just with the passport

If you would like to live (WITHOUT WORKING) in England it is doable for a maximum of 6 months. There could be several reasons why you might do this:

• Going to school to learn English and practice it outside
• Living a different nation with different ways of doing as a simple experience
• Life break

Whatever the reason, remember to bring enough money with you to support yourself.

Living in England: is it still worth it as an experience?

ABSOLUTELY YES, without thinking twice. I know that now with the visa and the requirements it is more complicated but for me it is worth it. As a first reason I give you that so you can start studying English from your home.

As 2nd I tell you that England is (for us Europeans) close in terms of distance. The closest country to go to and perfect your English and/or work experience.

The alternatives? America or Australia, quite far to be honest… Now watch the video and enjoy.

Conclusions

This article of mine is coming to an end, I hope I have been concise, that you enjoyed it and that it inspires you. Any other question you can leave me a comment below. Remember: who travels lives twice.

If you liked this article, and you have been thinking to have an experience in England or recommend it, you can share it with the various buttons you can find below (Facebook - Whatsapp, etc) with people you love. Don't keep them waiting