Moving to another country can be exciting, but it may also create a feeling of unease, especially if it involves adapting to a new language and culture. In this article, we’ll be sharing our top tips for your family’s relocation to the UK.
Settling in the UK with your family may require a lot of preparation and planning to ensure that you have a smooth transition. That’s why it is important research the different visa options including UK family and spouse visas.
This article aims to provide you with practical tips and advice on how to help settle your family in the UK, including finding suitable accommodation, getting your children enrolled in school, understanding the UK healthcare system, and more.
By following these tips, you can make the transition as smooth as possible for your family and help them feel at home in the UK.
Ways to Assist Your Family in Settling Down in the UK
Once your family has arrived safe and sound on British soil, it’s likely that they will feel a little disoriented and uncertain. In this section, we’re sharing a few ways in which you can help them to settle into their new life in the UK.
Become Familiar with the Language
If your family members are not accustomed to the English language, it’s important that they sign up with a local institution for lessons. Alternatively, they can learn online as there is now an abundance of resources and lessons on the web.
This is important as being unable to speak English will not only limit their educational and employment opportunities but will also make day-to-day life more challenging.
Take Your Family on a Tour
On arrival, take your family around the town or part of the city that they are going to be living in as this will help them to get a feel for their new home as well as getting their bearings.
This should include practical matters such as explaining how the local public transport works. This is also a good opportunity to familiarise your family with how day-to-day activities is conducted in the UK, such as banking, shopping and socialising.
Currency
When navigating their way through life in the UK, your family will, of course, need to get to grips with the local currency. Talk to your family about how much things cost in the UK and introduce budgets to keep spending to a minimum while your family is settling into their new surroundings.
Employment
If any of your family members will be looking for work, you can help to familiarise them with the process of looking for work including helping them to register with the local Job Centre who will be able to keep them up to date on suitable vacancies.
Get Accustomed to the Roads
If members of your family are going to be driving while living in the United Kingdom, it’s important to check to see if their existing driving license will be valid here as, if not, they may need to take driving lessons and pass their test in order to gain a British driving license.
They will also need to familiarise themselves with the laws of the road in the UK to make sure that their driving is legal and safe.
Find a Friend
If your family members include school-age children, it’s a good idea to try to find somebody within your cultural community of around the same age who may be able to help the child to acclimatise to the British school system.
Being part of a local community can be really helpful in assisting your family as they settle in as well as providing a social network.
Settling in the UK
Moving to a new country – particularly one with a different language – can be extremely daunting and it’s therefore useful to pre-prepare your family as much as possible before they arrive. Learning the language, researching laws and watching tutorials are all things that your family can do while they wait for their visa application to be approved. Coming prepared can also give them a real head start once they arrive to start their new life.
Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained legal professional. Be sure to consult an immigration lawyer/solicitor if you’re seeking advice on moving to the UK. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.
