B.01Guides
I write every guide on this page myself, and Adrian checks anything that touches schooling. Every figure carries the government page or HMRC manual it came from, and the date we checked it. If a number isn't published anywhere, we say so instead of guessing.
R.01Research · Universities
Fifteen universities publish what they will pay towards relocation. Read together, they show a sector that has quietly drawn a line — and a large group of international staff who sit below it.
Read the research →Usual grade floor
Grade 6–7
Below it, most institutions offer nothing — and several say so explicitly.
The recurring cap
£8,000
HMRC's tax-free relocation threshold, which most policies track exactly.
Paperwork · Right to Rent
A short code from your own GOV.UK account is what a landlord actually checks now — not a BRP card. How to get one, what it's valid for, and where it goes wrong before viewings start.
Corridor · Pakistan
The obvious guarantor is a relative already in the UK — and the agent references them as closely as you. Why relatives get declined, why rent in advance no longer fills the gap, and how to have the deposit in a UK account before viewings start.
Corridor · India
Your employer covered flights, shipping and a few weeks of serviced accommodation. What it did not cover is the bit that actually goes wrong. The four traps that catch Indian tech professionals.
Corridor · Philippines · NHS
Your job is sorted. Your OSCE is booked. So why do most internationally recruited nurses tell us, six weeks in, that finding a flat was harder than passing OSCE?
Corridor · United States
FATCA means fewer UK banks will open a current account for an American than for a Canadian or an Australian. What's available, what to bring, and what a UK account triggers on the US side.
Corridor · United States
There are no state-level agreements with the DVLA, and the US is not a designated country — so no exchange, and both tests to sit. The catch nobody plans for is the 185-day rule.
Corridor · South Africa
South Africa is an unlisted country, which means a rabies blood test and a three-month wait — the longest fixed clock on any move. Starting late means the dog stays behind.
Renting · New law
From 1 May 2026 landlords in England cannot take months of rent up front or accept offers above the asking price. What that removes for newcomers, and what replaces it.
Renting · Credit history
Every guide still says offer six months' rent upfront — since 1 May 2026 a landlord can't require it, and the clause is void. What actually gets you a tenancy now.
Money · Relocation allowances
Your offer letter says "relocation allowance" — the figure on its own tells you nothing about whether it's tax-free. What HMRC's own manual says, and the four questions to put to HR.
Money · Family budget
The exchange rate says the offer looks enormous. Five budget lines say something different — rent, council tax, nursery, the health surcharge, and what's left.
Shipping · ToR1
Most families book the removals company first and treat the paperwork as an afterthought — which is exactly backwards. What Transfer of Residence relief is, who qualifies, and the order to do things in.
Pets · General guide
Microchip, vaccination and a vet-signed certificate apply to every pet — unlisted countries add a blood test and a three-month wait on top. What changes by country, and when to start.
Schooling · Year groups
Year group in England is set by your child's age on 31 August — not by the year they were in before. The table, the entry-year rule, and why September birthdays catch families out most.
New guides by email
Corridor guides, renting rules, and the numbers behind them — sent when they're published, not on a schedule.
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