I am up to my ears in rage and frustration due to the twists and turns in settling in, no thanks to the ridiculous regulations that are present in the UK.
Starting with my bank account – the UK requires that all applicants, citizens included, must provide two forms of evidence when applying: a primary form of evidence such as a passport or driving licence, as well as proof of address.
We thought that a signed contract from the letting agent certifying* that I do indeed live at this address would suffice - but we were wrong. The first bank wanted either a bill in my name delivered to my current address, or National Insurance-related correspondence. So we tried another bank, which was more helpful and showed us the application form^ which lists all the acceptable documents. Seeing that my best bet was to apply for a National Insurance number (NIN), I headed to the Jobs and Benefits Office to do so – more on that later.
While waiting on the NIN, we heard that B, an American, had applied for an account with Santander. B had to pay £5 a month for that account, but it was easier to open an account with Santander than with other banks. We checked that out, and to my delight Santander was willing to make exceptions for people who cannot provide the specified documentation. They scheduled for me an appointment with an advisor after confirming my photographic identity (by viewing my passport and my identity card from back home), and I got my bank account today. Yay.
So, now that I have a bank account, I was all ready to get a proper mobile line and purchase a new phone – a bank account is necessary to set up direct debit from that account for the monthly charges. However, I just discovered that what the sales person (#@!%*&) did not tell me was that customers must have resided in the UK for at least 3 years. The rationale for this requirement is beyond me, as where customers have previously lived has absolutely no bearing on their credit worthiness or their likelihood to default on payments! The only option now is for E to purchase a second phone and line in his name for me to use, with the bill to be charged to his account – which was a possibility we had considered in the first week of my arrival but eventually decided to wait till I got a bank account to make it easier for me to manage my own phone line in the long run. A two week wait and all for nothing!
Back to the NIN application. There was scant information available online on how to apply for an NIN, except for a phone number and address. We called the number, but when the person found out that we are living in Northern Ireland, she directed us to call another number instead – essentially “bugger off if you’re in Northern Ireland”. It’s the same thing for certain government offices – e.g. there are no Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agencies in the whole of Northern Ireland, and if you happen to need their services you are welcome to send things in by post or drop into the nearest office in Scotland instead.
At the centre for the NIN application – which we couldn’t contact by phone as no one bothered to answer the line – I was told that it is essential for me to prove that I am actively looking for work at the NIN application interview. The person then informed me that I could get a letter proving I’m actively seeking employment from the Jobs Centre near City Hall. Off I went, halfway across town, only to be told when I got there that not only was I misinformed, but that the place where I could get a letter was from the Jobs Centre housed in the exact same building which I was earlier in. *rage*
In view of the above, I thought to list down some tips for anyone considering moving to the UK:
Tip 1: Bring your NRIC with you when you are moving overseas. I usually don’t bring my NRIC when I’m overseas, and I had with me only because I’d forgotten to empty my wallet before I left.
Tip 2: Santander is awesome – bank with them if you’re in the UK. They are also the first bank in the UK to have an account which gives you cashback on your spending on petrol, household bills and the like – something which many banks in Singapore offer. They also have a credit card which gives cashback on purchases at supermarkets and departmental stores – which is uncommon, if not non-existent, in the UK as well. Unfortunately I’m not eligible to open that account, but if you are – bank with Santander.
Tip 3: If you want to move to the UK, make sure you know someone who is willing to apply for things like a phone line on your behalf.
Tip 4: Be appreciative of the public servants and administrative staff back home. They’re actually pretty good.
Tip 5: Be thankful that Singapore is small. Your needs are well looked after and the provision of services is fair no matter where you live – even if it’s in an opposition ward.
* * * * *
*: To get that contract and my keys to the house, I also had to fill out forms, send in a scanned copy of my identification and pay a non-refundable £30 (or more; can’t quite recall) – so it’s not like it was some scam job.
^: This is a sample from Santander – see List 2.
0 comments:
Post a Comment