Our vetted list of companies & services we’ve used (or would use) ourselves. The tools that help you land smarter and settle faster.
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Open a multi-currency account before you fly and pay like a local on day one with a low-fee card.
Great app, bank-beating transfer rates, and easy budgeting across currencies.
Open a Wise account
Fast setup with excellent multi-currency features, vaults, and helpful travel perks.
Handy analytics and budgeting tools to track spending in your first months.
Get Revolut
Popular UK app-bank with instant notifications and easy bill-splitting.
Spaces and pots help you organise rent, bills, and savings from day one.
Open Monzo
Set up a UK account with fewer documents—good for newcomers.
Slick app, fee-free payments in plan tiers, and travel-friendly features.
Open Monese
Trusted international money transfers with personal dealer support.
Good for larger sums like bond, rent in advance, or relocation costs.
Transfer with OFX
App-first UK current accounts with instant insights and easy saving “Spaces”.
Strong day-to-day banking experience while you settle in.
Explore Starling
Well-established UK bank with a wide range of current accounts and easy online sign-up once you’re in the UK.
Good option for everyday banking, student accounts, and building UK credit history.
Open with Lloyds
Global bank with expat-friendly international account options and strong worldwide presence.
Useful if you want seamless transfers between your home country and the UK.
Open with HSBC
One of the UK’s biggest high-street banks, known for its strong mobile banking app and student-friendly accounts.
Easy to apply via the Barclays app once you’re in the UK with proof of address.
Open with Barclays
One of the UK’s biggest high-street banks with a strong branch network and reliable mobile app.
Offers student-friendly and standard current accounts, with simple online application once you’re in the UK.
Open with NatWest
Known for its popular 1|2|3 accounts and cashback offers, Santander has a large UK presence and easy mobile banking.
Good option for everyday current accounts and student banking.
Open with Santander
UK retail bank with straightforward current accounts and a focus on everyday personal banking.
Offers a handy mobile app with budgeting tools to manage your money.
Open with TSB
Great value bundles with international minutes—ideal for keeping in touch.
Quick setup, no contracts, and strong UK coverage to get you started.
Get a Lebara SIM
Reliable national network with flexible pay-as-you-go data options.
Good for consistent speeds and roaming add-ons.
View Vodafone plans
No-contract “goodybags” and self-serve setup—great for flexibility.
Swap plans monthly as your data needs change.
Choose a goodybag
Budget-friendly UK data with cheap international calling add-ons.
Simple pay-as-you-go for light users.
Get Lyca Mobile
Install an eSIM in minutes—arrive connected with UK data ready.
Good for unlocked phones and short-term stays.
Buy an Airalo eSIM
Travel-friendly eSIM with straightforward plans for arrivals.
Easy install and fast activation before you fly.
Get a Jetpac eSIM
Buy and activate your UK or Europe mobile data instantly with an eSIM — no physical SIM card needed.
Great for landing with coverage on day one, and easy top-ups through the app when travelling across Europe.
Get a Holafly eSIM
Bundle flight + stay in one flow with strong customer support if plans change.
Clear pricing and handy filters for quick decisions.
Search Booking.com
Rapid search and calendar view to spot the cheapest dates.
Track prices and receive alerts when fares drop.
Explore Google Flights
Powerful filters and flexible dates to find better deals.
Good alerts and “Hacker Fares” for complex routes.
Compare fares on KAYAK
Explore “whole month” to pinpoint the cheapest days to fly.
Mix airlines for clever combinations and prices.
Search on Skyscanner
Well-priced packages and round-the-clock support network.
Bundle flights, hotels, and extras to simplify planning.
Book on Expedia
Competitive rates and promo stacks on flights + stays.
Good for Asia-Europe itineraries and longer stopovers.
Search on Agoda
Huge range of hotels and apartments with flexible cancellation.
Useful filters for area, amenities, and budget while you flat-hunt.
Find a place on Booking.com
Apartment-style stays with kitchens while you settle in.
Month-long discounts can keep costs down.
Browse Airbnb
Holiday homes and longer-stay options across London.
Good for more space or travelling as a pair.
Find homes on VRBO
Furnished, ready-to-live apartments with flexible leases.
Ideal if you want turnkey living from day one. €15 to €100 discounts.
See Blueground flats
Premium serviced homes for short-to-mid stays.
Concierge-style support and standout interiors.
Browse Domus Stay
Meta-search across hotels and apartments in one view.
Useful for comparing areas fast.
Search on CozyCozy
Landlord-direct listings across the UK with clear pricing and simple viewing requests.
Good for cutting out agency back-and-forth and moving quickly on new rentals.
Browse OpenRent
Major UK property portal with rich filters, local price insights and neighbourhood info.
Handy for comparing similar rentals and tracking price drops.
Search on Zoopla
The UK’s largest property site with the widest coverage of agents and areas.
Set multiple alerts for your budget and commute to jump on new listings fast.
Find homes on Rightmove
UK’s biggest flatshare site — ideal if you’re looking for a room in a shared house or short-term stay.
Filters for budget, area and household type help you find a good fit fast. Premium option lets you contact new ads first.
Find rooms on SpareRoom
The world’s largest housesitting platform, connecting travellers with pet owners needing care.
Annual membership gives you unlimited sits worldwide — including plenty across London and the UK.
Browse TrustedHousesitters
UK-specific platform with a simple flat annual fee for sitters and homeowners.
Smaller, but highly engaged community with lots of regional listings beyond London.
Explore HouseSitters UK
Budget-friendly global housesitting site with an easy interface and active UK listings.
Great entry point if you want to test housesitting before joining larger networks.
Check MindMyHouse
Specialist UK visa and citizenship consultancy offering tailored support.
Skilled Worker, Spouse/Partner, Ancestry, ILR and Citizenship.
Visit First Migration
UK-wide immigration advice across family, work, business and asylum routes.
Accessible online or in person with fixed-fee options.
Visit IAS
Leading global immigration law firm for corporate sponsorship and compliance.
Best fit for employers and global mobility cases.
Visit Fragomen
Employer-focused immigration law firm with HR and compliance expertise.
Strong for Sponsor Licence set-up and audits.
Visit DavidsonMorris
Boutique immigration firm handling self-sponsorship, work visas and appeals.
Recommended by Legal 500 for complex business cases.
Visit A Y & J
Fixed-fee services for family, work, settlement and citizenship routes.
Transparent pricing and timelines.
Visit QC Immigration
Door-to-door luggage shipping so you avoid excess baggage stress at the airport.
Trackable, insured, and newcomer-friendly pricing.
Ship with Send My Bag
Trusted for student moves, excess baggage and larger shipments.
Clear door-to-door options across popular routes.
Get a Seven Seas quote
Affordable luggage shipping with door collection and tracking.
Great for sending extra boxes after you arrive.
Ship with My Baggage
Fast international courier—ideal for documents or smaller urgent parcels.
Global network, reliable delivery windows.
Send with DHL Express
Compare rates across major couriers with door pickup options.
Useful for quick quotes and scheduled shipments.
Compare on Get My Parcel
Multi-carrier quotes to suit speed and budget.
Handy tracking and support tools.
Quote with Interparcel
Flexible travel medical coverage popular with expats and nomads.
Start abroad, pay monthly, and claim online with ease.
Get SafetyWing
Great coverage for trips with adventure add-ons and gear.
Designed for flexible, active travel plans.
Get World Nomads
Reliable plans and strong global assistance.
Solid choice if your itinerary keeps changing.
Get Allianz Travel
Comprehensive options with strong brand backing.
Good range of single and multi-trip plans.
Get AXA Travel
Compare travel medical plans—including long-stay options.
Easy quotes and plan comparisons.
Get VisitorsCoverage
International health plans suitable for expat life.
Multiple tiers to fit different needs.
Get IMG coverage
Build your UK network and apply with one profile across thousands of roles.
Set alerts by title and visa keywords to find relevant openings quickly.
Browse LinkedIn Jobs
Massive listing volume with simple filters and alerts.
Easy to track applications from one dashboard.
Search on Indeed UK
Long-running UK board with career resources and courses.
Good breadth for office and professional roles.
Find jobs on Reed
Large generalist board with continuous new listings.
Set multiple alerts to cover your target titles.
Search on Totaljobs
Company reviews and salary insights to apply smarter.
Prep interviews with real candidate reports.
Research on Glassdoor
Strong for media, charity, and public-sector roles.
Useful alerts by beat or specialism.
Browse Guardian Jobs
UK market leader with deep specialisms across tech, finance, construction, and more.
Set alerts and speak directly with recruiters in your target sector.
Search Hays UK Jobs
Large national footprint with temp, contract and permanent roles.
Good for fast starts and admin, retail, and entry-level office work.
Browse Adecco UK Jobs
Strong in logistics, industrial, customer service and tech-enabled roles.
Plenty of flexible and contract options while you get settled.
Find Roles at Manpower UK
Affordable and powerful VPN with unlimited devices, strong privacy features, and fast global servers.
Popular with expats for streaming UK and home-country services abroad.
Get Surfshark VPN
Well-known VPN provider with excellent speed, security, and a wide range of server locations.
Reliable for bypassing geo-blocks and streaming UK/US platforms abroad.
Try ExpressVPN
Highly rated for advanced security, large server network, and reliable unblocking of UK streaming services.
Comes with extras like password management and malware protection.
Get NordVPN
Live routes across Tube, buses, rail and walking—always pick the smartest option.
Disruptions, prices and ETAs shown with clear step-by-step directions.
Open Citymapper
Oyster and contactless with daily/weekly caps keeps fares simple.
Top up online or at stations and track spend.
How Oyster works
Plan UK rail trips with mobile tickets and clear fare options.
Great for weekend getaways from London.
Plan a journey
First-week essentials—UK plug adapters, bedding, kitchen basics and more.
Fast delivery while you’re still setting up.
Shop on Amazon UK
Order from local favourites and national chains with live rider tracking.
Good for late arrivals and busy admin days.
Find food on Deliveroo
On-demand rides as a handy alternative to taxis and Tube late at night.
Compare ETAs and pricing to pick the best option fast.
Ride with Bolt
South African family-owned specialists with 30+ years of experience in safe, ethical pet relocation to the UK and worldwide.
Trusted by expats for microchipping, passports, rabies vaccination and quarantine compliance.
Get a Global Paws quote
Run by UK vets, PetAir provides custom travel crates and handles every detail for 300+ destinations.
Highly rated for care and reassurance throughout the process.
Plan with PetAir UK
Based at Heathrow, Airpets manages both UK imports and exports with on-site kennels and expert care.
Strong reputation for smooth arrivals and communication.
Book with Airpets
Handles international moves door-to-door, including customs and quarantine paperwork.
Affiliate/referral program available for partners.
Get a Starwood quote
International door-to-door service plus a large knowledge hub for paperwork and best practices.
Popular with expats for simplifying complex relocations.
Start with PetRelocation
Australian-based relocation service trusted for safe international moves, including the UK.
Offers personalised plans, crate hire and veterinary support.
Quote from Jet Pets
Specialist tax advisory service for UK expats and international professionals.
Offers bespoke tax planning, UK self-assessment, and dual-residency support.
Visit Expat TaxesTell us a bit about your move (name, email, city, date) and we’ll send you straight to The Details page.
