Since the foundation of Cameron Kennedy, our specialist consultants have been dedicated to supplying top quality finance professionals on a temporary/contract basis to major banking institutions and commercial companies in London, the Home Counties, UK regions and Europe.
Our candidates come from a wide variety of backgrounds. As well as UK and European Union nationals, we appreciate and welcome contact from overseas visitors, including Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans. If you are an overseas visitor and new to working in the UK, you will find that our consultants provide a highly personal service. In fact many of our consultants were once themselves overseas visitors, and so are well qualified to be of assistance to you.
Cameron Kennedy offers you:
• Introduction to the UK’s leading companies
• The market's top rates of pay
• Assistance in opening UK bank accounts and limited company formation
• Long and short term assignments, which offer excellent experience
• Introduction to tax advisory/planning consultancy
• Specialist Consultants with extensive knowledge of their areas
Overseas Visitor?... How to Register for Work with Cameron Kennedy
It's always better to register with us two or three weeks before you are due to arrive in the UK. This gives us a chance to register your application and have the initial paperwork completed and also to assign you to the relevant consultant. We appreciate that time (and money) is of the essence when seeking your first role in a new environment, so the sooner you contact us prior to your arrival, the better the chances of our finding work quickly for you.
When you arrive, contact us at Cameron Kennedy:
20 Abchurch Lane
London, EC4N 7BB
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7337 0011
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7337 0022
e-mail: register@cameronkennedy.com
Your assigned consultant will arrange an appointment with you to discuss your background and your work aspirations in London.
What will you require to register with Cameron Kennedy?
• An up-to-date CV
• Valid passport with appropriate visa - please bring the originals
• References (usually going back 5 years) and proof of your qualifications, ie. certificates
Many of our consultants have experienced what you are about to encounter. If you have any problems or queries about the London way of life, please do not hesitate to ask.
Check our current live vacancies, register your CV or contact us!
Cameron Kennedy’s consultants are more than happy to assist you in any queries you have regarding coming to the UK. You can contact us or email us your questions to contracts@cameronkennedy.com
Visa Information
A valid work visa must be obtained to be considered for any temporary and contract assignment. Unless you are able to furnish proof that you have the correct documentation, you will be unable to legally work in the UK. The various options available to non-British/ candidates at this time are:
· Working Holiday Visa - Available to Commonwealth Citizens aged between 17-27. This is normally valid for 2 years, although check with the British Embassy in your home country before applying as the conditions are liable to change. This visa cannot be issued from within the UK, but does allow you to work for up to one year only.
· Right of Abode- Available if your mother is British; a British passport is available if your father is British.
· HSMP (Highly skilled migrant ) - Since 28 January 2002, the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme has provided talented people with exceptional skills the opportunity to come to the UK to seek work. Weblink www.workingintheuk.gov.uk
· Spousal Visa - Can be gained if your spouse is British – eligibility is initially for 12 months, after which you can apply for ‘Indefinite leave to remain in the UK’
· Student Visa - Available if studying within the UK but has severe work restrictions, allowing you to work only a few hours per week.
· Patriality/Ancestry Visa - Available if your parents or grandparents were born in the UK, this entitles you to work in the UK for four years.
· EU Passport – It may be possible for you to obtain an EU passport dependant on your family history. However, be careful as some new member states citizens have restrictions in their ability to work in the UK. For more information: www.eurunion.org/states/home.htm
Conditions and restrictions apply to most visas. Unfortunately, we are unable to assist you secure sponsorship through a UK company. For further information contact the Home Office: www.homeoffice.gov.uk or refer to www.ukvisas.gov.uk or contact a Cameron Kennedy consultant who will advise you.
PAYE or Limited Company
Cameron Kennedy will deduct PAYE (Pay As You Earn) tax and National Insurance from your salary automatically. If you are working in the UK for the first time you will need to complete a P46 and apply for a National Insurance (NI) number. You can obtain a P46 from your consultant.
If you wish to apply for a National Insurance number, contact the Department of Social Security on 020 7712 2171 who will inform you of their nearest office. We strongly advise you to obtain a NI number, as this registers your eligibility for state benefits, including free hospital and doctors' services.
If you wish to work through a limited company, we advise you to seek independent, professional advice regarding the set up and operation of such a company. This is particularly important in the light of the Government's anti-tax avoidance legislation, IR35. For further information on IR35 and other personal tax matters, visit the Inland Revenue website: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk
Accommodation
On or prior to arrival in the UK, it is generally sensible to find somewhere to stay on a short-term basis prior to finding a more permanent solution. If you have friends or family, you could of course contact them or you could use the services of the many hostels and bed and breakfasts available. For details, contact the London Hostel Association on 020 7834 1545. You should book in advance.
Accommodation in London varies from a studio apartments (one room), flats (one bedroom with separate utilities), or houses. Prices vary greatly starting at around £75 per week up to £300. It is standard practice to pay one month’s rent in advance and 1 month’s rent as a returnable deposit. References are often required. Once you are working via Cameron Kennedy, we can supply a reference. Many flats and houses in London are fully or part furnished. A rental lease is usually for 6-12 months duration.
Renting in London can be expensive – it’s one of the prices you (literally) pay for living in such a popular and diverse environment. Ideally you should be looking to live near a tube station or near a handy bus route. Be prepared to commute anywhere up to one hour each way. Traditional haunts for Antipodeans are Acton, Earls Court, Shepherds Bush, Hammersmith and Wimbledon, all located in the West and South West of the capital. Generally the further out from the centre the cheaper the accommodation, but the higher the transportation costs. However, the Eastern part of London is growing in popularity due to its proximity to the centre of the UK financial services industry.
Flat hunting in London can be a full time job requiring patience, perseverance, good organisation and an ability to come up with the deposit at the drop of a hat! Look for adverts in the TNT, NZ New and SA Times for flat-sharing. All are available free of charge at tube and rail stations on Mondays and Wednesdays.
For standalone flats, a publication called Loot is available from all corner shops each day, priced £1.30. Get this early in the day, though, as the flats tend to go quickly! Letting agencies are also an option, but beware of hidden fees!
For more information contact:
www.loot.com
www.hostelseurope.com
www.flat-sharer.com
www.thegumtree.co.uk
Transport
A useful piece of advice when coming to the UK is to buy an ‘A to Z’ when you arrive. This contains every street in London (or your chosen area) and is a must have for both visitors and locals alike. It also has a tube map, which is very useful, and for only £5 has obvious benefits to the London newcomer.
The London Underground, affectionately known as “The Tube”, is an essential part of London life and the way most Londoners travel to and from work. The extensive network has 11 lines, each colour coded. Connecting to the tube network is the Docklands Light Railway, which connects the City of London with the Docklands East End. Travelcards cost approx £7 for a day for inner city areas and £30 for a weekly travel card – zones 1-4. Buses are also very frequent and travel all over London. For all tube information contact 020 7222 1234 or www.thetube.com.
The London bus network is extensive and has over 17000 bus stops. When the tube closes, apart from taxis, night buses are the only public transport in London. Most start from Trafalgar Square and have the prefix ‘N’.
You can travel throughout the UK via the National Rail service. Britain is divided into regions that are serviced by different private companies including Virgin Rail, GNER and Connex. Thameslink and Silverlink are the two main inner London service providers. For information about travel, timetables, departures, prices, delays and bookings throughout the UK contact the National Rail on 0845 748 4950 or: www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Healthcare
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) was established in 1948. Everyone in the UK through the NHS is entitled to free emergency treatment at a general practitioner’s surgery or at a hospital accident and emergency department (casualty) regardless of residential status or nationality. In Central London hospitals with 24 hour casualty departments include St Thomas’s Hospital (020 7928 9292), University College Hospital (020 387 9300), Charing Cross Hospital (020 8846 1009) and Guy’s Hospital (020 7955 5000). In an emergency only requiring an ambulance, call 999 (this number is for emergency services only – apart from an ambulance you can also contact the police and the fire services).
Treatment other than for emergencies through the NHS does depend on residential status and nationality unless you are Australian, South African, New Zealander or an EU citizen. You are strongly advised to register with a doctor if you are planning to stay in the UK for any length of time.
Unfortunately, dental treatment is not free in the UK.
Setting Up a Bank Account
Setting up a bank account in the UK can prove to be a difficult process when you first arrive, although a Cameron Kennedy consultant can assist you. To open a bank account you will need to provide supporting information, which includes details of your banking history (ideally including a bank statement from your bank at home), proof of residence (a utility bill) and proof of employment. Alternatively try to set up an account before you arrive through your current bank and if they have any, their UK affiliations. Gaining proof of your address when you first arrive in the UK can be difficult, but this will be needed to set up your bank account. In addition a lot of employers will want to pay your wages straight into an account and some estate agents will search banking records when doing a credit check as part of your application to rent a flat. Once you have applied for an account, the bank will carry out a credit check that can take up to a week.
Cameron Kennedy can assist new UK arrivals in setting up a bank account with the Barclays Bank Group. You will need to supply your passport, a letter from your overseas bankers confirming your overseas address, and a letter from your meeting with the Cameron Kennedy consultant.
Once you have your bank details, make sure you inform your consultant.
Entertainment
The UK has many things to do and to see and London is a busy, vibrant centre which has everything. London has a vast range of historical sites, museums, galleries and entertainment, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. To keep up with clubs, events and attractions, purchase a weekly edition of Time Out or Hot Tickets ( this is available every Thursday with The Evening Standard).
Some useful websites are www.timeout.com; www.thisislondon.co.uk; www.london-eating.co.uk; www.squaremeal.co.uk; www.pubs.com; www.seetickets.com; www.openroads.com
Average cost of a pint in London is between £2.40 and £3.80 with club prices starting at around £4. London is famed for its excellent food and cultural diversity. Restaurant prices for a 3 course meal range from £15 - £140 per person, depends on the type of restaurant. For more information on restaurants of all types visit: www.squaremeal.co.uk
Cinema tickets are around £5 - £10 depending on location of the cinema and off-peak times. Theatre tickets average about £20 – £40, however cheaper tickets can be purchased via discounted ticket vendors, situated around Leicester Square in Central London. London has a wide variety of clubs and night-clubs ranging from those playing the latest Ibiza-inspired tunes to 70’s retro and heavy rock clubs. There are also a wide range of comedy clubs. A couple of the better ones are The Comedy Store (020 73440234) in Piccadilly Circus in Central London and the Cosmic Comedy Club in West London (020 7381 2006). If you want to catch some live music, there are usually over 100 gigs on Friday and Saturday nights. Call TicketMaster on 0870 534 4444 or buy Time Out. You could also visit www.seetickets.com for all the latest information on major concerts and you can set up an events alert email service to keep yourself regularly informed.
London is one of the world’s premier shopping destinations. You are spoilt for choice. Bond Street has the expensive boutiques, Oxford Street has a string of large department stores, Knightsbridge has Harrods and Harvey Nichols, Notting Hill and Camden are famed for their markets.
London’s museums and art galleries include the National Gallery, the new Tate Modern art Gallery, the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Science Museum.
Sightseeing: The main geographical feature of the city is the River Thames. The central area and the most important sights, theatres and restaurants are on the north bank of the river. The trendy West End includes Soho, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Regent Street. The East End lies east of the Circle Line; it used to be the exclusive preserve of the Cockney but is now a cultural melting pot.
City of London: it's only one square mile in area and contains the Bank of England, The Stock Exchange, the share dealing and finance companies, and the international banks.
Trafalgar Square: It's the heart of visitors' London, beating with tour buses, cameras and flocks of persistent pigeons. On the square's northern edge is the National Gallery.
Houses of Parliament: The building includes the House of Commons and the House of Lords. There's restricted access to the chambers when they're in session, but a visit around 6pm will avoid the worst of the crowds.
Tower Bridge: was completed in 1894, after 8 years of construction. It is one of the world's most famous bridges. 150,000 vehicles cross it every day. Over 900 times a year the roadway parts and lifts to let tall ships, cruise liners and other large craft pass through.
Buckingham Palace: The Queen opened Buckingham Palace to the public for the first time in 1993 to raise money for repairs to Windsor Castle.
The Tower of London: Founded nearly a millennium ago and expanded upon over the centuries since, the buildings are amongst the most famous and best preserved in the world. The Tower of London has protected, housed, and been a prison for notorious traitors and famed members of court, lords and ministers, clergymen and knights. It has been the site of renown political intrigue, and the repository of the Crown Jewels.
The London Eye: The British Airways sponsored London Eye is described as the world's highest observational wheel and offers a slow paced half-hour ride. The Eye is 135 metres high on the South Bank between Waterloo and Westminster Bridges, right opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament and provides stunning views over central London and beyond. An increasingly popular idea is to visit the Eye at night time when the view is perhaps at its most magical.
Westminster Abbey: ‘The Abbey’ is sometimes known as the House of God and the House of Kings. Founded originally as a Christian monastery it is still essentially a place of worship. It is also a burial place of kings and queens, the venue for coronations and royal events, an historic sculpture gallery of significant importance and a symbol o0f Christian faith in the England.
St Paul’s Cathedral: A cathedral dedicated to St Paul has overlooked the City of London since 604AD. The current Cathedral is the fourth to occupy this site and was designed by the court architect Sir Christopher Wren and built between 1675 and 1710 after its predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. The Cathedral is where people and events of overwhelming importance to the country have been mourned, commemorated and celebrated since the first Service took place in 1697. Important services have included the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill; Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria, King George V; peace services marking the end of the First and Second World Wars; the service of Remembrance and Commemoration for the 11th September 2001: and the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, to Lady Diana Spencer. As well as housing effigies and mosaics, the history of the nation is written in the carved stone of its pillars and arches and is celebrated in its works of art and monuments.
Outside London there are a number of popular destinations for day trips. These include the university towns of Oxford and Cambridge, William Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon- Avon and, in the summer Brighton and Bournemouth. Historic sights include Henry VIII’s palace at Hampton Court and Windsor Castle, the Queen’s official residence.
Sport
The UK is where a number of sports were invented and developed fully with codifications and rules. You have heard all about Premiership Football, Five Nations Rugby, Wimbledon Tennis and County Cricket.
London has a number of leading Premiership soccer teams including Arsenal (“The Gunners”), Chelsea (“The Blues) and Tottenham Hotspur (“Spurs”). Other clubs in or near London include West Ham, Fulham, Charlton, Crystal Palace, Wimbledon, Watford and Queens Park Rangers. Tickets for these clubs' home games are normally sold out weeks in advance for top fixtures. For smaller clubs, they can be booked over the phone (by credit card). The atmosphere at these games can be highly charged.
Although England claims to be the home of rugby, club teams such as Wasps (Loftus Road, Shepherds Bush 020 8743 0262), Saracens (Vicarage Road, Watford 01923 496 2000), Harlequins (The Stoop, Twickenham 0870 8870230) and London Irish (Madejski Stadium, Reading 0118 968 1239) are full of ex-pat Antipodeans and South Africans. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for a reasonable price and an afternoon of rugby is a great way to spend a Saturday. Twickenham (020 8892 2000) is of course where England play at home and major club/ international rugby events are held
The Wimbledon Tennis Championship, the only Grand Slam event which is played on grass, is a must go and see but be prepared to camp overnight to get tickets for the more crucial matches! The event is always held on the last week of June and the first week of July. You can book tickets in advance on 020 8946 2244 or queue from very early in the morning. There is a reduced fee for the close of the day’s play. The first week is very busy but you can see great tennis games played.
London has two first class cricket sides being Middlesex (at Lords Cricket Ground) and Surrey (at The Oval). For more information visit the England and Wales Cricket board website at www.ECB.co.uk. Depending on the weather, a day in the sun with a few beers, watching leather on willow is a much better alternative than sitting in the pub!
The UK has a number of famous Golf courses. To find information on all golf courses visit www.todaysgolfer.co.uk
For Motor Racing and Motor Sports, visit Silverstone (01327 857271) or Brands Hatch (08705 125250). Both offer a wide range of events most weekends.
If you enjoy watching Horse Racing, Ascot is 45 minutes by train from Waterloo. Epsom and Sandown are other alternatives. If you like greyhound racing, you can visit Wimbledon race track (020 8946 8000) or Walthamstow Dogs (020 8498 3300).
Useful Telephone Numbers
Embassies & Visa Information
British Home Office (Immigration) - 08706 067766
Australian High Commission - 020 7379 4334
New Zealand High Commission - 020 7930 8422
South African House - 020 7925 8900
Tax Inquiries
Inland Revenue - 020 7667 4000
Department of Social Security - 020 7712 2171
National Insurance Helpline - 0191 213 5000
Transport Info
London Transport Inquiries - 020 7222 1234
Gatwick Airport Terminal Enquiries - 0870 0002468
London Heathrow Airport - 0870 0000123
London City Airport - 020 7646 0000
Stanstead Airport - 0870 000 0303
National Rail Inquiries - 0845 748 4950
National Express (buses) - 08705 808080
Eurostar - 0345 303030
Avis Car Hire - 0990 900 500
Hertz - 0990 996699
Budget - 0800 181 181
Telephone Information/Emergencies
Emergencies - 999
Operator - 100
Directory Enquiries - 118118
International Operator - 155
International Directory Enquiries - 118661
Health
NHS Direct - 0845 46 47
International Relations - 020 7210 5318
White Cross Dental Services - 020 7251 2222
Useful Websites
www.cameronkennedy.com
www.thetrainline.com
www.thetube.com
www.nationalrail.co.uk
www.tfl.cov.uk
www.london-eating.co.uk
www.pubs.com
www.thisislondon.co.uk
www.openroads.com
www.squaremeal.co.uk
www.seetickets.com
www.loot.com
www.london-hostels.co.uk
www.hostelseurope.com
www.flatsharer.com
www.thegumtree.co.uk
www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk
www.eurunion.org/states/home.htm
www.homeoffice.co.uk
www.ukvisas.gov.uk
www.easyjet.com
www.ryanair.com
And Finally…
We know at Cameron Kennedy that arriving in a new city can be a daunting prospect – where to live, where to work and where to start are just three of many questions which you’ll need answering quickly. However, as any seasoned or newer traveller will agree, all of the best guidebooks and internet resources around can only suggest what’s best for you, but there’s no substitute for being able to speak to someone who’s ‘been there, done that’ and who identifies with your situation.
That’s why, to get off to the best possible start in London, you should pick up the phone or drop us an email before you arrive, and we’ll be delighted to help. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.
Contact us at Cameron Kennedy:
20 Abchurch Lane,
London EC4N 7BB
Tel: 020 7337 0011
Fax: 020 7337 0022
e-mail: register@cameronkennedy.com |
