The 2017 Expatriate's Guide to Living in the UK

13th Annual Edition

The 2017 Expatriate's Guide to Living in the UK

www.expatsguidetotheuk.com A product of Supporting International HR Professionals Worldwide

CONTENTS Page 2

Banking

Page 4

Clothing Conversion

Page 5

Clubs For Expatriates

Page 6

Driving In The UK

Page 9

Dual Career

Page 10

Embassies & High Commissions

Page 16

International Family Law

Page 20

Health

Page 23

Health Insurance

Page 25

Pet Transportation

Page 27

Schooling In The UK

Page 39

Serviced Apartments

Page 43

Tax

Page 48

Travel Publisher: Helen Elliott Telephone: 020 8661 0186 Email: helen@expatsguidetotheuk.com Publishing Director: Damian Porter Telephone: 01737 551506 Email: damian@expatsguidetotheuk.com PO Box 921, Sutton, SM1 2WB Original cover designed by Chris Duggan

A product of Supporting International HR Professionals Worldwide

1

BANKING IN THE UK substantial falls since fraud peaked in 2008. In most cases, banks provide customers with a free card reader which helps confound fraudsters and protect customers’ accounts.

Despite the increasing take-up of online banking services some of you will still want to pop into a local branch and talk to a member of staff so it might be worth checking whether the bank of your choice has a branch in the town or city where you are planning to live. For a more personal experience a number of banks will offer, subject to eligibility, a Relationship Manager or a team dedicated to them. Customers will have the comfort of having a single point of contact and have the opportunity to build a relationship with someone who understands their needs.

Getting a bank account up and running as quickly as possible is likely to be a priority for many. For starters, you will want to have the convenience of being able to pay for goods and services with a debit card in a local currency, as well as being able to withdraw cash. If you are coming to the UK to work, you will want to arrange for your salary to be paid in to the new account too.

Opening an account will require you to pass certain due diligence requirements. UK banks will generally require new customers, both domestic and foreign, to provide specific documents that verify their UK address in addition to documents that verify their identity.

Having a passport and driving licence are standard proof of ID, but proof of address can cause problems as many will not yet have a permanent place to live upon arrival in to the UK. Even if this is not the case, you are unlikely to have any utility bills to speak of straight away, as these are often sent every three months. There are a number of banks that work with Corporate Employers to assist employees with these types of issues when relocating to the UK. People moving to the UK are unlikely to leave their old life behind completely. For many it may be a temporary assignment with continuing financial commitments in their country of origin, such as bills to pay. A multi-currency account can provide you with the option to keep your income in the currency needed to accommodate your financial commitments - and possibly earn interest in one place too.

Moving to a new country can be an upheaval and so it makes sense to try and make the move as hasslefree as possible. For most, keeping your finances in check is at the top of the list of priorities. It would be reassuring to know that once you have arrived in the UK you could check your bank balance, or transfer money between accounts in an instant, and pay bills quite possibly in different currencies.

When coming to the UK there are a host of banking options to consider, for example, whether the inpatriate’s requirements are for an onshore or an offshore bank account. It makes sense to select a banking service that suits your personal circumstances; from traditional current accounts, which come with a cheque book and debit card, to deposit interest-earning accounts, currency accounts and longer-term savings options. You can opt for accounts that are free from a standard account charge but will carry charges should you go overdrawn or exceed an agreed overdraft facility. If you have a healthy balance, then look for a current account that pays interest on credit balances. There are also regular saver accounts, which pay a competitive rate of interest so long as you pay in a minimum amount each month – although there is normally a cap on the amount you can deposit each year.

We live in the internet age and many people today think nothing of logging onto their computer to carry out their day-to-day banking functions.

Email and mobile phones are symptomatic of the way we live today in a fast-paced world that barely seems to pause for breath. Customers value the ‘anytime, anywhere’ control that it gives them over their banking. While many people still choose to bank in branch, online and mobile banking offers customers the chance to manage their money from the comfort of their home, work, or even on the move via a smartphone. Customers can set up, change and cancel payments, whether individual or regular, transfer money between their accounts, and in some cases analyse their spending.

There have been numerous tales of internet banking fraud but British banks have embraced state of the art technology to help reduce the risk of online fraud. Efforts by the cards industry to enhance the security of payment systems delivered 2

clothing conversion chart

4

Clubs for Expatriates New Zealand Women’s Association www.nzwa.co.uk

EXPATRIATE & WOMEN'S CLUBS – LONDON AND SURROUNDING AREA American Professional Women in London www.meetup.com/american-professionalwomen-london

Northwood Area Women’s Club (NAWC) www.northwoodareawomensclub.co.uk Petroleum Women’s Club of London www.pwc-london.org

American Women of Berkshire & Surrey www.awbs.org.uk

St Johns Wood Women’s Club www.sjwwc.co.uk

American Club of Hertfordshire hertsamerica@outlook.com

Thames Valley American Womens Club www.tvawc.com

American Women’s Club of London www.awclondon.org

EXPATRIATE CLUBS – REST OF THE UNITED KINGDOM American Expats of North West England www.expatsnw.co.uk

American Women of Surrey www.awsurrey.org

Association of Turkish Women in Britain www.atwib.org.uk

American Women’s Club of Central Scotland www.awccs.org

Australian Women’s Club in London www.awclondon.org.uk

American Women's Club of Dubin, Ireland www.awcd.net

Canadian Women’s Club www.canadianwomenlondon.org

Association of American Women of Aberdeen www.awaaberdeen.org

Chilterns American Women’s Club www.cawc.co.uk

Dutch Women of Surrey (DWS) www.dutchwomenofsurrey.co.uk

Daughters of the American Revolution National Society, Walter Hines Page Chapter, NSDAR (London) www.dar.org/natsociety/overseas.cfm

International Women’s Club of Edinburgh www.iwce.co.uk

North American Connection – Midlands UK www.naconnect.com

Federation Of International Women's Associations In London (FIWAL) www.fiwal.org.uk

Petroleum Women’s Club of Scotland www.pwcos.com

Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas (FAWCO) www.fawco.org

The Edinburgh Expat American Meetup Group www.american.meetup.com/210

Focus Information Services www.focus-info.org

POLITICAL – US CITIZENS Democrats Abroad UK www.democratsabroad.org.uk

Hampstead Women’s Club www.hwcinlondon.co.uk

United-Kingdom Federal Voters Assistance Program www.fvap.gov

Italian Cultural Association (Il Circolo) www.ilcircolo.org.uk

Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF) www.overseasvotefoundation.org

Junior League of London www.jll.org.uk

Republicans www.republicansoverseas.uk

Kensington & Chelsea Women's Club www.kcwc.org.uk Londres Accueil www.londresaccueil.org.uk

To feature in this section next year, email: helen@expatsguidetotheuk.com 5

driving Driving in Great Britain (GB) on a licence issued in a European Community/ European Economic Area (EC/EEA) country All drivers must comply with British minimum age requirements. These are 17 years for cars and motorcycles, 18 years for medium sized vehicles and 21 years for large lorries and buses.

•

your 66th birthday or for five years after becoming resident, whichever is the shorter period If you are aged 65 or over for 12 months after becoming resident. You must get a British driving licence in order to continue driving after these periods.

Notifying health conditions You must tell the DVLA about conditions which existed before you came to GB and which you may have already notified to the authorities, as well as any conditions you have recently become aware of. In most cases, the rules will be the same as those in other EC/EEA countries although there may be some differences. Higher visual standards apply for vocational drivers in this country.

European Community and European Economic Area Licences issued in the European Community and European Economic Area make up two groups that are treated equally. The full list is: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Taking a driving test If you want to take a British driving test you must be normally resident in GB. However, if you have moved to GB having recently been permanently resident in another state of the EC/ EEA, you must have been normally resident in GB for 185 days in the 12 months prior to your application for a driving test and a full licence.

To take a GB driving test you will need to either: • Apply for a GB counterpart licence (D58/2) by completing a D9 (available from embassies or the DVLA) and enclose your community driving licence, which will be returned to you. The provisional licence document is issued free of charge. However, the appropriate fee must be paid and your community licence surrendered in exchange for a GB one when claiming the full entitlement • Exchange your community licence for the • British equivalent and request the appropriate provisional entitlement.

Visitors If you hold a valid community licence and are visiting GB, you can drive any vehicle if your licence is valid. The appropriate full entitlement for the vehicle you wish to drive must be shown on your licence.

Residents If you have a valid community licence, this will authorise you to drive in GB for the period set out below. Alternatively, you can exchange your licence for a British one at any time. Provided your licence remains valid you may drive in GB: Car and motorcycle driving licence holders (ordinary driving licence): • Until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period Lorry, minibus, bus driving licence holders (vocational driving licence) • Until aged 45 or for five years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period • If you are aged over 45 (but under 65) until

Community licences issued in exchange for licences from elsewhere A community licence issued on the strength of a licence from a designated country will be valid 6

be allowed to drive as a full licence holder and provisional licence conditions will apply. If you do not apply for a provisional licence within the first 12 months you must stop driving and obtain a British provisional licence with a view to passing a driving test. Provisional licence conditions will then apply.

If you are the holder of a vocational licence (minibus, bus, lorry entitlement) and a new resident, you must not drive large vehicles until you have passed the relevant GB driving test. Driving test candidates are required to pass a motor car (category B) test first before applying for provisional entitlement for larger vehicles.

for driving in GB for 12 months only, and is acceptable for exchange purposes.

A community licence issued on the strength of a licence from a non-designated country will be valid for driving in GB for 12 months only, but is not valid for exchange purposes.

A licence from any country outside the EC/ EEA, which was originally issued on the basis of a community licence, will be valid for driving in GB for 12 months only, and is acceptable for exchange purposes. Evidence of the original EC/ EEA entitlement must be provided.

DRIVING ON LICENCES FROM ALL OTHER COUNTRIES, AND STUDENTS ON A FOREIGN LICENCE If you are a visitor, resident or student in Great Britain (GB) and still have a driving licence issued in the country you have come from, there are certain conditions that affect how long you can drive, and what you can drive in Great Britain.

EXCHANGING YOUR FOREIGN DRIVING LICENCE If you are the holder of a foreign driving licence and want or need to change to a Great Britain (GB) driving licence there are certain conditions that need to be considered when applying.

Applying for the exchange of your foreign driving licence If you want or need to change your driving licence for a GB driving licence, you must complete the application form D1 that is available from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) form ordering service and Post OfficeÂŽ branches. You will need to enclose original documentation confirming your identity and a passport style colour photograph. Send your completed application and the appropriate fee to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BT. If the licence being exchanged is vocational, and the original was issued in Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you must also provide a D4 medical report form that must be completed by a doctor, ensuring that all the relevant questions are completed.

If your vocational licence was issued in an European Community (EC) or European Economic Area (EEA) country you need only submit a medical report form if, on exchange, you are 45 years of age or over. This applies even if your vocational licence is still current.

Application forms D2 and medical form D4 are available from the DVLA form ordering service.

Visitors You may drive vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and with up to eight passenger seats, provided your full licence or driving permit remains valid for up to 12 months from the date of coming to GB. However, you may only drive large vehicles which have been registered outside GB and which you have driven into the country.

Residents If you are the holder of an ordinary driving licence (car, moped, motorcycle entitlement) and provided your licence remains valid, you can drive any category of small vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement a provisional GB licence must have been obtained and a driving test(s) passed before the 12-month period elapses. If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions e.g. displaying 'L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways. However, if you do not pass a test within the 12-month concessionary period you will not 7

•

Premium checking service for holders of EC/EEA, Gibraltar and designated countries driving licence If you are the holder of a full EC/EEA, Gibraltar or designated country driving licence you can exchange it for the UK equivalent using a premium checking service.

Motorcycle licences from the Republic of Korea and Faroe Islands are not exchangeable.

South Africa As there are two types of South African driving licences, the following will apply: • The book of life, which is a driving licence and identity document: the licence part of the book will be stamped to say the applicant has exchanged their licence and the book returned to the person; for the book of life to be acceptable for licence exchange the applicant will need a letter of authority from the South African licensing authority • The photocard licence will be returned to the South African licensing authority.

Rules for exchange The following conditions must be met before a licence can be granted in exchange for a GB one: • You must be normally resident in GB and have a permanent address here • If you are a community driving licence holder applying for a British test at the same time as exchanging your licence and you have moved to GB having recently been permanently resident in another state of the EC or EEA, you must have been normally resident in GB for 185 days in the 12 months prior to your application for a full driving licence • Licences from the designated countries must be current at the time the application for exchange is received at DVLA: licences from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands are acceptable for exchange if issued after 01/04/91.Those issued in any EC or EEA country may be valid for exchange even if they have expired • You must surrender your foreign licence which will be returned to the issuing authority • International driving permits are not exchangeable • Test pass certificates are not exchangeable except for those issued in Northern Ireland or Gibraltar when the test was passed within two years of the date of the licence application • Japanese licences must be accompanied by an official translation, available for a fee from the Consulate General of Japan at 101-104 Piccadilly, London W1V 9FN or 2 Melville Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 7HW • Republic of Korea licences must be accompanied by an official translation from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea at 60 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6AJ

Canadian licences If you are the holder of a Canadian licence you will receive automatic transmission only when exchanging for a British licence. This can only be upgraded to manual upon presentation of confirmation, from the relevant licensing authority, of a manual test being passed or a manual test is passed in this country.

You must drive on the left hand side whilst in the UK Drivers Enquiries

Telephone: 0300 7906801 Address: Drivers Customer Services (DCS) Correspondence Team DVLA Swansea SA6 7JL. (To avoid delay with written enquiries it is important to use the correct postcode)

Please Note: For confidentiality reasons it is not possible to release driver numbers or personal details from your driving record via e-mail replies Textphone: Textphone for the deaf and hard of hearing Textphone users 0300 1231278 Website: www.dvla.gov.uk

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/ index.htm To contact the DVLA via email please visit the DVLA website above

Crown Copyright © Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Swansea SA6 7JL 8

Dual Career Dual career couples are couples who both have a career and want to continue to work and progress in their respective fields. Dual career is often an issue for couples raising children, but it becomes a bit more complex when one spouse takes on an assignment abroad. An international move may affect a person’s career continuity; and one of the biggest challenges in a new country is to acquire an understanding of the local job market and all the opportunities that are available to ultimately find a job that one is passionate about and that fits with a new lifestyle. This transitional time will probably be filled with wonder, impatience, frustration and excitement and these emotions will appear in various degrees. Whilst job searching is usually not an easy experience at home, it can be made more difficult when in another country where the methods or approach to job searching may be different.

Before beginning a job search, there are many issues which are important to consider: • Permission to work in the UK • Transfer of qualifications • Possibility of career progression • Career portability.

Transfer of qualifications Depending on the type of qualifications you have, and where they were obtained, you may or may not be able to practice here in the UK. Some areas which may prove more difficult are law, medicine and taxes. For information on how your qualifications may transfer, the UK NARIC (www. naric.org.uk) is the National Agency responsible for providing information, advice and expert opinion on vocational, academic and professional skills and qualifications from over 180 countries worldwide.

Possibility of career progression Career progression is often an aspect that is left behind as people are more focussed on getting any job rather than getting the job that would help further their career.

Ongoing learning and career development opportunities are fundamental for career progression and the new skills acquired while abroad should be capitalised upon once repatriated or moved to a new posting.

Career Portability A portable career gives you the freedom to choose where to live and work without losing your professional identity. Moreover, it gives you the opportunity to have continuity in your career even though you move from place to place.

If you are planning a career change then the international move can be the perfect time and excuse to do so. When considering choosing a portable career it is important to think about: offering products or services with a high global demand; utilising a wide skill set; having universally accepted credentials or degrees; and speaking multiple languages.

It isn’t always easy to get the perfect job, especially when living abroad. Any experience gained outside the home country is incredibly valuable and will make you stand out from the crowd.

Eligibility to Work in the UK When applying for any kind of job, you will be asked if you are eligible to work in the UK and the answer will be crucial to employers as they decide whether or not to proceed to the next stage with your application. All Citizens of the member countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) currently have free access to enter the UK, work, study and claim state benefits. However, this may well change in the face of Brexit, but we cannot indicate how, at the time of writing.

Other nationalities may need a visa to work in the UK. Dependent spouses, whose partners have permission to enter the UK through their work permit, are permitted to work by virtue of their visa.

Partner VISAs are also available for the partner of visa holders complying with specified criteria. You will find detailed information on the Home Office website www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Career development has been one of the core services of FOCUS since being founded in 1982. For more information please visit www.focus-info.org 9

EMBASSIES & HIGH COMMISSIONS A

Afghanistan Embassy 31 Princes Gate London SW7 1QQ Telephone: 020 7589 8891 Albanian Embassy 33 St George’s Drive London SW1V 4DG Tel: 020 7828 8897 Algerian Consulate 6 Hyde Park Gate London SW7 5EW Telephone: 020 7589 6885 www.algerianconsulate-uk.com American Embassy 24 Grosvenor Square London W1A 1AE Telephone: 020 7499 9000 www.usembassy.org.uk Andorra Embassy 63 Westover Road London SW18 2RF Telephone: 020 8874 4806 Angolan Embassy 22 Dorset Street London W1U 6QY Telephone: 020 7299 9850 www.angola.org.uk Antigua & Barbuda High Commission 2nd Floor 45 Crawford Place London W1H 4LP Telephone: 020 7258 0070 www.antigua-barbuda.com

Australian High Commission Australia House Strand London WC2B 4LA Telephone: 020 7379 4334 www.australia.org.uk

Belize High Commission Third Floor 45 Crawford Place London W1H 4LP Telephone: 020 7723 3603 www.belizehighcommission.com

Austrian Embassy 18 Belgrave Mews West London SW1X 8HU Telephone: 020 7344 3250 www.bmeia.gv.at

Bolivian Embassy 106 Eaton Square London SW1W 9AD Telephone: 020 7235 4248 www.embassyofbolivia.co.uk

Azerbaijan Embassy 4 Kensington Court London W8 5DL Telephone: 020 7938 3412 www.azembassy.org.uk

B

Bahamian High Commission 10 Chesterfield Street London W1J 5JL Telephone: 020 7408 4488 Baharaini Embassy 30 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8QB Telephone: 020 7201 9170 Bangladeshi High Commission 28 Queen’s Gate London SW7 5JA Telephone: 020 7584 0081 www.bangladeshhighcommission.org.uk Barbadian High Commission 1 Great Russell Street London WC1B 3ND Telephone: 020 7299 7150

Argetinian Embassy 65 Brook Street London W1K 4AH Telephone: 020 7318 1300 www.argentine-embassy-uk.org

Belarus Embassy 6 Kensington Court London W8 5DL Telephone: 020 7937 3288 www.belembassy.org/uk

Armenian Embassy 25a Cheniston Gardens London W8 6TG Telephone: 020 7938 5435 www.accc.org.uk

Belgian Embassy 17 Grosvenor Crescent London SW1X 7EE Telephone: 020 7470 3700 www.diplomatie.be/london 10

Bosnia and Herzegovina Embassy 5-7 Lexham Gardens London W8 5JJ Telephone: 020 7373 0867 www.bhembassy.co.uk Botswana High Commission 6 Stratford Place London WC1 1AY Telephone: 020 7499 0031 Consulate General of Brazil 3 Vere Street London W1G 0DG Telephone: 020 7659 1550 www.brazil.org.uk Brunei Darussalam High Commission 19–20 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8PG Telephone: 020 7581 0521 Bulgarian Embassy 186-188 Queen's Gate London SW7 5HL Telephone: 020 7584 9400 www.bulgarianembassy-london.org Burma Embassy 19A Charles Street, Berkeley Square London W1J 5DX Telephone: 020 7499 8841

C

Cambodian Embassy 64 Brondesbury Park Willesden Green London NW6 7AT Telephone: 020 8451 7850 www.cambodianembassy.org.uk

Cameroon Embassy 84 Holland Park London W11 3SB Telephone: 020 7727 0771 www.cameroonhighcommission.co.uk

Czech Embassy 26-30 Kensington Palace Gardens London W8 4QY Telephone: 020 7243 1115 www.mzv.cz/london

Estonian Embassy 16 Hyde Park Gate London SW7 5DG Telephone: 020 7589 3428 www.estonia.gov.uk

Canadian High Commission Canada House Trafalgar Square, London SW1Y 5BJ Telephone: 020 7004 6000 www.canada.org.uk

D

Ethiopian Embassy 17 Princes Gate London SW7 1PZ Telephone: 020 7589 7212 www.ethioembassy.org.uk

Chilean Embassy 12 Devonshire Street London W1G 7DS Telephone: 020 7580 6392 www.echileuk.co.uk

Danish Embassy 55 Sloane Street London SW1X 9SR Telephone: 020 7235 1255 www.denmark.org.uk Dominican Republic Embassy 139 Inverness Terrace London W2 6JF Telephone: 020 7727 7091 www.dominicanembassy.org.uk

Chinese Embassy 49-51 Portland Place London W1B 4JL Telephone: 020 7299 4049 www.chinese-embassy.org.uk

Dominica High Commission 1 Collingham Gardens South Kensington London SW5 0HW Telephone: 020 7370 5194

Colombian Embassy Flat 3 3 Hans Crescent London SW1X 0LN Telephone: 020 7589 9177 www.colombianembassy.co.uk

E

Congolese Embassy 281 Gray’s Inn Road London WC1X 8QF Telephone: 020 7278 9825 Costa Rican Embassy 14 Lancaster Gate London W2 3LH Telephone: (020) 7706 8844 Croatian Embassy 21 Conway Street London W1T 6BN Telephone: 020 7387 2022 Cuban Embassy 167 High Holborn London WC1V 6PA Telephone: 020 7240 2488 Cyprus High Commission 13 St James's Square London SW1Y 4LB Telephone: 020 7321 4100

Ecuador Embassy 3 Hans Crescent London SW1X 0LS Telephone: 020 7584 1367 Egyptian Embassy 26 South Street London W1K 1DW Telephone: 020 7499 3304

F

Fijian High Commission 34 Hyde Park Gate, London SW7 5DN. Telephone: 020 7584 3661 www.fijihighcommission.org.uk Finnish Embassy 38 Chesham Place London SW1X 8HW Telephone: 020 7838 6200 www.finemb.org.uk French Embassy 58 Knightsbridge London SW1X 7JT Telephone: 020 7073 1000 www.ambafrance-uk.org

G

Gabonese Embassy 27 Elvaston Place London SW7 5NL Telephone: 020 7823 9986

Egyptian Consulate 2 Lowndes Street London SW1X 9ET www.egyptianconsulate.co.uk

Gambian High Commission 92 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill London W11 2AH Telephone: 020 7229 8066

El Salvador Embassy 8 Dorset Square London NW1 6PU Telephone: 020 7224 9800 www.embassy.el-salvador.org.uk

Georgian Embassy 4 Russell Gardens London W14 8EZ Telephone: 020 7603 7799 www.geoemb.org.uk

Equatorial Guinea Embassy 13 Park Place St. James’s London SW1A 1LP Telephone: 020 7499 6867

German Embassy 23 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8PN Telephone: 020 7824 1300 www.london.diplo.de

Eritrea Embassy 96 White Lion Street London N1 9PF Telephone: 020 7713 0096 www.eritrean-embassy.org.uk

Ghana High Commission 13 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8PN Telephone: 020 7201 5900 www.ghanahighcommissionuk.com

11

Greek Embassy 1A Holland Park London W11 3TP Telephone: 020 7229 3850 www.greekembassy.org.uk

Iranian Embassy in London 16 Prince’s Gate London SW7 1PT Telephone: 020 7225 3000 www.iran-embassy.org.uk

Kenyan High Commission 45 Portland Place London W1N 4AS Telephone: 020 7636 2371 www.kenyahighcommission.net/

Grenada High Commission The Chapel Archel Road West Kensington London W14 9QH Telephone: 020 7385 4415 grenada@high-commission.demon.co.uk

Ireland Embassy 17 Grosvenor Place London SW1X 7HR Telephone: 020 7235 2171 www.embassyofireland.co.uk

Korean Embassy 60 Buckingham Gate London SW1E 6AJ Telephone: 020 7227 5500 www.koreanembassy.org.uk

Guatemalan Embassy 13 Fawcett Street London SW10 9HN Telephone: 020 7351 3042 Guyana High Commission 3 Palace Court Bayswater Road London W2 4LP Telephone: 020 7229 7684 www.guyanahc.com/ghclondon

H

Hondurun Embassy 115 Gloucester Place London W1U 6JT Telephone: 020 7486 4880 Hungarian Embassy 35 Eaton Place London SW1X 8BY Telephone: 020 7235 5218 www.mfa.gov.hu

I

Icelandic Embassy 2A Hans Street London SW1X 0JE Telephone: 020 7259 3999 www.iceland.org/uk Indian High Commission India House Aldwych London WC2B 4NA Telephone: 020 7836 8484 www.hcilondon.org Indonesian Embassy 38 Grosvenor Square London W1K 2HW Telephone: 020 7499 7661 www.indonesianembassy.org.uk

Israeli Embassy 2 Palace Green London W8 4QB Telephone: 020 7957 9500 http://london.mfa.gov.il Italian Embassy 14 Three Kings Yard London W1K 4EH Telephone: 020 7312 2200 www.amblondra.esteri.it Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) Embassy 2 Upper Belgrave Street London SW1X 8BJ Telephone: 020 7201 9601

J

Jamaican High Commission 1-2 Prince Consort Road London SW7 2BZ Telephone: 020 7823 9911 www.jhcuk.org Japanese Embassy 101-104 Piccadilly London W1J 7JT Telephone: 020 7465 6500 www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp Jordan Embassy 6 Upper Phillimore Gardens London W8 7HA Telephone: 020 7937 3685 www.jordanembassyuk.org

K

Kazakhstan Embassy 33 Thurloe Square London SW7 2DS Telephone: 020 7581 4646 www.kazembassy.org.uk 12

Kuwaiti Embassy 2 Albert Gate London SW1X 7JU Telephone: 020 7590 3400 Kyrgyzstani Embassy Ascot House 119 Crawford Street London W1U 6BJ Telephone: 020 7935 1462 www.kyrgyz-embassy.org.uk

L

Latvian Embassy 45 Nottingham Place London W1U 5LY Telephone: 020 7312 0041 www.london.am.gov.lv/en Lebanese Embassy 21 Kensington Palace Gardens London W8 4QN Telephone: 020 7229 7265 Lesotho High Commission 7 Chesham Place Belgravia London SW1 8HN Telephone: 020 7235 5686 www.lesotholondon.org.uk Liberian Embassy 23 Fitzroy Square London W1T 6EW Telephone: 020 7388 5489 www.embassyofliberia.org.uk Lithuanian Embassy 2 Bessborough Gardens London SW1V 2JE Telephone: 020 7592 2840 www.lithuanianembassy.co.uk Luxembourg Embassy 27 Wilton Crescent London SW1X 8SD Telephone: 020 7235 6961

M

Macedonian Embassy Suites 2.1 & 2.2 Buckingham Court 75-83 Buckingham Gate London SW1E 6PE Telephone: 020 7976 0535 www.macedonianembassy.org.uk Madagascar Consulate 8-10 Hallam Street London W1W 6JE Telephone: 0203 008 4550 www.embassy-madagascar-uk.com Malawi High Commission 70 Winnington Road London N2 0TX Telephone: 020 8455 5624 www.malawihighcom.org.uk Malaysian High Commission 45 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8QT Telephone: 020 7235 8033 Maldives High Commission 22 Nottingham Place London W1U 5NJ Telephone: 020 7224 2135 www.maldiveshighcommission.org Malta High Commission Malta House, 36-38 Piccadilly, London, W1J OLE Telephone: 020 7292 4800 www.mfa.gov.mt Mauritius High Commission 32/33 Elvaston Place London SW7 5NW Telephone: 020 7581 0294 Mexican Embassy 16 St George Street Hanover Square London W1S 1FD Telephone: 020 7499 8586 Moldovan Embassy 5 Dolphin Square Edensor Road, Chiswick London W4 2ST Telephone: 020 8995 6818 www.moldovanembassy.org.uk Mongolian Embassy 7-8 Kensington Court London W8 5DL Telephone: 020 7937 0150 www.embassyofmongolia.co.uk

Moroccan Embassy 49 Queen’s Gate Gardens London SW7 5NE Telephone: 020 7581 5001 www.moroccanembassylondon.org.uk Mozambique High Commission 21 Fitzroy Square London W1T 6EL Telephone: 020 7383 3800 www.mozambiquehc.org.uk

N

Namibian High Commission 6 Chandos Street London W1G 9LU Telephone: 020 7636 6244 Nepalese Embassy 12A Kensington Palace Gardens London W8 4QU Telephone: 020 7229 1594 www.nepembassy.org.uk Netherlands Embassy 38 Hyde Park Gate London SW7 5DP Telephone: 020 7590 3200 www.netherlands-embassy.org.uk New Zealand High Commission New Zealand House 80 Haymarket London SW1Y 4TQ Telephone: 020 7930 8422 www.nzembassy.com/uk Nicaraguan Embassy Suite 31 Vicarage House 58-60 Kensington Church Street London W8 4DP Telephone: 020 7938 2373 Nigerian High Commission Nigeria House 9 Northumberland Avenue London WC2N 5BX Telephone: 020 7839 1244 www.nigeriahc.org.uk Norwegian Embassy 25 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8QD Telephone: 020 7591 5500 www.norway.org.uk 13

0

Oman Sultanate Embassy 167 Queen’s Gate London SW7 5HE Telephone: 020 7225 0001 www.omanembassy.org.uk

P

Pakistan High Commission 34–36 Lowndes Square London SW1X 9JN Telephone: 020 7664 9204 www.pakmission-uk.gov.pk Panama Consulate Panama House 40 Hertford Street London W1J 7SH Telephone: 020 7409 2255 Papua New Guinea High Commission 3rd Floor 14 Waterloo Place London SW1Y 4AR Telephone: 020 7930 0922 www.pnghighcomm.org.uk Paraguayan Embassy 344 High Street Kensington 3rd Floor London W14 8NS Telephone: 020 7610 4180 www.paraguayembassy.co.uk Peruvian Embassy 52 Sloane Street London SW1X 9SP Telephone: 020 7235 1917 www.peruembassy-uk.com Philippine Embassy 8 Suffolk Street London SW1Y 4HG Telephone: 020 7451 1800 www.philembassy-uk.org Polish Embassy 47 Portland Place London W1B 1JH Telephone: 020 87580 4324 www.london.polemb.net Portuguese Embassy 11 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8PP Telephone: 020 7235 5331

Q

Qatari Embassy 1 South Audley Street London W1K 1NB Telephone: 020 7493 2200 www.qatarembassy.info

R

Romanian Embassy Arundel House 4 Park Green London W8 4QD Telephone: 020 7937 9666 Russian Embassy 6/7 Kensington Palace Gardens London W8 4QP Telephone: 020 7229 3628 www.rusemblon.org Rwanda Embassy 120-122 Seymour Place London W1H 1NR Telephone: 020 7224 9832 www.ambarwanda.org.uk

S

Saint Christopher and Nevis High Commision 10 Kensington Court London W8 5DL Telephone: 020 7937 9718 Saint Lucia High Commission 1 Collingham Gardens South Kensington London SW5 0HW Telephone: 020 7370 7123

Senegalese Embassy 39 Marloes Road London W8 6LA Telephone: 020 7938 4048 www.senegalembassy.co.uk

Swaziland High Commission 20 Buckingham Gate London SW1E 6LB Telephone: 020 7630 6611 www.swaziland.org.uk

Serbian Embassy 28 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8QB Telephone: 020 7235 9049 www.serbianembassy.org.uk

Swedish Embassy 11 Montagu Place London W1H 2AL Telephone: 020 7917 6400

Sierra Leone High Commission 41 Eagle Street, Holborn London WC1R 4TL Telephone: 020 7404 0140 www.slhc-uk.org.uk Singapore High Commission 9 Wilton Crescent London SW1X 8SP Telephone: 020 7235 8315 www.mfa.gov.sg/london Slovak Embassy 25 Kensington Palace Gardens London W8 4QY Telephone: 020 7313 6470 www.slovakembassy.co.uk Slovenian Embassy 10 Little College Street London SW1P 3SH Telephone: 020 7222 5400

South African High Commission South Africa House Trafalgar Square London WC2N 5DP Telephone: 020 7451 7299 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines www.southafricahouse.com High Commission 10 Kensington Court Spanish Embassy London W8 5DL 39 Chesham Place Telephone: 020 7565 2874 London SW1X 8SB San Marino Embassy C/o Consulate of the Republic of San Marino, Flat 51, 162 Sloane Street London SW1X 9B Telephone: 020 7823 4768 Saudi Arabian Embassy 30 Charles Street Mayfair London W1J 5DZ Telephone: 020 7917 3000 www.saudiembassy.org.uk

Telephone: 020 7235 5555

Sri Lankan High Commission 13 Hyde Park Gardens London W2 2LU Telephone: 020 7262 1841 www.slhclondon.org Sudan Embassy 3 Cleveland Row, St James’s London SW1A 1DD Telephone: 020 7839 8080 www.sudan-embassy.co.uk 14

Swiss Embassy 16-18 Montagu Place London W1H 2BQ Telephone: 020 7616 6000 www.eda.admin.ch/london

T

Tanzanian High Commission 3 Stratford Place London W1C 1AS Telephone: 020 7569 1470 www.tanzania-online.gov.uk Thai Embassy 29-30 Queen’s Gate London SW7 5JB Telephone: 020 7589 2944 www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk Tongan High Commission 36 Molyneux Street London W1H 5BQ Telephone: 020 7724 5828 Trinidad and Tobago High Commission 42 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8NT Telephone: 020 7245 9351 www.tthighcomm.org.uk Tunisian Embassy 29 Prince’s Gate London SW7 1QG Telephone: 020 7584 8117 Turkish Embassy 43 Belgrave Square London SW1X 8PA Telephone: 020 7393 0202 www.londra.be.mfa.gov.tr Turkmenistan Embassy St George’s House, 14/17 Wells Street London W1T 3PD Telephone: 020 7255 1071

U

Ugandan High Commission Uganda House 58/59 Trafalgar Square London WC2N 5DX Telephone: 020 7839 5783 www.ugandahighcommission.co.uk

Uzbekistan Embassy 41 Holland Park London W11 3RP Telephone: 020 7229 7679 www.uzbekembassy.org

V

Ukrainian Embassy 60 Holland Park London W11 3SJ Telephone: 020 7727 6312 www.mfa.gov.ua/uk

Venezuelan Embassy 1 Cromwell Road London SW7 2HW Telephone: 020 7584 4206 www.venezlon.co.uk

United Arab Emirates Embassy 30 Prince’s Gate London SW7 1PT Tel: 020 7581 1281 www.uaeembassyuk.net

Vietnamese Embassy 12 Victoria Road London W8 5RD Telephone: 020 7937 1912 www.vietnamembassy.org.uk

Uruguay Embassy 1st Floor 125 Kensington High Street London W8 5SF Telephone: 020 7937 4170

Y

Yemen Embassy 57 Cromwell Road London SW7 2ED

Telephone: 020 7584 6607 www.yemenembassy.org.uk

Z

Zambia High Commission 2 Palace Gate Kensington London W8 5NG Telephone: 020 7589 6655 www.zhcl.org.uk Zimbabwe Embassy Zimbabwe House 429 Strand London WC2R 0JR Telephone: 020 7836 7755

This list of Embassies, to our knowledge, is correct at time of going to press. We cannot accept any responsibility for incorrect contact data printed but we apologise for any inconvenience in the event of this occurring.

WWW.THEAMERICANHOUR.COM

Our Website To Assist Americans Living In, Or Moving To The UK

Our website is updated regularly with content and information beneficial to any American moving to, or living in the UK. There are over 40 pages of information full of resources and useful contacts and links.

Our pages include: Competitions & Offers – competitions and offers are added each month Living In – A page dedicated to key residential areas in London & the Home Counties popular with the American Expatriate Community Serviced Apartments – Moving to live in the UK? Consider the benefits of a serviced apartment Theatre – See information on the latest shows Moving – Moving overseas this summer?

Expatriate Clubs – See a comprehensive listing of the many expatriate clubs & associations operating in the UK Tax – Need the latest tax advice and links to taxation websites? Visit this page for updates and information Events – Catch up on the latest activities and events, and meet and engage with the American expatriate community in the UK Having A Baby In The UK – What you need to know if you are planning to have your baby in the UK Please do tell any of our partners or advertisers that you have obtained their details from our site or magazine when you communicate with them!

Please also give us any feedback via the Contact Us section of the website.

JOIN US! American in Britain magazine and www.theamericanhour.com

@AIB magazine

We are now also blogging and our blog is available to view on www.theamericanhour.com/?blog= The American Hour Monthly Email Newsletter

The American Hour Monthly Email Newsletter is sent at the beginning of each month, and highlights forthcoming events, expatriate and women's clubs news and activities, competitions & offers, and other information and advice relevant to Americans living in the UK. To subscribe to our Email Newsletter please email: helen@theamericanhour.com

15

family law issues Going through a relationship breakdown is an emotional and difficult time for anyone, but when you find yourself having to do this whilst living in a country that is not your home, it can feel even more daunting.

As one of the world’s leading law firms, we work with international families and their children. We aim to help families achieve a good settlement in the complex minefield surrounding international law here and abroad.

There are many misconceptions and differences in international family law in England, here are a few of the most common: • England only ever applies English law.

Many countries apply the law of the country with which a couple may have the closest connection. There are many expats who have been most disconcerted when they have expected their own domestic law to be used • Marital agreements. England ignores marital agreements where there was no independent legal advice and disclosure. Many countries have a culture of marital agreements yet either with no legal advice or one joint lawyer. There is often considerable anger when it is discovered that a marital agreement will have little effect • Financial outcomes. In deciding financial outcomes on divorce, England presumes that each spouse has made an equal contribution to the marriage, albeit in different ways. They are treated equally. There is no need to prove equal contribution. This is very different. Some expats are from countries where there is no gender equality and the continued emphasis by English law and English lawyers on gender equality infuriates and can be hard to comprehend. Even with the many countries where there is gender equality, most still require an analysis of the respective contribution, giving more weight to financial contribution than being a homemaker and raising the children • Divorce proceedings have to be issued very fast. If the expat family has connections with another EU member state. EU law says that the country where the proceedings are lodged

•

•

•

•

•

16

first deals with matters, even if there is a lesser close connection. Financial outcomes around Europe differ dramatically. So speed is essential to secure the best financial outcome even though sadly this detracts from any attempts to reconcile, negotiate or mediate Extra-territorial effect. In exceptional circumstances, England and Wales will make orders which have effect abroad. So-called extra-territorial effect. However, it will make orders to prevent forced marriage, FGM and similar to take effect abroad for someone with English connections Foreign assets, real property, bank accounts and other resources held abroad.

The English courts regularly make orders, on divorce, in respect of foreign assets, real property, bank accounts and other resources held abroad. Courts in some countries will only make orders in respect of assets actually held in their country. Having a divorce in England might mean that financial orders are required in respect of assets held at home or abroad Financial disclosure. The courts in England and Wales have some of the most extensive financial disclosure powers around the world.

Assets held in foreign trusts, bank accounts or companies, or even in the name of somebody else on behalf of another, will be fully taken into account in coming to a fair outcome Children cannot be taken abroad without the permission of both parents. England is one of the most vigourous countries around the world in pursuing the return of abducted children, working closely with governments and lawyers in other countries Parliamentary statutes. Family law is not mostly found in Parliamentary statutes. Some is in EU law, at least until we leave the EU. Most law is found from judges decisions in reported cases. It is acknowledged this makes it more difficult to understand what the law is. It does however, mean there is much flexibility and discretion in individual cases and opportunity to change with the times.

cohabitation, are shared equally on divorce unless an unequal division is required for fairness reasons, which is almost always the needs of one spouse. Conversely, all non-marital assets are not shared at all unless, again, required for fairness reasons such as needs. Nonmarital assets are pre-relationship, inheritances, gifts and some postseparation assets. The exercise of fair division can only occur after comprehensive disclosure.

In practice many cases are resolved based on needs. These can be very generous especially if there was a high standard of living. England makes some very substantial orders, redistributing the assets held by the spouses. Even if one spouse has not worked throughout the marriage, he or she will still be entitled to half of the assets acquired by the other spouse who may have worked very long hours and travelled significantly.

Other Family Law issues for Expats Recognition of foreign marriages and divorces England and Wales has a very liberal policy and will recognise most marriages and divorces abroad. The primary exception is some talaqs granted abroad without reference to any registration system. We recognise polygamous marriages entered into abroad. England has same-sex marriage and civil partnerships and will invariably recognise those relationships entered into abroad. However, family law and immigration law can sometimes have different requirements. England has no system of registration of foreign marriages and divorces.

Divorce A divorce can be obtained even if the marriage took place abroad, even if one spouse is abroad, even if the assets are abroad, even if neither are English nationals, even if the breakdown occurred abroad, and even if there is a marital agreement saying it should occur abroad.

If there are divorce proceedings here and abroad then, apart from with EU countries, England will decide which country has the closest connection to the family. If it is the other country, England will stop its own proceedings, technically known as a stay, so they can go ahead in the other country.

Marital Agreements England will take marital agreements into account in dealing with the financial matters on divorce if both parties had a genuine opportunity to take separate and independent legal advice before entering into the agreement. This will invariably include financial disclosure. In these circumstances, England will treat such agreements as if binding. Nevertheless, it will still not prevent a needs-based claim, e.g. for maintenance, alimony or a property. The marital agreement will influence the sharing aspect of a claim on divorce.

In some European and other countries, the tradition is for either no legal advice or only one joint adviser. Of course the English courts will take such an agreement into account but it is far more likely that it will be given little or no weight. This invariably causes a shock.

But England has real anxieties that marital agreements may be unfair to one spouse, perhaps the more financially weaker spouse, who may not have fully understood the significance of the agreement they were entering into if there was no independent legal advice.

Financial Outcomes If there is an English divorce, then the English courts will deal with the financial aspects. This includes all assets of both spouses, wherever they may be in the world, and in whosever name they may be held. A settlement will only occur when the full financial picture is known. The disclosure process is often very extensive, can be highly intrusive, is expensive on legal costs and yet of fundamental importance to produce a fair outcome. Trying to avoid giving self-disclosure, hiding assets or misrepresenting finances is rarely successful. Most often it results in higher orders and costs penalties.

All of the assets acquired during a marriage relationship, including some premarital

Child Relocation A parent must have the permission of the other parent to take a child to live with them abroad.

This may be on relationship breakdown when one 17

parent may remain in this country. The criteria is the best interests of the child. This is invariably a very difficult and emotional situation. It will mean one parent will therefore have fairly limited contact with the child, even with the opportunity for travel to the country where the other parent is moving. Although English law used to favour the parent seeking to relocate abroad with a child, there has been a significant change in recent years.

It is now more balanced and child-focused. Good enquiries need to be made by the parent seeking to relocate about arrangements for the child in the other country with good proposals for the so-called left behind parent to have very good contact. Without this, permission to relocate may be very unlikely.

advice. Not all adoption orders made abroad are automatically recognised here. It is essential to double check whether a foreign adoption order will be recognised in this country and to work out well in advance the means by which recognition of the foreign adoption order or status as a parent can be achieved.

Surrogacy has some similarities with international adoption. There is separate procedure for arranging a surrogacy with a birth mother abroad. Again it is important to consider immigration law elements.

Children Abduction The primary warning for any expat family member is do not inadvertently abduct your own child. Without the consent of the other parent to move with a children to another country, there is a very real risk of being accused of child abduction. In the UK and many countries, parental children abduction is a criminal as well as civil offense. The UK is party to an international law, the 1980 Hague Convention, a very successful international treaty designed to remedy parental child abduction.

International cooperation attempts to secure the return of a child. Abduction is when a parent either wrongfully retains abroad or wrongfully removes abroad without the other’s agreement.

So keeping a child longer abroad on holiday can be an abduction. Going back home with a child after living here can be abduction. If a child may have been abducted, it is crucial to obtain fast and specialist legal advice.

The International Family Law Group LLP is a specialist practice based in Covent Garden, created in 2007 specifically to look after the interests of international families and their children. It is one of the world’s leading international firms in this area. It combines solicitors, mediators, arbitrators and foreign qualified lawyers. It works closely with specialist lawyers around the world along with UK specialist immigration lawyers and other areas of law. It receives instructions from many UK law firms. It works with the UK government in child abduction matters. It has a range of lawyers with different charging rates. For more information on our services please go to www.iflg.uk.com or contact David Hodson at david.hodson@iflg.uk.com or +44 20 3178 5668.

David Hodson OBE is co-founder of iFLG and acclaimed as a world leading specialist and received the OBE for services to international family law.

Adoption And Surrogacy Adoption is a wonderful means of offering a home to child who, for whatever reason, is unable to be raised by their birth parents.

Adoption is not to be entered into lightly as it creates a lifelong relationship with a child.

The adoption of a child from another country is complex and involves family law, immigration and criminal law considerations. Always take preliminary immigration and family law

The contents of this article are for reference purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. Legal advice should always be sought for your specific circumstance.

18

19

Healthcare in the UK Healthcare in the United Kingdom is provided free at the point of delivery to all UK residents by the National Health Service (NHS) but also to some expats whose countries have reciprocal arrangements with the UK such as Australia, New Zealand and members of the EU. However, even those who are not able to benefit from these arrangements are entitled to free emergency treatment at all NHS hospitals within the Accident and Emergency Department, although they may then be liable for any charges for in-patient treatment.

Expats coming to work in the UK may be able to access the NHS as following their registration for a National Insurance Number, which involves an interview and completion of the necessary paperwork, they may be assigned an NHS number. Once this has been received it is then possible to apply at a local General Practitioner (GP) Surgery to be attached to a Doctor who will look after their primary care needs including prescribing medicine.

This is usually ok for the “worker” but may leave their spouse and family without provision.

The expat worker within a larger organisation, especially in London, and particularly the larger law firms, accountants and banks, is also likely to be looked after by their employer with access to primary care either on site or at a local private GP practice.

This is done to assist the employee with rapid access to a doctor as it can sometimes be difficult to get a timely appointment within the NHS. A patient requiring a specialist referral from their GP either to a Consultant or for investigations within the NHS, will have no control over who they will see, or the timing of their appointments, as these will be allocated by the hospital.

This leads us on to the provision of private healthcare to assist those patients who are unable to access the NHS other than for emergency treatment.

There are some GP’s who run their practices outside of the NHS and charge on either a subscription or per consultation basis. These can be researched either through expat networks or the fount of all knowledge “google” for recommendations. Most

expat families will have private medical cover as part of their package to compensate for not being able to access the NHS but it is unlikely that GP visits are covered.

It is possible for a patient to refer themselves to a Consultant or Specialist without being referred by a GP, although a GP referral is normally a prerequisite to use medical insurance. The British Medical Association (BMA) also advises that in most cases it is best practice to ensure it is an appropriate referral.

When seeking a GP referral to a specialist the desire is normally to see the “best of the best” for the patient’s condition. These days it is also necessary to consider the financial implications of the referral, as doctors and hospitals may have differing price lists and the cover on the policy may have capped limits or be restricted to certain hospital/clinics.

The terms/restriction would normally be explained to the patient by the insurance company when they are contacted to authorise the referral, but it would be prudent of the patient to contact the Consultant who they have been recommended to and ascertain: • Consultation fees • Charges for routine investigations • Level of surgical fees if surgery likely to be involved and where they operate.

This information is also of importance to those patients without medical insurance who will be paying for their own treatment.

Consultant searches, biogs and feedback are now widely available through Consultant own websites or other private healthcare portals.

The patient might also need to consider if a Consultant is affiliated only to one hospital group or has the ability to refer for investigations across a wider network.

Armed with information it should make the conversation with the insurers easier, and also ensure that there are no financial surprises once treatment is underway.

For further information on the NHS please visit www.nhs.uk 20

FREE ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION TO

MAGAZINE American in Britain is a quarterly, glossy, A4 magazine for American expatriates living in the UK Regular features include: Tax Issues, Theatre, Eating Out, Arts & Antiques, Days Out, Travel, Hotel Reviews, American Women’s Clubs News, Sports, Top Ten Tips, Education, Property, Health and US Embassy News To apply for a free annual subscription, please email helen@theamericanhour.com with your name and the UK address you would like the magazine sent to, and put AMERICAN IN BRITAIN FREE SUBSCRIPTION in the subject line of the email Please visit our sister website www.theamericanhour.com for information on living in, and moving to, the UK If you would like to receive our Monthly Email Newsletter, please email helen@theamericanhour.com, and indicate your nationality to ensure you are included in the correct database WINTER 2016

/2017

SPRING 2017

Serving the

American

Community

Serving the

in the UK

: S INCLUDE agement E’S FEATURE s THIS ISSU Wealth Man Clubs New g Out t Women’s t Eatin t American Review Tax Issues t Theatre t Hotel Family Take Five er’s Lives With The ques t t t Read Days Out Arts & Anti t US Spor ts Travel t t UK Spor Corner Embassy

AUTUMN

Serving the American Community in the UK

THIS ISSUE’S FEATURES INCLUDE: Tax Issues t Eating Out t Wealth Management Days Out With The Family t Theatre t American Women’s Clubs News Travel t Arts & Antiques t Hotel Review t A Letter From Scotland Living in Kensington & Chelsea t Embassy Corner t Reader’s Lives

American

Community

in the UK

THIS ISSU E’S FEATURE Tax Issues S INCLUDE t Eatin Education : g Out t t Thea tre t Ame Wealth Management Travel t rican Wom Arts & Anti en’s Club ques t Embassy s News Take Five Corner t t Hote UK Sports l Review t Read er’s Lives

2016

Private health insurance designed for expats If you’ve recently moved to the UK you may still be organising your new home, opening bank accounts or settling your children into their new school, but don’t forget to think about how you are going to look after your health. With so much to do, it’s easy to become run down or stressed out. In the UK there are several healthcare options available, but expatriate health insurance is tailored to suit the needs of globally minded people like you who want the extra reassurance that their health is covered.

health plans have teams available for their members day or night, so wherever you are and whatever time it is, you can receive the support you need. An expatriate plan offers the additional benefits of multi-lingual customer service advisers as well as help with translations if you need them, and access to support from trained medical professionals on a telephone helpline.

The Option Of A Second Medical Opinion Healthcare in the UK may be different to what you were familiar with at home and it can sometimes be difficult to trust a new doctor or specialist with something as important as your health. So if you’re not sure about a diagnosis or treatment plan you can have an independent second opinion. Leading medical experts from around the world can review your case and be there to answer any questions you have – no matter how long it takes.

Here are just 5 good reasons to take out expatriate health insurance: Fast Access To Appointments And Treatment The National Health Service (NHS) is under pressure to meet the UK’s healthcare demands.

So, it’s reassuring to know that with expatriate health insurance you can avoid NHS waiting lists and go straight to a private doctor or clinic. With plans that cover everything from health checks and dentist appointments to chronic conditions and serious illnesses, you can find a plan to suit your needs.

Confidence You’re Covered For The Everyday Costs Expatriate health insurance is not just for emergencies or hospital treatment, it can also cover you for benefits you can use day to day.

You can choose to be covered for private doctor or dentist appointments, private maternity care, an annual health check and much more. Plus you’ll also get access to the latest drugs and treatments not routinely available on the NHS.

You Can Choose Where You Want Treatment When illness strikes, sometimes all you want is the familiarity of home and with an expatriate health plan, you have that option. Your cover could allow you to have treatment in any country around the world, so whether you want treatment in the UK, to visit a specialist in France or you’d prefer to go home to see a family doctor, your treatment will be covered.

Plus if you travel for business and spend time outside the UK, your health will be covered on business trips too.

You can benefit from all these features right away and get cover from AXA, the world’s largest insurer. Even if you have existing medical insurance, our advisers can set up your cover in a single phone call. Call AXA PPP International on 01892 707962 to find out more about what is and isn’t covered.

Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm (UK time). Calls may be recorded and/or monitored for quality assurance, training and as a record of the conversation.

Global Support, Day Or Night Everyone’s lives are busy and sometimes 9am5pm just isn’t enough. That’s why expatriate 23

Pet Transportation 2. Rabies vaccinate the pet with an approved vaccine after microchipping, recording the microchip number on the Rabies vaccination certificate 3. Wait at least 21 days before entry 4. Visit an accredited veterinarian within 10 days of flight departure who will issue the international health certificate 5. Dogs must be treated for internal parasites within 24-120 hours before flight departure.

External parasite treatment is not required for dogs, cats or ferrets.

Professional pet shippers know which airline to use for pet air cargo flights worldwide. They are familiar with each airline’s conditions for accepting pets, seasonal weather restrictions, and they stay current on the ever-changing pet import rules around the globe. While moving a pet internationally is not low cost, it is high benefit. Using an expert pet shipper reduces expensive delays and unplanned quarantines. Many countries have very detailed regulations, which can take six months.

You don’t want to find yourself in a situation like actor Johnny Depp. His illegally imported Yorkies were threatened with extermination unless they left Australia. In addition to the normal UK protocol, we’re recommending dogs receive a flu vaccine before travelling because the canine flu is rampant right now.

When contacting a pet mover, ask if they have a streamlined health certificate programme, which makes it simple for local veterinarians to certify their relocating patients. Ask if they offer a VIP door-to-door service and other service levels that meet your family's relocation budgets.

Professional pet shippers which meet strict eligibility requirements are listed on the International Pet & Animal Transportation Association website, www.IPATA.org.

Moving to a new home can be both exciting and daunting. Moving turns daily routines upside down and backwards. Pet owners face additional challenges relocating to a new home. That is particularly true if a pet will make the move on a commercial flight. Professional pet movers can take the stress out of such a move for you and your pet. Pet shipping or animal transportation companies manage your pet's move from point of origin to final destination or provide just specific services for your pets.

Selecting the right animal transportation company can be a little confusing if you are a first-time client. Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you have trouble getting answers or are apprehensive about the answers you receive, contact another provider.

A reputable pet shipper should be patient with you as you ask about their company and experience.

With proper research and careful selection of a reputable and experienced pet mover, you can help ensure that your pet arrives safely and comfortably into your family's new home.

Moving to The United Kingdom No quarantine for pets entering the United Kingdom. Sounds fantastic! Yet there are lots of details to attend to before Fido, the kitty, or the ferret may fly to the United Kingdom.

The rules for pets entering the UK changed in 2012. Pets must fly as manifested air cargo under the DEFRA regulations. They cannot fly in the cabin. Most professional pet shippers use five basic steps with UK-bound families: 1. Microchip the pet for identification purposes

For US Citizens: Pet relocation costs for US citizens moving for work may be eligible for an income tax deduction. For details, see IRS Publication #521–Moving Expenses.

Key Considerations Ask All the Questions You Wish 25

the varied cultural customs and differences of each foreign country? Probe to determine if the relocation specialists who will assist you and your animal regularly manage moves to dedicated geographic regions. Do the relocation specialists manage moves all around the world making relationship building an integral part of their employment?

4 BACKGROUND: Request a summary of the principals' credentials.

Are they licensed veterinarians or business professionals? A veterinarian will be able to better advise you on medical requirements and techniques to prepare your pet for the move, and can render medical services if required. Ask if they and their staff own pets. You'll want to work with people who understand how important your pet is to you.

1 LONGEVITY: Your first consideration should be how long the company has been in business. The complexities of the industry tend to weed out less competent providers within the first few years, so choose a well-established firm. Ask if the current owner has been involved since the inception or is new to the company. Experience can make a difference, particularly in an international move.

5 PROFESSIONALISM: A mark of a reputable animal mover is involved in professional associations. Look for affiliates of the IPATA, ATA and IATA as a baseline.

These organisations keep members current on regulation changes, research developments, new trends and products, in addition to providing a forum for sharing best industry practices.

2 EXPERIENCE & SERVICES: Make sure the company you consider has the kind of experience and services you need. Ask how many animals the company moves each year and whether their credentials match your needs. Are you moving a cat, dog, horse or exotic pet domestically or internationally? Ask about experience with the specific destination or origin country. Ask how they streamline the documentation and health certificates that may be needed.

6 REFERENCES & REFERRALS: Ask for references and check them. If you know other pet owners, ask them for referrals to animal movers they've used. And don't overlook the value of the Internet for researching pet moving service testimonials from satisfied customers.

3 RELATIONSHIPS: Does the company have relationships with just a few or all of the major airlines? What about their understanding of the international marketplace and

7 PRICE: Using a professional animal transportation service is not a less expensive alternative to arranging the move yourself. Professional animal movers draw on their experience and relationships with airlines and overseas service partners to make pet moves go smoothly. Such expertise comes with a price.

Ask for an all-inclusive written estimate in advance of the move. The estimate should be customised to your pet's itinerary and delineate the specific services you and your pet will receive. It should also spell out what you are expected to provide and when.

Information courtesy of Dr. Walter Woolf, Air Animal Inc. 26

SCHOOLING IN THE UK of residency within the LEA, which presents a challenge for expats who understandably prefer not to commit to a property until they know where their child is going to school. The LEA has an obligation to provide a school place for qualifying residents, but it may not necessarily be at the school that is closest to the child’s home. Once the places are allocated, there are means for appealing the decision - procedures are also published on the LEA websites. For families arriving out of the registration season, they obviously can apply for places, but allocation will depend on where the vacancies exist.

Free Schools are a relatively new concept in England introduced by the government in 2011 to allow for more parental freedom of choice.

These are state-funded schools that have opted out of Local Authority Control, but rather are governed by non-profit charitable trusts, and they are academically non-selective up to the age of 15, after that they may set criteria for admission. These may be managed by parents, teachers, charities or businesses. Although they are subject to the same inspections as other state and independent schools, the jury is still out as to the quality of these schools, which, according to press reports, can very significantly. Despite that, many of the free schools are also oversubscribed.

Faith Schools are long established with Church of England, Roman Catholic, Jewish affiliation, and Muslim ties. These schools are state schools but with an emphasis on creed of the faith in question, and although admission may give priority to family’s proven affiliation to that faith (for example proof of baptism), there is increasing pressure for these schools to become more inclusive of all.

Academies are another relatively new model of state-funded schools, again, independent of the local education authority. Introduced by the Government in 2000, these may be established by companies, charitable trusts, or philanthropists, and may have an emphasis on special areas such as Science and Maths, Technology, Business and Enterprise, the Arts, International Baccalaureate, etc. They manage their own admissions using their

While there are a variety of educational options available in the UK, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution for the children of expatriate professionals on assignment here. This section of the guide will describe these options and highlight some of the matters that should be considered by parents, relocation, or HR professionals working with these families.

VISAS AND RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS Schools are required to verify that children have the right to (free) state education, and so showing the appropriate passports and visas are a pre-requisite for admission to any state school. This now also applies to independent schools, where some have registered with the UK Border Agency to be ‘sponsors’ which means that they are able to support visa applications.

Some schools may also need to see copies of the parents’ visa status. Currently any EU passport holders are eligible to live and attend school in the UK, but changes may occur as the Brexit negotiations evolve. If your employer is bringing you to the UK to work, they will most likely manage the visa application process for your dependent children. If you are coming to the UK as a business investor, you may need to have the support of the school to secure a visa for your child.

ENGLISH STATE SCHOOLS Compulsory education serves children aged 4-16, with an additional two years ending at age 18.

Children must be in school during the year they turn 5, until they complete their education at 16. In England and Wales, state (publicly-funded) schools are organised by local education authorities (LEAs).

In many authorities, particularly in greater London, many ‘good’ state schools are over-subscribed.

Each spring, LEAs publicise on their websites the timeline and deadlines for applications and allocation of places. Because of the popularity of some schools, most families who meet the criteria to be eligible to apply, tend to apply for places in more than one school, indicating the desired schools in order of preference on their application.

One of the criteria is that a family must show proof 27

but which some believe are more rigorous than the regular GCSEs, while others suggest they are better preparation for A-Levels (or the International Baccalaureate Diploma) which lead to university entry • Schools that feature instruction in many mother tongue languages as part of the academic programme • Schools that pro-actively aim to help prepare students for moving on to another country (and not just the UK) for continued schooling or for university entry.

In short, any school can describe itself as ‘international’ and it is up to the discerning parent to decipher what that means in each case!

own admissions criteria that must be transparent.

Academies are coeducational, and some have the entire range from 4-18, which is relatively unusual in the UK, but may be of interest to expatriate families seeking one school for all their children.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS The UK, and greater London in particular, has a good number of ‘international schools’. There is no agreed definition of what exactly makes a school ‘international’; and some of the following comments may characterise these schools: • Schools that seek to attract and recruit international families to create an internationally-diverse student community, regardless of the curriculum they offer • Schools that offer more internationallystyled curricula such as the International Baccalaureate programmes, the International Primary Curriculum and International Middle Years Curriculum. Some schools offering the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (for students at age 16), which was originally intended for British schools abroad,

FOREIGN NATIONAL SCHOOLS & BILINGUAL SCHOOL In greater London there are schools that follow the national curriculum of other countries, most likely taught in that language, although some are aiming to be bilingual. Most of these schools, though not all, have some official affiliation with, and recognition from, the country of origin. These

28

include French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Russian, American, and possibly others. These schools will either ensure that at the very least the students masters and maintains fluency in the language of the country, others will ensure official alignment to the home country educational programme to facilitate the transfer between the UK-based school and the home country school system.

Also emerging are schools that describe themselves as ‘bilingual’ schools. Although these schools may not deliver the curriculum of the country/ies associated with the language, they do aim to develop complete fluency in English and the language in question. There are now bilingual schools offering English and French, Danish and Mandarin, Arabic and Italian (mentioned earlier) found in the UK, predominantly in the London area. There are no standards as to what qualifies a school as ‘bilingual’, but most language experts would suggest that in an English-speaking country such as the UK, at least 50% of the school day should be in the other language for balanced bilingualism to be developed in a child.

CURRICULUM The National Curriculum for England is divided into the following compulsory stages, each with subject content, skills and learning objectives taught, and assessment criteria set out by the national government. There are assessment tests at the end of each key stage to measure individual student progress, and with results from schools reported in ‘league tables’ that are published in the press.

PRIMARY SCHOOL Key Stage 1 – ages 5-7 (Years 1 and 2) Key Stage 2 – ages 7-11 (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6) The Eleven Plus exams are administered by some schools at the end of primary school, and are used for admission purposes to some independent schools, but also to Grammar Schools.

Grammar Schools are state schools that still exist in some local education authorities and are particularly popular in counties such as Kent and Buckinghamshire. Consequently, these schools are often over-subscribed.

29

lead to university admission and improved employment. Four (more in some schools) subjects are taken in the first year, then 3 continued into the second. As expat professionals tend to be well educated themselves and highly aspirational with expectations that their children will be prepared for university, it is almost unheard of for the children of expats to finish their schooling at 16 at the end of GCSEs. NVQ (National Vocation Qualifications*), B-TEC (work or industry-related qualifications).

SECONDARY SCHOOL Key Stage 3 – ages 11-14 (Years 7, 8 and 9) Key Stage 4 – ages 14 – 16 (Years 10 and 11) also known as 5th form when the two-year GSCE examinations take place. The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is taken in a range of subjects and each subject ends with its own national examination on a prescribed day. The average number of GCSEs taken is 10, according to press reports, although in some ‘hot house’ schools, students may sit as many as 15. The GCSE is regarded as an official school-leaving qualification that can lead to vocational training or basic employment.

BRITISH INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS The British private school sector is popular and, like many state schools, often over-subscribed making entry highly competitive. These are fee-paying schools and admission is normally selective. These schools are not required to adhere to the National Curriculum and may offer programmes that are aimed at preparing children for the next stage of schooling, which is typically accessed through entrance examinations set by the individual schools or groups of schools. The challenge for expatriate families is that their children may not have been

NON-COMPULSORY SCHOOLING Pre-5 EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) ages infancy – 5 years (starting with childcare, nurseries, pre-schools, etc., to Reception).

Post 16 AS and A-Levels – (Years 12-13) also known as 6th form when one/two year AS and A-Level examinations take place. These qualifications

30

As the name indicates, these schools prepare students for the next stage of education in independent senior ‘public’ schools, many of which will be boarding schools. Most preparatory schools culminate in exam preparation for the ‘Common Entrance’ Exams which secondary independent or ‘public’ schools require for admission. These schools are more often than not single-sex schools.

prepared to sit these examinations which can make the process stressful.

Just to complicate matters, the term ‘public school’ is used to describe a group of some of the more prestigious, long established independent schools in Britain (examples include Eton, Winchester, Harrow, Westminster, Winchester, and others). Expats are urged not to confuse ‘public schools’ (private) with ‘state schools’ (state-funded).

Many of these schools tend to be single-sex schools, and few are ‘through schools’ serving 3-18 year olds. They will include the following:

SENIOR SCHOOLS Age 11 (girls) or 13 (boys) to 19 These schools are often prestigious schools, many with historic legacies that make them highly sought after and competitive. Many of these schools are single-sex, though there are a few coeducational schools of very high standing. Though many students join the school at the entry age of 11 or 13 where they are prepared for the GCSE Exams at age 16, some schools have another intake at age 16 in anticipation of the final two years of the programme (sixth form) when students begin the A-Level or IB Diploma curricula.

Admission to these schools is by examination; for entry into the final two years (sixth form)

NURSERY SCHOOLS Ages 2-4, normally co-educational PRE-PREPARATORY SCHOOLS Ages 2 (or 3) to 7 Because these schools are often part of established preparatory Schools (see below), admission to these schools can be highly competitive.

PREPARATORY SCHOOLS Ages 7 (sometimes 8) to 11 (girls) or 13 (boys)

31

complete 150 hours of creative, action and service, and write a 4000-word research essay.

The IB leads to university entry worldwide. It is roughly equivalent to English A-Levels, though it is acknowledged to be more work. The IB Diploma has grown in stature in the UK and its IB graduates are increasingly sought after by UK universities. As much of the assessment of the IB Diploma is externally-marked by examiners worldwide, it has remained free of grade inflation that some suggest has affected A-Level examinations. It also offers flexibility to enable schools to draw on a local national perspective alongside an international perspective so that students may learn about the countries they live in, while at the same time considering their home nationality or culture of heritage.

Following the popularity of the IB Diploma, in the 1990s the IB developed the IB Primary Years Programme for children aged 3-11 (or 12), and shortly thereafter, the IB Middle Years Programme for students aged 11-16, which also leads to the IBMYP Certificate. The IBYP and IBMYP reflect many of the same attributes and characteristics as the original Diploma.

They are inquiry-based, aimed at students with a variety of previous learning experiences, are cross-curricular so that students can see the connections of knowledge and subjects (simple examples of this are, how history may influence art; how technology may influence developments in science). Students are assessed by a variety of methods (not just traditional examination), and although the IB programmes are moderated by the IB organisation, all of the assessment is internal, although external assessment and ‘eAssessments’ now feature at the end of the IBMYP. The programmes highlight the importance of language learning, including mother tongue, and the opportunity for students to consider how the skills and knowledge they are gaining applies to their home countries and cultures. In more recent years, the IB has introduced the new IB Careers Programme, a more experiential, hands-on practical programme offered as an alternative to the IB Diploma.

All of the IB Diploma programmes are re-underpinned by the IB Learner Profiles; characteristics and attributes that are regarded as

the student’s GCSE results are likely to be what determines admission.

INTERNATIONAL CURRICULA The International Baccalaureate Curricula Dating back to the 1960s, the International Baccalaureate programme was originally a twoyear diploma programme offered in the final two years of secondary school to serve the needs of families moving internationally. The IB is managed by a non-profit foundation based in Switzerland that has long had consultative status with UNESCO. Designed by a team of educationalists representing universities and ministries of education from different countries, it offers academic rigour and depth, but also breadth in that students choose a minimum of courses from six areas including two languages (first language and a second language), maths, science, humanities, and a sixth option. Three are taken at a higher level (hence, the ‘depth’), and three at standard level. In addition, all students must take the Theory of Knowledge (a popular course exploring the basis of knowledge),

32

essential to the ‘holistic’ education and to developing 21st century skills that lead to global citizenship.

The IB models are the same all over the world, offering a degree of educational continuity to families who move globally.

state schools. IMYC for students aged 11-14 is aligned to Keystage 3 and builds in the IPC. If the success of the IPC is anything to go by, it is likely that the IMYC will be found in more and more British state and independent schools.

The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) and the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) These two programmes designed by British-based Fieldwork Education are growing in popularity as an alternative to the International Baccalaureate.

The IPC for children aged 3-10 uses a thematic approach with specific learning goals for every area of the curriculum, with an emphasis on developing international-mindedness. The curriculum has been designed with three guiding questions in mind: What kind of world will our children live and work in?; What kinds of children are likely to succeed in the world?; and, What kinds of learning will our children need and how should they learn it? The IPC is available worldwide and in an increasing number of UK

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A SCHOOL FOR AN EXPAT CHILD • When choosing between local English (state or independent) schools, consider how your child may adapt to a different system; how well he or she will fit. Think about how long you will be living in the UK, where your next assignment may be, and how compatible the English school system will be when your child has to face that next transition • Particularly for teens, think about likely goals for university and how well the schools you are considering will prepare your child for higher education, and how much the school will help you navigate the university admissions process to the university/ies of your choice

33

• If English is not your home language, how will the school manage this? Is there a programme available to support your child’s English language development, and if so at what cost?

Or, will you need to arrange private tutoring?

• Also, if English is not your home language, consider how you will ensure that your child continues to develop literacy and academic proficiency in his or her mother tongue, particularly if he or she is likely to return to your home country for study or work. If the schools you are considering will not support it, think about how you will manage this independently through a Saturday school or private tutors • Speak to colleagues to get a sense as to just how many school applications you should submit. These incur costs, but if the schools are known for waiting lists, you may need to apply to several. If you have more than one child, ask about the chances of all the children being accepted, or sibling admissions policies • Avoid making any commitments about housing until you know your school options.

If you have a ‘look-see’ trip to plan your

relocation, be sure to include the schools early on. No point looking at houses in areas that are impractical for the schools • Carefully consider the implications of applying to separate schools for your children, for example, single sex schools for sons and daughters, or primary and secondary schools. Consider school hours (and pick up or bus schedules) and pay attention to school holiday schedules • Read the admissions requirements carefully and submit all the documents required. Some schools require several components to the application and will not begin to process until all are submitted. Check to ensure your child’s current school has completed references, sent reports, etc., as the new school may not accept copies you provide and may not process the application until it is complete. Don’t ‘hide’ anything about your child’s academic or learning history. If the prospective school suspects something, this may delay the process • If testing is involved and you are applying from abroad, ask whether your child can be

34

tested in the familiar environment of the place you now live. This may require the assistance of the present school, an Embassy, the British Council, or bonafide educational consultant. If an interview with your child is required, think about how and when you will be able to do that. Think about how your child will present at an interview, particularly if travelling a long distance to do this. Many international schools accustomed to expatriate families who are relocating will not require interviews • Have a back-up plan. You may not need to apply for more than one school at first, but if that does not work for whatever reason, be prepared. This is particularly important if those schools require documents from your present school; too often applications are delayed because key staff are on holiday and reports and references are not sent • Be aware of the financial requirements to confirm acceptance of a place. Having secured an offer, you do not want to risk losing it because of the financial procedures or complications arising from international bank transfers. If payment of school fees are part of your compensation package, be sure you know who to contact for payment so that the payments are not delayed putting your child’s place in jeopardy. It is also important that you understand the notice period required to withdraw to ensure you do not have to pay the next term’s school fees. (Typically independent schools require one term’s written notice) • Depending on your family’s circumstances it may be helpful to consider what level of support the school may have in place to help your family with the transition. Some schools now arrange ‘buddy families’ with children of the same ages/ language/cultural group. Even if these people do not become your best friends, it’s good to have at least one point of contact from the school community when you arrive. Be sure to note any orientation events or back to school nights and get those in your diary. Some families thinking that an Orientation event falling before the official first day of school is not all that essential, a decision they later regret • If the whole business seems too complicated, consider engaging a qualified educational consultant to help.

INSPECTIONS AND ACCREDITATION A brief word about quality assurance. All UK schools are required to undergo inspections, either through OFSTED (the Office for Standards in Education) or alternatively, in the case of many independent schools, through the Independent School Inspectorate (ISI). There are one or two other smaller organisations who also do these inspections. Schools are required to have the most recent inspection report available on their school’s website, but if you cannot find it buried under the downloadable bus maps (some schools don’t make it easy to find!) then you can google OFSTED or ISI and locate school inspection reports on their websites.

Most international schools also opt for one of the international accreditations through Council of International Schools (CIS); New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) – the US-based body that also accredits US public and independent schools, and universities such as Harvard and Yale in New England; and Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA) – also US-based. These reports are not required to be posted on the school’s website, but accreditation status means the school has had a thorough inspection of the academic programme (teaching and learning) as well as all operational aspects (governance, budget, employment procedures, facilities).

Foreign national schools may also have national recognition and approval from their home systems – i.e. the French homologue schools. Parents from those systems should ask about the status of the school.

Special Educational Needs Parents of students who have suspected or diagnosed special educational needs may have to probe a bit more to find an appropriate schooling solution. Children who are entitled to state education may also be eligible to have a Statement of Special Educational Needs. This is a time-consuming process entailing assessments by educational psychologists liaising with local educational authorities that are likely to result in a statutory requirement for the LEA to provide specialist support (including therapists) 35

obligation to work closely with the Social Services and the Safeguarding Leads of local authorities in this respect. This means the circumstances relating to child abuse or neglect must be reported to the local authorities….and so parents may want to better understand how ‘abuse’ is defined in Britain. Things such as unexpected absence from school, poor hygiene, being left alone for a night without an adult, excessive ‘intimidation’ or bullying by a family member may all lead the school authorities to have concerns which they are obliged to report.

This is a culturally-charged issue but expatriate families need to understand that they are not exempt from these requirements.

This article was written by Mary Langford.

Mary is an independent education consultant with over 35 years’ experience working in the area of international education. She founded Langford International Education Consultancy Ltd so she could share her expertise on a cost-effective project basis with international schools and families in order to improve and enhance the experience of global mobility and transition for children.

She manages the International Language and Literature Teachers’ Cooperative - a group of experienced teachers who support IB students worldwide doing School-Supported SelfTaught mother tongue studies in 30 different languages. Mary is also an international education specialist consultant with the Good Schools Guide. She is currently Director of Admissions at Dwight London School, an IB World School.

Email Mary at mary@langfordiec.com or visit www.langfordiec.com

within the school. The first point of contact for this process is the LEA. There are a few independent schools that specialise in serving students with specific special educational needs, but places are sometimes difficult to secure and early planning is highly recommended. Some international schools offer learning support for students with special educational needs, but this may be limited and only suitable for children with mild learning challenges. Such schools will want to see a copy of the student’s Educational Learning Plan and/or Educational Psychologists’ reports, and may wish to do their own assessment as part of the admissions process. In these circumstances, parents are encouraged to be open and prepared to offer as much information as the schools require.

Home Schooling Home Schooling is allowed in the UK and this is another option for families who prefer this model. It is advisable to check the local authority websites for local insights and to ensure you are complying with local requirements. There are also a few global online homeschooling programmes available. Parents considering this should ensure that they are suitably accredited and approved.

A Note About Safeguarding British requirements surrounding the safeguarding of children have become much tighter in recent years. Schools have a legal 36

Www.Expatsguidetotheuk.Com This brand new website, where you can also view The 2017 Expatriate’s Guide to Living in the UK online, supports expatriates who have moved to the UK from anywhere in the world, by providing key information about living in the UK. Living and working in the UK can provide a fantastic opportunity to any individual expatriate and their family. The UK offers a diverse range of cultures and if you have relocated for business, family or lifestyle reasons, this website will prove to be an invaluable resource.

The site currently contains over ten Useful Advice pages covering: Banking & Wealth • Clothing Conversion • Driving & Transport Dual Career • Embassies & High Commissions • Expatriate Clubs Healthcare & Hospitals • Health Insurance • Legal Issues • Pet Transportation Schooling in the UK • Serviced Apartments • Taxation These pages contain detailed information on these subjects, with valuable advice, information and links to our partners.

PLEASE SHARE THIS WEBSITE WITH ANY FRIENDS, FAMILY OR COLLEAGUES WHO ARE RELOCATING TO THE UK!

13th Annu

The 2017 Ex Guide to L patriate's iving in th e UK

al Edition

www.exp

atsguidet

A product

of

otheuk.co

m

Supportin g Internati onal HR Prof essionals Worldwide

VISIT WWW.EXPATSGUIDETOTHEUK.COM TODAY!

38

‘Live like a local’ by staying in a serviced apartment when you relocate to the UK sleep, work and eat so it offers a more complete ‘home-from-home’ experience where you can properly relax and enjoy more privacy, and start adapting to your new way of life straightaway. A key benefit is the extra space offered – you can expect up to 30% more space than a comparable standard of hotel room’.

Serviced apartments are also a cost-effective option offering excellent value for money – there are no expensive ‘extras’ to consider such as hotel minibars, restaurants and room service. Guests appreciate the flexibility to prepare their own meals and not be restricted by hotel restaurant opening times. Many operators provide a generous ‘welcome pack’ of groceries to ensure guests have sufficient food for the first 24 hours of their stay.

Families relocating particularly appreciate the more spacious living environment which serviced apartments offer. Children especially, benefit from having enough room to have more of their personal possessions around them, so important when settling in to a new country. Staying in a

More and more people relocating to the UK are choosing to live in a serviced apartment, having discovered the many benefits they offer.

These are exciting times for the sector. 2017 is set to be a year of record expansion in the UK with over 2,600 new serviced apartments set to open this year. Key growth hotspots include Manchester, Edinburgh and London and the rapid growth of the sector over the last few years means the option to stay in a serviced apartment is now a reality in every major city right across the UK. Key Benefits of Using Serviced Apartments But what is it that makes the serviced apartment so appealing?

James Foice, Chief Executive of the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers (ASAP), the notfor-profit trade body for the sector, explains: ‘A serviced apartment is the ideal solution for those relocating to the UK. It provides a fully furnished self-contained flat including a fully equipped kitchen with separate areas to

39

And increasingly you’ll find the very latest in-room technology offering high-tech in-house entertainment as well as cutting-edge facilities such as keyless entry systems, complementary smartphones for guests and tablet-controlled rooms.

Serviced apartments can be booked for one night, one week, or several months with the cost generally decreasing, the longer the stay (for stays of 28+ days the VAT element reduces). A further advantage is that even for longer stays, there are no separate utility bills to worry about, since all these costs will be included in the overall price.

Apartments are normally in prime city locations, conveniently close to the place of work which delivers a further advantage – clients may be living only a very short walk away from their office, meaning minimal time is spent commuting.

Make sure you book with an ASAP Quality Accredited Operator or Agent James Foice, ASAP Chief Executive, confirms the importance of booking with an ASAP Quality Accredited Operator or Agent: ‘The key thing that the guest wants is to know that the serviced apartment they are booking for their relocation has been fully assessed by a professional independent body and the reassurance that the operator or agent they have booked with fully complies with all the core legal, health and safety requirements. All ASAP operators and agents displaying the ASAP ‘Quality Accredited’ marque have successfully completed this rigorous quality accreditation process. The guest can then book and stay with confidence and feel safe in their new home’.

Visit www.theasap.org.uk for further information about the ASAP Quality Accreditation Marque and full details of the 175 serviced apartment operator and agent members of the ASAP. And you can find out more about the many benefits of staying in a serviced apartment (including a short video): http://theasap.org. uk/non-members-consumers/about-servicedapartments/what-is-a-serviced-apartment/

2- or 3-bedroom apartment means children can have their own bedrooms; in smaller apartments extra beds for children can be easily arranged.

The fully equipped kitchen is a key feature. It will normally include a cooker/microwave, fridgefreezer and dishwasher, as well as an extensive range of crockery, cutlery, glassware and kitchen utensils. And while most serviced apartments offer a laundry service, families enjoy the convenience of having a washer/dryer provided within their serviced apartment which also saves them money. Bed linen, towels and toiletries will also be supplied. A weekly housekeeping service will be included, but a more frequent service can easily be arranged.

There is a wide product choice – ranging from studios to 4-bedroom apartments and penthouse suites; top of the range developments may even offer roof terraces or access to a swimming pool or gym. In this dynamic young industry the vast majority of developments are modern so you can expect contemporary, stylish interiors complete with mood lighting. High-speed Wi-Fi comes as standard in most serviced apartments.

40

TAX Historically, individuals have been considered deemed domiciled in the UK if they have been UK resident in 17 of the previous 20 years.

Introduction The editorial in this publication last year discussed proposed changes to the UK taxation of individuals who are not domiciled in the UK taking effect from 6 April 2017. Since that editorial was written, HMRC have gone through a consultation on the provisions and released draft legislation.

As the changes are now almost upon us, it seems a good time to revisit some of the changes.

Key Points of the New Provisions 1. Deemed Domicile From 6 April 2017, we will now have two different definitions of deemed domicile for UK tax purposes.

The first of these is a modification of the existing rules, and will be of interest to expats in the UK if they plan to be UK resident in the medium to long-term. The new test shortens the required period of UK residence from seventeen out of twenty years to fifteen out of twenty years.

The second test is targeted at individuals originating from the UK, but who have emigrated and subsequently returned. This test states that a person will be deemed domiciled in the UK if the person was born in the UK, has a domicile of origin in the UK, and is resident in the UK. Most important perhaps is that the scope of the deemed domicile rules has been expanded.

Whereas it previously only applied to inheritance tax, it will, from April 2017, also impact income tax and capital gains tax.

This broadening of the scope of deemed domicile will have an impact on individuals who continue to elect into the remittance basis of taxation, individuals who wish to mitigate the risk of future inheritance tax issues, and those who have interests in certain types of trust structure.

The original draft of the deemed domicile rules would have meant that a person deemed domiciled in the UK would have had to have left the UK for 5 complete tax years to be considered not domiciled once again. This has now been amended to be consistent with the previous rules with the effect that a departing individual will cease to be deemed domiciled in the UK at the start of the fourth consecutive year of non residence.

The Concept of Domicile Domicile is a concept of UK common law. A person’s domicile is generally the territory which that person considers to be their permanent home.

In this respect, a clear distinction can be drawn between domicile, which has a sense of permanency to it, and residence, which is a function of where a person is considered to be living during a tax year.

The Impact of Domicile on the Taxation of Expats in the UK A person’s domicile is an important factor in determining the scope of UK tax law as it applies to that person.

1. Income and Capital Gains Tax For most UK residents, the tax implications of domicile are of little relevance. However, for expats living in the UK, the “non-dom” status offers significant tax planning opportunities and potentially great complexity to their tax affairs.

Any individual who is resident but not domiciled in the UK can elect to be taxed using the “remittance basis” of taxation. In general terms, this allows those people to shelter their offshore income and gains from UK taxation provided that they do not bring those income and gains to the UK, or ‘enjoy’ them in the UK. 2. Inheritance Tax Inheritance tax is applied to the worldwide assets of individuals domiciled in the UK. However, for those individuals not domiciled or “deemed domiciled” in the UK, it is applicable only to UK situs assets.

2. Planning for Remittance Basis Taxpayers The most obvious impact of these new rules is 43

TAX & ACCOUNTING HUB Your Local US/UK TAX SPECIALIST

Need Tax Assistance? We can help with: • U.S 1040 Personal Tax Filing • ITIN Application Assistance • U.S FATCA Compliance Service • Streamlined Foreign Offshore filing • U.K Self-Assessment Tax Filing • U.S/U.K Tax Planning

We are team of qualified U.S/U.K tax consultants with prior big 4 experience.

Contact us: M: 44(0)791 439 3183 T: 44(0)208 221 1154 E: Info@taxandaccountinghub.com www.taxandaccountinghub.com

burdensome exercise of analysing the nature of funds in the account in order to separate those funds into their constituent parts, but may prove to be a huge benefit to those looking for an efficient way to bring money into the UK. This opportunity is only applicable to cash.

HMRC have rejected representations that it should also be extended to other assets. However, the exercise could still be completed to the extent that the individual is happy to liquidate investments during the two year period.

It is also worth noting that this opportunity will apply to all non-UK domiciled individuals (regardless of whether they would hit the 15 out of 20 year test) on 6 April 2017, except for those who are considered deemed domiciled by reason of being born in the UK with a UK domicile of origin or those who have never claimed the remittance basis.

that anyone who has been in the UK for more than fifteen years will lose the ability to claim the remittance basis after April 2017, and will become subject to UK taxation on an arising basis thereafter.

For those with significant offshore assets or investments, this is likely to result not only in a higher overall UK tax liability, but also a great deal of additional complexity.

However, there are some interesting planning opportunities included in the new provisions which are worth exploring. a. Mixed Funds Those who have been used to the nuances of the remittance basis of taxation may well be familiar with the term “mixed fund”. For those who are not, a mixed fund is an offshore asset (generally a bank account or an investment account) which contains funds which would be treated in different ways if remitted to the UK. A simple example of a mixed fund might be a deposit account containing capital generated prior to a move to the UK, as well as interest income earned on the account. If that were to be remitted to the UK, the capital would generally not be taxable, but the interest earned after UK residence began would be taxable.

Complex ordering rules exist which have made it difficult for expats in the UK to separate the capital from the taxable items in a mixed fund retrospectively. As a result, many expats in the UK find themselves with offshore accounts that they cannot use in the UK, without what is often complex accounting, as well as UK tax liabilities. In some cases, the UK tax liability may be due in addition to any tax paid in the home jurisdiction.

The UK Government has recognised that the introduction of deemed domicile rules to income tax and capital gains tax could cause undue financial difficulties for some expats. As a result of this, they have provided a window of opportunity for expats to “clean up” mixed funds. This window of opportunity was originally planned to be one tax year, but has subsequently been extended to two years.

The process of cleansing offshore accounts will involve going through the potentially

b. Capital Gains Another interesting opportunity created by these new rules relates to the capital gains tax treatment of certain offshore assets held by individuals becoming deemed domiciled on 6 April 2017.

It will be possible for individuals to elect to rebase their offshore assets so that the cost base of those assets for capital gains tax purposes will be the market value of the asset on 6 April 2017. This will result in any subsequent capital gain realised on a sale of the asset being calculated by reference only to the appreciation of the asset between 6 April 2017 and the date of sale.

In conjunction with the ability to cleanse mixed funds, this could lead to significant tax savings for some expats.

It is worth pointing out that this relief will not apply to any assets held in a company or trust structure. c. Foreign Trusts The changes to the taxation of non-domiciled individuals also contain numerous provisions relating to foreign trusts. The original proposals put forward in the 2015 budget have been largely overhauled following the period of consultation with the intention of protecting the status of 45

existing arrangements.

However, specific rules relating to the taxation of capital distributions from offshore trusts to UK resident individuals, taxation of capital distributions to beneficiaries who are close family members of the settlor of the trust, and the taxation of trust income where a UK resident beneficiary benefits from the trust have been postponed as the legislation has not yet been finalised.

It is therefore likely that these postponed provisions will not take effect until such time as the legislation is ultimately completed.

Once in force, these provisions will serve to close down a number of income tax and capital gains tax planning opportunities which are currently available to settlors and beneficiaries of offshore trusts.

Anyone who is involved with such an arrangement, and who has not yet taken advice on the matter, should consult their advisers as soon as possible to discuss what action (if any) is appropriate given their circumstances.

Summary This promises to be the most significant change in the taxation on non-domiciled individuals since 2008. The legislation is far from straightforward, and there are traps for the unwary as well as opportunities for the future.

Those with offshore accounts containing previously untaxed income and gains should consider reviewing their accounts to see if they can benefit from the mixed fund and/or rebasing rules.

Those with connections to foreign trusts should review their trust arrangements to avoid the risk of being caught out by tougher rules on distribution and benefits from those arrangements.

For more information, please contact: Matthew Edwards Senior Tax Manager Satis Asset Management Ltd Tel: 020 7004 7126 Email: matthew.edwards@satisuk.com www.satisuk.com

46

47

travel: air, rail & london UK AIRPORTS London: Heathrow Airport – 0844 335 1801 www.heathrowairport.com

Southern England: Southampton Airport – 0844 481 7777 www.southamptonairport.com Wales: Cardiff International Airport – 01446 711 111 www.cwlfly.com Swansea Airport – 01792 204 063 www.swanseaairport.com

Gatwick Airport – 0844 335 1802 www.gatwickairport.com Stansted Airport – 0844 335 1803 www.stanstedairport.com

Channel Islands: Alderney Airport www.flyalderney.com Guernsey Airport – Tel: 01481 237 766 www.guernsey-airport.gov.gg Jersey Airport – 01534 446 000 www.jerseyairport.com

London Luton Airport – 01582 405100 www.london-luton.co.uk London City Airport – 020 7646 0000 www.londoncityairport.com Midlands: Birmingham International Airport – 0844 576 6000 www.birmingham-airport.co.uk Coventry Airport – 024 7630 8600 www.coventryairport.co.uk East Midlands Airport – 0871 919 9000 www.eastmidlandsairport.com Norwich International Airport – 01603 411923 www.norwichairport.co.uk

AIRPORT TRAINS Gatwick Express www.gatwickexpress.co.uk Telesales : 0845 850 1530 Heathrow Express www.heathrowexpress.co.uk Customer Services: 0845 600 15 15

North of England: Blackpool International Airport – 0844 482 7171 www.blackpoolinternational.com Durham Tees Valley Airport – 08712 242 426 www.durhamteesvalleyairport.com Humberside Airport - 01652 688 456 www.humbersideairport.com Isle of Man Airport – 01624 821 600 www.iom-airport.com Leeds Bradford International Airport - 0113 250 9696 www.lbia.co.uk Liverpool John Lennon Airport ­– 0871 521 8484 www.liverpoolairport.com Manchester Airport – 0871 2710 711 www.manchesterairport.co.uk Newcastle International Airport – 0871 882 1121 www.newcastleairport.com Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield – 0871 220 2210 www.robinhoodairport.com

Stansted Express www.stanstedexpress.com Customer Services: 0845 600 7245

Scotland: Aberdeen Airport – 0844 481 6666 www.aberdeenairport.com Edinburgh Airport – 0844 481 8989 www.edinburghairport.com Glasgow Airport – 0844 481 5555 www.glasgowairport.com

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON www.tfl.gov.uk For information on getting around London, including the London Underground, Buses, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), London Coaches and the Oyster Card, visit the official Transport for London website or call the TFL travel information line on 020 7222 1234.

Luton Airport Trains Call National Rail for times and fares on 0845 748 4950 EUROSTAR TRAINS www.eurostar.com Telesales: 08705 186 186 Direct service from London – St Pancras International and Ashford (Kent) to Paris, Brussels, Lille, Disneyland Resort Paris and Avignon. Check the website for further details as well as information on connecting services to other international train stations.

NATIONAL RAIL For general rail enquiries, timetable and fare information call 08457 48 49 50 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk

48