Things you need to do before leaving the UK

[Vanitas 310]

When I did an adv. search for threads like this, I found that while they started off well they tended to get derailed big time because they didn't focus on the subject matter (the last one went from "you need to do this" to "I want to get this food to take with me" to "I'm going to be living near you"). Others got ignored and pushed to the bottom of the pile.

I would like this thread to be the main resource for things you need to do or cover before you leave for the US from the United Kingdom. Hence I will be dividing it into sections and anyone can contribute items that they know of which needs to be sorted before you go.

Government (inc. Taxes)

-File Form 85 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-tax-leaving-the-uk-getting-your-tax-right-p85 with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

-Check with Jobcentre Plus regarding any benefits you are currently claiming. Most will stop when you move abroad (like JSA and ESA).

-Inform your Local Council you are leaving. You may be able to claim back Council Tax for the time you won't be in the UK if you paid it in one blast up front.

Medical

-Get your Medical Records from the Doctor's. You may have to pay for this. Also inform Doctor's you're emigrating and thus will be leaving the surgery.

-Stock up on any vital medications you will need whilst changing over to a US Doctor. Be aware that some items (or large quantities of items) will need a Doctor's Letter verifying you actually need the medication.

Financial

-Inform your Bank that you are moving abroad to the States. You might want to keep the account open to avoid exchange rate fees when you visit the UK.

-Transfer any savings or anything in that vein over to where you want it to be (be it in a UK or US account).

-Cancel any Insurance Policies you won't need in the US (Car, for example).

-If you're expecting a pension you may need to check on whether it can be paid in the US or if you need to take action now.

Employment

-Hand your Notice in and make sure you get the length of time right. You might lose pay or the like if you don't.

-See if you can get a reference to take over with you, sealed in an envelope (if on good terms with employer).

-Don't do anything silly on your last day of work which might jeopardize you being able to leave for the States.

Possessions

-Anything of sentimental value you can't pack could be couriered over pre-move in plenty of time. Check around for costs and applicable regulations at Customs and Border Protection. See details here: http://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/know-before-you-go

-Get any last items of food or drink you want to take over with you to tide you over, again keeping in mind the Customs regulations (see link above).

-Sell anything you can't take or don't want to take. Ebay or local shops may be an idea. Charity shops are also an excellent idea.

-If renting accomodation make sure it is clean and tidy, nothing is missing from your inventory and the Landlord knows where to send a deposit refund to (or a bill for damages/cleaning).

-Make sure your Mobile Phone is unlocked and therefore can accept a US Simcard to save on roaming and all.

Family/Friends

-Make sure your family can get hold of you in an emergency (be it via email, social media, phone or whatever you choose). You might find that teaching family members to use Skype or the like is a good idea.

-In a similar vein, make sure that you have a nice send-off with your friends and family so they can all see you before you go. This may be the last chance you get for the next six months or so.

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What else do you think needs to be added under these categories, guys?

Edited October 20, 2015 by Penguin_ie

[Jo Amelia Finlay 20]

Thanks for this. I was wondering about the medical notes thing just yesterday.

I can add that Student Loans need to know you are moving if you are still repaying that:

http://www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk/portal/page?_pageid=93,6678653&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

[rhirhi 35]

What a helpful thread few things that I've made a list of-

• If you have student loans, the student loan company needs to be informed of the move. They'll need to be informed again when you start working. Forms for this can be found on the repayment website. (OOPS, Jo beat me to this one!)
• If you have a contract mobile phone and you are asking to cancel your contract before it's finished, most companies ask for you to pay the remainder of the contract up front. Call up, ask to switch to the lowest priced package. Call up again the next day or as soon as the change has gone through and then cancel. This way you won't have to pay as much.
• Obvious one but if you're selling your car, DVLA need to be informed using the change of owner form in the logbook.

Edited September 18, 2013 by rhirhi

[Azsara 110]

What a helpful thread few things that I've made a list of-

• If you have a contract mobile phone and you are asking to cancel your contract before it's finished, most companies ask for you to pay the remainder of the contract up front. Call up, ask to switch to the lowest priced package. Call up again the next day or as soon as the change has gone through and then cancel. This way you won't have to pay as much.

YES! This is excellent advice. Also some network providers make u wait until your "refresh date" for the new lower tariff to take effect so make sure u are giving notice after the lower contract amount has kicked in. Doing this reduced my Early Termination Fee from £300 to £80

[Vanitas 310]

Unfortunately I can't edit the OP any further guys but keep them coming. I might see about asking Captain Ewok if the post can be allowed to be edited past its usual cutoff by myself.

[Owen_London 65]

This is an edited version of my "emigration list". Bear in mind I wasn't changing employers, and they paid for my relocation.

Close ISA account (ISAs don't count as tax-free for US taxes)

Get medical records

Buy or hire wedding clothes

Offer unwanted items to friends or charity

See family and friends

Go to places in UK that you'll miss

Return items that don't belong to you - I had to return my brass band uniform

Book flight

Movers in

Pack work ffice stuff

Pack clothes to travel on flight

Cancel bills - bear in mind many of these require a month's notice

Cancel rent

Cancel council tax + get refund

Cancel water

Cancel gas and electric

Cancel phone

Cancel broadband (+return router?)

Cancel mobile phone

Cancel bank standing orders

Read gas and electric meters

Council take away large items

Change address - bank - at branch

Change address - life insurance / pension(s) / shares

Change address - academic societies / trade union etc. / whatever else

Mail forwarding with Royal Mail (this needs a few days notice)

Clean flat

Fly!

-----------------------------------------

Also, this immense and detailed list from britishexpats.com, which is more aimed at families emigrating for work, but still very useful.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/List_of_what_to_do_and_when_about_Moving

[Anna Grant 169]

Something else to think of is the kind if job you are going to be looking for in the US. I think it's less of an issue if you have a degree but if you don't, you need evidence of your level of education. A lot of jobs in the US ask for 'high school diploma'. Obliviously, we don't have that in the UK. We have qualifications in specific subjects such and English and Maths (which will become Math once you get over here!). Therefore, you need to get something called a transcript which demonstrates your level.

There are a number of organizations in the US that provide this service for a price. Some will require you to do all the legwork i.e. contact your qualification providers to mail evidence to the company and some will do the legwork for you or accept copies of your certificates.

The one that was recommended to me by a college here is IERF. I would need to have them certify my qualifications to be able to start a college course as I would need a high school diploma. Here is their website - http://ierf.org/ and here is the page for the UK http://ierf.org/index.php/individuals/country-specific-requirements-results/#United_Kingdom

A general report costs $85 - use the Interactive tool here to check - http://ierf.org/index.php/individuals/existing-applicants/

Luckily, I have found a job that doesn't require me to demonstrate my qualifications, so I haven't had to follow up on it. However, it may be in my interest to do it anyway.

[QueenOfBlades 224]

Something else to think of is the kind if job you are going to be looking for in the US. I think it's less of an issue if you have a degree but if you don't, you need evidence of your level of education. A lot of jobs in the US ask for 'high school diploma'. Obliviously, we don't have that in the UK. We have qualifications in specific subjects such and English and Maths (which will become Math once you get over here!). Therefore, you need to get something called a transcript which demonstrates your level.

There are a number of organizations in the US that provide this service for a price. Some will require you to do all the legwork i.e. contact your qualification providers to mail evidence to the company and some will do the legwork for you or accept copies of your certificates.

The one that was recommended to me by a college here is IERF. I would need to have them certify my qualifications to be able to start a college course as I would need a high school diploma. Here is their website - http://ierf.org/ and here is the page for the UK http://ierf.org/index.php/individuals/country-specific-requirements-results/#United_Kingdom

A general report costs $85 - use the Interactive tool here to check - http://ierf.org/index.php/individuals/existing-applicants/

Luckily, I have found a job that doesn't require me to demonstrate my qualifications, so I haven't had to follow up on it. However, it may be in my interest to do it anyway.

It says on that website that you need a transcript for each year of study completed for secondary education.. What is that? Never even heard of it. I have all my official result certificates.

[Azsara 110]

I started trying to get copies of my alevel certs and gcse certs to convert my UK qualifications to US with a company called WES ( or something) but it REALLY was a LOT of work and hassle and money. I eventually gave up. I would recommend paying someone to do it for u. Seriously

[Jo Amelia Finlay 20]

Re: mobile/cell phones.

Possible to unlock your handset here and put a new SIM in it in the US? Anyone successfully done this? I can't afford a new handset and quite like my current one anyway, so hoping it might be possible but not sure.

[lost_at_sea 995]

Re: mobile/cell phones.

Possible to unlock your handset here and put a new SIM in it in the US? Anyone successfully done this? I can't afford a new handset and quite like my current one anyway, so hoping it might be possible but not sure.

Yes, if your phone is unlocked. I have a UK sim, a USA one and multiple ones from around Europe that all work in my unlocked Nexus 4.

Edit: I should caveat that. If you've got an older phone, it might not play nicely with the networks here. What phone do you have?

Edited September 18, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[Owen_London 65]

Yes, if your phone is unlocked. I have a UK sim, a USA one and multiple ones from around Europe that all work in my unlocked Nexus 4.

Edit: I should caveat that. If you've got an older phone, it might not play nicely with the networks here. What phone do you have?

It's not just that. European phones generally use different frequency bands for data than in the US. I brought my HTC Desire from the UK last year, and it can only transfer data at the slowest speed, because the frequencies are different, though there are a few cities and networks where that isn't true.

My phone was getting old and needed replacing,turned my wife's contract into a family one and got me a new phone.

One other thing to add, though - US mobile phone contracts with the primary network providers, both with phone and without, are much more expensive than in Europe. Reduced cost contracts are available from other companies, but they tend to come with a lot of restrictions.

[rjm_cmyk 75]

On the financial side - make a list of everyone you have a financial link to - when you sit down and do it you might be surprised and get those letters or contact phone numbers sorted out a bit earlier than the week before you go.

In particular - pension companies need to know where you are and you may well want to tell them about changes to beneficiaries in the event of your death.

Check your credit rating on-line and you should be able to see what they think are the companies you have agreements with. If you're a credit card rate tart you may have forgotten some agreements. I'm a bit paranoid about identity theft so I want a clear record of the termination of any credit agreements.

Be aware that many savings accounts are only available to UK residents so if you were planning on leaving any savings in the UK you may come unstuck.

[Jo Amelia Finlay 20]

Yes, if your phone is unlocked. I have a UK sim, a USA one and multiple ones from around Europe that all work in my unlocked Nexus 4.

Edit: I should caveat that. If you've got an older phone, it might not play nicely with the networks here. What phone do you have?

Nice. It's a HTC Wildfire S. So not super old but still a couple of years mileage on it!

Edit: Just read your post Owen. When I was Googling this yesterday there was made mention of frequencies and possible problems there. Over my head that stuff, but I understand how it could be an issue. Hmmm. I have the most basic of basic Tracphones with Bob at the moment so perhaps I will suffer with that until I can manage a new handset/contract once over there?!

Yes I remember talking about phone bills once and was shocked by how much he pays. I'm on the lowest possible o2 one here (I never call anyone!) with a data bolt on; never more than about £20 per month. Best recalibrate my expectations there!

Edited September 19, 2013 by Jo Amelia Finlay

[nobbie 105]

On the subject of phones over there, you also pay to receive messages and calls, at least on a PAYG one.