Preparing to move to the UK starts with your permission to live and work here. Once that is clear, you can organise accommodation, transport and a moving date. This checklist covers matters that are easier to resolve before you set off.
Checked on 3 October 2026. For people planning a move, particularly from Poland. Requirements depend on nationality, immigration status and the purpose of your stay.
Establish your immigration route first
A Polish passport alone does not automatically give you permission to relocate and work in the UK. You may already hold a status, for example under the EU Settlement Scheme, or need a suitable visa. Use the official visa checker and read the requirements for your route.
An ETA or visitor entry is for permitted visits rather than an ordinary move to take employment. Standard Visitors generally cannot work for a UK business or as self-employed people, apart from narrow permitted activities. Check visitor restrictions.
A job offer is not itself immigration permission. For Skilled Worker, check sponsorship, job and other requirements on GOV.UK. Do not arrange to start work before you have the appropriate permission.
Check your travel document and eVisa
If you have an eVisa, check your status and UKVI account details. Add the passport you will travel with and make sure the details match those given to your carrier. Errors can affect check-in or border checks. Read the eVisa travel guidance.
Before leaving, test access to the phone and email used for sign-in. Keep secure copies of important documents and recovery information. You should not give an employer your UKVI password; use the appropriate status-checking service and share code.
Prepare documents for work and housing
Gather identity and immigration documents, income or employment information, and references where available. Prepare qualifications and any required translations for professional roles. Ask each organisation what it accepts.
Employers must check your right to work. Eligible users can generate the appropriate right-to-work share code. A National Insurance number is not a substitute for work permission.
Renting in England also involves right-to-rent checks. This requirement does not apply in the same way in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Check the rules for your circumstances.
Budget until the first payday
Use actual quotes in GBP for travel, temporary accommodation, rent, deposit, local transport, food and applicable visa charges. Include the immigration health surcharge if your route requires it. GOV.UK explains IHS.
Ask your employer when the first salary payment will arrive, then budget through that date. Also consider a delayed start or another week in temporary accommodation. Our take-home pay calculator helps estimate pay after deductions; check its tax-year settings.
Verify accommodation before paying
Compare location with commuting costs, included bills and furnishing needs. Request written terms. If a longer-term tenancy is uncertain, arrange your first accommodation and a plan for viewing homes after arrival.
Photos and messaging conversations are not sufficient confirmation that someone can let a property. Check the agent or landlord, address and payment recipient. Before paying, understand what the money covers and the refund terms.
Health, family and belongings
Bring information about ongoing treatment and medication. Plan lawful transport and continuity of supply. Healthcare charging depends on circumstances, and paying IHS does not make every medical service free.
If moving with children, check school admissions in the relevant UK nation. Pets and cars have separate requirements that should be checked before arranging transport.
Moving belongings can involve customs formalities. Investigate Transfer of Residence relief and the rules for your route. HMRC explains ToR; it is different from ordinary passenger allowances.
Your final packing checklist
- A confirmed immigration basis and work conditions.
- A valid travel document and working access to your status.
- Your first accommodation address and travel plan.
- A budget through payday, with a reserve.
- Personal, professional and medical documents.
- Checked requirements for transported belongings.
Local registrations and bills follow after arrival. You can already research Council Tax in Great Britain and broadband options for the new address.