Thinking of relocating

Last activity 23 March 2011 by ToniR

2203 Views

4 replies

Post new topic

ToniRMember03 March 2011 04:56:45

My family and I are thinking of relocating to the UK. I have my own small business, but I have not been able to find anything that says an expat can run their own business there without it being a large business with a lot of money to invest. Does anyone know if it is possible to transfer a small business over?

Also, is it hard to find accommodation for a large family? We are a family of 10. Not particular about what part of the UK we settle in.

Thanks! So glad to be here! I look forward to learning a lot about living abroad.

Toni

YudViP03 March 2011 08:24:28

7031

Welcome on Expat.com Toni,

Concerning your business set up, may be this article can help:
* Setting a business in the UK

For your accommodation I will suggest you to go through this article:
* Accommodation in the UK

Hope this can help you meanwhile.

Regards

ladylibertyActive member04 March 2011 11:26:15

Toni

I'm afraid you will find this very difficult unless you have another connection to the UK which gives you the right to live and work here. There are no visas available for those wanting to start a small business.

There is an entrepreneur category under Tier 1 which is being reformed and will be announced in April, but will most likely require significant investment and have VERY stringent maintenance requirements.

Even if you were to get a visa for yourself, all of your children would have to be under the age of 18 to qualify for dependents and having eight child dependents would significantly increase maintenance requirements.

A house large enough for 10 people will be pricy to say the least. To satisfy an ECO (the person who aproves visas), you would need to have a home which is not considered "overcrowded"
According to the UKBA: "A house is considered to be overcrowded if 2 persons aged 10 years or more of opposite sexes, who are not living together as husband and wife, must sleep in the same room.
For the purpose of the Act:
a child under one does not count as a person.
a child aged 1-10 years counts as only half a person."

So you do the math based on the ages of your children.

wisniczActive member04 March 2011 14:01:55

Toni,
Not just housing will be very expensive /and houses,apartments are small there/ - but cost of living too - especially for family of 10.Almost everything in Europe is twice much - if you will compare UK prices to US prices.
I do not know how big are your kids - if they can stay at home alone - if not, you will have just one income coming.
For homes/apartments/business prices check this web-site :rightmove.co.uk

ToniRMember23 March 2011 05:38:54

Thank you for all the advice. My kids range from ages 4 to almost 20. Guess I will need to do some more thinking and research. Thank you very much!

Articles to help you in your expat project in England

Working in the UK
Whether you are looking to boost your career in the UK or start your business, there are many professional ...
Setting up a business in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is often recognised for its strong entrepreneurial spirit, earning it the reputation of a ...
Work in Liverpool
Part of the metropolitan county of Merseyside in the Northwest of England, Liverpool is a popular destination for ...
Work in Bristol
Bristol is the largest city in southwest England and the eighth largest in the UK, with a multi-ethnic population ...
Work in Birmingham
Located in the West Midlands, Birmingham is the UK's second-largest city after London, with approximately 1.3 ...
Work in Leeds
According to several newspapers, such as The Times in 2023, Leeds is considered one of the best places to live in ...
The British labour market
Whether you are a job seeker in the United Kingdom or just curious about the available professional opportunities ...
Preparing for a job interview in the United Kingdom
The overall process of preparing for a job interview is a thrilling yet stressful experience — especially if ...