As we are here to help you move to London, we have put together a comprehensive document covering just about everything you need to know about the big move. If you would like access to the document, please request it here and we will happily send it to you free of charge*.
*Please note that from 1 January 2018, this document will no longer be free of charge
Below are some of the basic questions you may need help with.
What is it like living in London?
You will hear many different things about what it’s like to live in London. London is a big city and it’s full of diverse people. As such, it tends to cater for all interests, and you are likely to enjoy opportunities that you could not have had living in less globalised parts of the world. Because there’s so much going on, London is a popular place, and you will notice people generally operate at a faster pace of living. Although it attracts people from different cultures over the world, London has its own culture, too. All these things make London a very colourful place – something those grey skies can never discount!
What is the cost of living like in London?
London has a reputation of being an expensive place to live. However, if you are smart with your money, your salary (whether as a first year associate completing articles or as a or fourth year once qualified) should be able to cover your costs of living, as well as leave you a bit of savings for the future, for travel, or for other personal expenses.
When moving over however, there will be a lot of upfront costs like putting down a deposit for a place to rent. Some firms offer a graduate loan which you can use to fund these costs, and there are other ways to help doing this.
There are also many ways of saving on costs; it only requires a bit of initiative, planning, budgeting and research.
Is it easy for South Africans to integrate into British culture?
To facilitate integration, the firms have a buddy system that pairs British associates with South African associates. Whilst there are naturally going to be cultural differences, London is incredibly metropolitan, and the diversity of cultures is part of its appeal. The accounting firms have a social culture and a focus on a healthy work-life balance. There are ways to integrate into the respective networks and there are lots of work events to attend where you can network with others in a more social context.
If you like a comprehensive document which covers everything you’ll need to know about the move, please request it here and we will happily send it to you free of charge*.
*Please note that from 1 January 2018, this document will no longer be free of charge
The Green Mamba 