# Moving to the UK: money checklist for your first months > Banking & current accounts · Last updated 25 September 2026 Canonical HTML: https://moneyguide.org.uk/banking/new-to-the-uk-money-checklist/ Markdown mirror: https://moneyguide.org.uk/banking/new-to-the-uk-money-checklist.md ## Quick answer Early on, open a UK bank account (you may have a legal right to a basic one), apply for a National Insurance number if you'll work, give your employer a starter declaration so you don't overpay tax, set up council tax, register with a GP and join the electoral register if eligible. Check your visa's public funds condition. ## Who should skip this Skip this if you're coming to study: our [international student money guide](/students/international-student-money-uk/) covers Student visa funds and work limits. This isn't immigration advice; check your conditions in your eVisa, or ask a regulated immigration adviser. Arriving in the UK means building a financial record from nothing: no UK bank account, no credit history and no tax record. This checklist puts the first money jobs in a sensible order, explains your legal right to a basic bank account, shows how a tax code can take too much from your first pay, and explains what a 'no recourse to public funds' condition means. Rules were checked on 25 September 2026. ## Key facts - The nine largest current account providers must offer a basic bank account to eligible people legally resident in the UK - A bank must open or refuse a basic account within 10 business days of a completed application - You can start work before your National Insurance number arrives if you can prove your right to work - With no P45 and no starter declaration, your employer uses tax code 0T, so all your pay is taxed - England, Scotland and Wales have council tax; Northern Ireland has domestic rates - A no recourse to public funds condition stops most benefit claims, but not contribution-based benefits or statutory pay ## What should you sort out in your first weeks? Some jobs depend on others, so the order matters. A bank account lets you be paid, and a National Insurance number and the right tax code mean your pay is taxed correctly. Not every item applies to everyone. *First-months money checklist* | Task | Why it matters | Where to start | | --- | --- | --- | | Check your visa conditions | Shows whether you can work and whether you have 'no recourse to public funds' | Your eVisa, in your UKVI account | | Open a UK bank account | To receive wages and pay rent and bills | Any bank; a basic account if you're refused an ordinary one | | Apply for a National Insurance number | Links your pay and contributions to your record | GOV.UK, once you're in the UK | | Give your employer a starter declaration | Stops you being taxed as if you have no Personal Allowance | Your employer's new starter form | | Set up council tax (rates in Northern Ireland) | You usually pay if you're 18 or over; discounts must be applied for | Your local council | | Register with a GP | NHS care is free from your visa start date if you paid the health surcharge | The NHS website | | Join the electoral register if eligible | Credit reference agencies use it to confirm who lives where | GOV.UK register to vote | ## How can you open a bank account without a UK credit history or proof of address? Start by asking the bank what evidence it accepts. Under the Money Laundering Regulations banks must identify and verify customers, and the Immigration Act 2014 makes them check that you're not in the UK without permission you need. The regulations don't list specific documents, and the FCA's Financial Crime Guide describes catering for customers who lack common forms of ID as good practice. If you don't yet have a utility bill or UK statement, ask which alternatives the bank takes. If you're turned down, the Payment Accounts Regulations 2015 help. HM Treasury has designated the nine largest personal current account providers, and they must offer a basic bank account to anyone legally resident in the UK who has no UK account with the same basic features, or who isn't eligible for the bank's other accounts. The law says people with no fixed address and asylum seekers count as legally resident. You can pay in, withdraw cash, pay by card, direct debit and standing order and make transfers, with no overdraft and no fees for these in sterling, including for a failed payment. The bank must open or refuse the account within 10 business days of your completed application. It can refuse only on the grounds in the regulations, such as where opening it would break money-laundering or fraud law, and must tell you in writing why (unless the law prevents it) and how to complain, including to the Financial Ombudsman Service. HM Treasury's [basic bank accounts page](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/basic-bank-accounts) names the nine providers. Later, our guide to [switching bank account](/how-to/switch-bank-account-uk/) explains moving on. ## Do you need a National Insurance number before you start work? No. You can start work before your National Insurance number arrives if you can prove your right to work, which people who aren't British or Irish usually do with a share code or their immigration documents. Your eVisa may already show an NI number. If not, apply online once you're in the UK; it can take up to 4 weeks after you've proved your identity. See our [National Insurance guide](/work-earnings/national-insurance-explained/). If you're job hunting with a degree from abroad, our partner site CourseToJob Global has a guide to [getting an overseas degree recognised](https://coursetojob.com/guides/degree-recognition-abroad/). Your employer needs a P45 from a previous UK job or, if you don't have one, a starter declaration. If this is your first job since 6 April 2026 and you haven't had taxable benefits or a pension, HMRC's employer guidance says to use code 1257L on the normal cumulative basis. If you give no declaration, the employer uses 0T on a 'month 1' basis, with no tax-free allowance at all. HMRC usually updates an emergency code once it has your details, which can take up to 35 days, and you can claim back tax you've overpaid. Codes start with S in Scotland and C in Wales; [tax codes explained](/work-earnings/tax-codes-explained/) has more. Worked example: your first payday, in late October 2026, is £2,400 for a month's work in England. That's tax month 7 of 2026/27, and the table shows the Income Tax under each code at the 20% basic rate. National Insurance is the same whatever the code: 8% of pay above £1,048, so (£2,400 − £1,048) × 8% = £108.16. Payroll software uses HMRC's tables, so real figures can differ by pennies, and Scotland's Income Tax rates are different. *Income Tax on a first £2,400 monthly payday in tax month 7, England, 2026/27* | Code your employer uses | How it's worked out | Income Tax that month | | --- | --- | --- | | 1257L cumulative (starter declaration A) | Tax-free pay so far: 7 × £1,047.50 = £7,332.50, more than £2,400 | £0 | | 1257L month 1 (declaration B) | (£2,400 − £1,047.50) × 20% | £270.50 | | 0T month 1 (no declaration) | £2,400 × 20% | £480.00 | ## How do you build a UK credit history from scratch? UK lenders use files held by credit reference agencies. The ICO says these are built mainly from how you've managed UK credit, utility and service accounts, plus public records such as the electoral roll, and are also used to check identity and where you live. Because they're built from UK records, you arrive with little or nothing on them. Things that add to your file are registering to vote at your address if you're eligible, running your bank account well, paying bills by direct debit, and repaying any credit you take on time. You can ask each of the three main agencies for your statutory credit report free of charge, and ask a lender that turns you down to explain the main reason. See how to [check your credit score free](/how-to/check-your-credit-score-free/) and [improve your credit score](/credit/how-to-improve-your-credit-score/). Who can join the electoral register depends on where you live. In England and Northern Ireland, besides British and Irish citizens, it's Commonwealth citizens with permission to be in the UK, citizens of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain, and other EU citizens who have had permission since 31 December 2020 without a break. In Scotland and Wales, any foreign national with permission to enter or stay can register. ## How do council tax and the NHS work for newcomers? In England, Scotland and Wales you usually pay council tax if you're 18 or over. A full bill assumes two adults, so if you live alone you get 25% off, but you must apply. Full-time students and some others aren't counted. Northern Ireland has domestic rates instead, and landlords are responsible for rates on many rented homes, including houses in multiple occupation and homes valued at £150,000 or less. Most visa applicants pay the immigration health surcharge with their application: £1,035 a year, or £776 for students, their dependants, Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders and under-18s. Health and Care Worker visa holders and some others are exempt. You can use the NHS free of charge from the date your visa starts, but may still pay for things such as prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests. In England, everyone can register with a GP surgery for free, and most surgeries let you register online. ## What does 'no recourse to public funds' mean? Many visas carry a no recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition, and your eVisa shows your rights, including whether you can claim benefits. The condition means you can't claim most benefits, tax credits or housing help paid by the state. The Home Office list includes Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Child Benefit, Housing Benefit, Personal Independence Payment, Carer's Allowance, social housing and homelessness help, Council Tax Reduction and Social Security Scotland benefits such as Scottish Child Payment. Benefits based on National Insurance contributions aren't public funds. If you've paid enough contributions you can claim New Style Jobseeker's Allowance, New Style Employment and Support Allowance, Statutory Sick Pay, Maternity Allowance and statutory maternity and paternity pay. NHS treatment isn't on the list either. If your finances change, some people can apply to have the condition lifted, including those with permission based on family or private life and British National (Overseas) visa holders; most others can apply only if their circumstances are particularly compelling. If you're unsure whether something counts, the Home Office says to ask the department that pays it before you claim. ## Which scams target people who are new to the UK? Scammers target newcomers because official processes are unfamiliar. If you've lost money, contact your bank straight away. Outside Scotland, report fraud to Report Fraud (which replaced Action Fraud) on 0300 123 2040; in Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. Forward suspicious texts to 7726 and suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Our [scams hub](/scams/) has more. *Scams that target newcomers and what to do* | Scam | Warning signs | What to do | | --- | --- | --- | | Home Office or visa impersonation | An unexpected call, email or letter about your visa asking for payment | The Home Office says unexpected contact claiming to be from it may be a scam; don't pay, and report it | | HMRC refund or penalty messages | A text or social media message offering a refund or asking for bank details | HMRC never sends refund notices by text. Forward texts to 60599 and emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk | | Money muling | Being paid to let money pass through your account | Refuse: money mules move criminal money, and some have been charged and found it hard to open bank accounts | | Fake jobs, housing or visa services | Upfront fees for a job offer, sponsorship or a flat you haven't seen | Check the organisation independently before paying anything | ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I open a UK bank account without a permanent address? Possibly. Banks must verify who you are but decide which documents they accept, so ask about alternatives. If you're legally resident in the UK, the nine largest providers must offer an eligible applicant a basic bank account, and the law says people with no fixed address count as legally resident. ### Is a basic bank account free? Standard services in sterling are free: paying in, withdrawing cash, card payments, direct debits, standing orders and transfers. The bank can't charge for a failed payment or give you an overdraft. It can charge a reasonable fee for services in other currencies. ### Why has my first UK payslip taken so much tax? You're probably on an emergency or 0T code because your employer didn't have a P45 or starter declaration. Give your employer the declaration and check your code in your HMRC online account or app. HMRC usually updates your code once it has your details, which can take up to 35 days, and you can claim back tax you've overpaid. ### Can I get my UK credit report for free? Yes. The ICO says you can ask any of the three main credit reference agencies for your statutory report free of charge. Look for 'statutory report' on their websites; you don't have to sign up to a paid subscription. ### Can I use the NHS if my visa says no recourse to public funds? Yes. NHS treatment isn't on the Home Office list of public funds. If you paid the immigration health surcharge, you can use the NHS free of charge from the date your visa starts, although some services, such as prescriptions and dental treatment, may carry charges. ## Primary source https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/2038/part/4, https://www.gov.uk/new-employee-tax-code, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-funds--2/public-funds, https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/basic-bank-accounts, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/22/section/40, https://handbook.fca.org.uk/handbook/fcg3/fcg3s2, https://www.gov.uk/evisa, https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number, https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work, https://www.gov.uk/tax-codes, https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates, https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance-rates-letters, https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/credit/, https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, https://www.gov.uk/council-tax, https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/rates-rental-properties, https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application, https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/how-to-register-with-a-gp-surgery/, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-change-of-conditions-of-leave-to-allow-access-to-public-funds-if-your-circumstances-change, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-the-home-office, https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/reporting-fraudulent-emails, https://www.gov.uk/report-suspicious-emails-websites-phishing, https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/report-scam, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/biggest-ever-crackdown-on-money-mules-in-the-uk ## Related - [International students: visa money rules and budgeting](https://moneyguide.org.uk/students/international-student-money-uk/) - [Sending money abroad from the UK](https://moneyguide.org.uk/banking/sending-money-abroad-uk/) - [Tax codes explained](https://moneyguide.org.uk/work-earnings/tax-codes-explained/) - [How to improve your credit score](https://moneyguide.org.uk/credit/how-to-improve-your-credit-score/) - [What is a credit score?](https://moneyguide.org.uk/answers/what-is-credit-score-uk/) - [Scams hub](https://moneyguide.org.uk/scams/) --- Independent UK money guidance from [Money Guide](https://moneyguide.org.uk). Information only — not regulated financial advice.