Top tips

You might be settling into life in the UK like a duck to water (which means that you are settling in very well!). Or you might be finding it difficult. Friends International have developed a guide for people that are new to the UK, with lots of 'top tips' for life in England. It is free to read on their website.

Cold weather

The best thing to do to keep warm is to wear lots of layers, rather than one thick jumper or coat. The warmest material is wool or fleece, rather than cotton.

Hot water bottles are flexible rubber bottles that you can put hot water in that will keep you and your bed warm. They usually have a material cover so that you do not burn yourself.

Money

100 pennies (p) make up a pound (£). Coins are of 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p and £1. Notes are of £5, £10, £20 and £50.

Travel

If you travelling within the West Midlands, and you know the postcode of your start and destination, try the journey planner on travelinemidlands.co.uk.

Train travel

You can research and book train tickets online at thetrainline. To get to London cheaply, a good site to start with is Chiltern Railways. If you are under the age of 25, you can buy a Young Persons Railcard for £20 to save a third on all rail fares.

Coach travel

Travelling by coach is a good way to get between cities in England. You can research and book coach tickets with National Express.

Discounts

studentbeans.com has lots of vouchers for certain places (from the cinema to restaurants to shops) to get money off prices there.

If you need any more help settling in or have any questions, get in touch with us. If you want to share any tips, email us too!