About Britbound

What is BritBound?

Are you looking to move to London or elsewhere in the UK? Here at BritBound we are experts in providing a sociable and stress-free arrival experience. Think of us as a relocation service and social events club rolled into one. At the heart of BritBound is a community of independent travellers (‘BritBounders’) who socialise, support and share each other’s adventures whilst living and working in the UK. As a BritBounder you also become part of this incredible community, sharing the adventure with like-minded travellers both online and through our many social events. Whether you’re travelling independently or with your friends or partners you will never be short of something to do!

How can BritBound support you with your move to the UK?

Here at BritBound we want to ensure your journey remains an independent one. We are not here to make this plain sailing…that’s not what stepping out of your comfort zone to move abroad is about. It needs to be challenging! But it shouldn’t be lonely or upsetting to the point of wanting to go home. What we are here to do is to stop you making wrong or unsafe choices and provide you with a welcoming Base to come to for advice and guidance. We want to ensure your experience is enjoyable, stress-free but also sociable. With our help you can enjoy all the rewards of moving to the UK but with an element of support and guidance along the way.

Do you have to be on a visa to join BritBound?

No! Anyone moving to the UK, regardless of passport or visa type can join. Having a British or European passport might make it easier to pass through Immigrations but once in the UK, your journey through the formalities and settling in will be just like everyone else, challenging! The only requirement for BritBound is that the visa or passport you arrive on, allows you to work here. Certain aspects like How to Open a UK Bank Account and arranging a National Insurance Number will require evidence of your right to work here.

What is the average age of the BritBound community?

As around 60% of our BritBounders arrive here on the UK Tier 5 Visa, see below for more info, it does mean that the majority are aged between the age criteria of this visa, which is 18-31. We also have lots of UK Ancestry holders, where age is not a factor as well as Europeans of all ages too. But the majority of our customers hail from Australia, Canada and New Zealand and are aged between 18 and 35 with the average age probably being between 23-27.

How do I sign up?

BritBound has a selection of Membership Packages, by choosing one of these you are then a BritBound Member. Once you have chosen your Membership Base then you can add on additional products and services in our package-builder to further customise your package.

How long does my Membership last and are there any additional fees to pay?

Once a BritBounder, always a BritBounder! There is no expiry date on your membership. The only other fees you need to be aware of are those on the visa service because our price does not include the Government Immigration Fees.

What services do BritBound offer?

When you join BritBound by choosing and customising a membership package, you can then access all of our services to help you with your transition to living and working in the UK.

Our services include but are not limited to:

1) UK Visa Assistance

• Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) Visa
• UK Ancestry
• UK Ancestry with Dependents

There are three different ways we can assist you with your visa:

I. Offer you a Guaranteed Visa Service – let us complete your application and we will guarantee you a successful outcome.

II. Visa Checking Service – if you are completing your own application but would like us to check over your application and supporting documents then choose this option.

III. Assist you with declined or rejected visas – if you want advice about applying for your visa again after it has been declined, then we will do all we can to help you turn this around in the shortest time frame. Get in touch with us now to get the ball rolling.

2) Pre-arranged UK Jobs

Membership Package Options that include a pre-arranged UK job with accommodation

• i. Live-In Pub Job
• ii. Live-In Care Worker
• iii. Live-In Nanny
• iv. UK Summer Camp

Membership Package Options that include a Job Starter Guarantee (but not accommodation)

• i. Hospitality
• ii. Teaching
• iii. Teaching Assistant
• iv. Construction and Trades
• v. Customer Service / Administration

3) Employment Assistance

Having been around for a long time we have built up an enviable list employers and employment agencies. Our partners know and trust what we do and are always happy to help our BritBounders. If you are looking to work in an area that is not covered by our Job Starter, then we may still be able to assist you by introducing you to one or more of our partners. There are no guarantees of work but at least you’ll have some direction and industry advice to help you with your job search. Don’t forget to check out our Job Board to see whether there is anything on there to suit you.

4) CV Forwarding

As a BritBound member you will have access to your My.BritBound Portal, this is where you can manage all the various aspects of your Membership Package. A lot of our services are now, thankfully, automated. Meaning you don't need to wait or respond to hundreds of e-mails! Our CV forwarding platform allows you to upload your CV and select your employment sectors, your CV will then be sent onto our partners automatically.

6) UK Bank Accounts

Ask anyone who has moved from overseas to work in the UK, what the hardest part was and you'll most likely hear 'opening a UK bank account'! With banks forever changing their qualifying criteria it's no wonder this is one of the most stressful tasks to deal with. Luckily BritBound has been around for a long time and has long established partnerships with both High Street Banks and more recent cloud based accounts or e-banks. You can choose one or both options and enjoy a stress-free account opening experience.

7) Accommodation Advice and Assistance

Whether you are looking for a short term solution for your initial arrival or something more long term, we have plenty of options. We work not only with London’s top award-winning hostels, but also credible agencies and landlords who have houses and rooms available across London. When you come along to our Arrival Info Party we’ll talk through tips and advice on things to be aware of and how to go about finding something suitable.

8) National Insurance Number

A National Insurance number is essentially your tax number, it will be required by your employer and helps you to keep track of your tax payments. It also gives you access to a whole range of services including the National Health Service. We will organise an appointment for you, saving you the time and trouble of trying to work the system out! Or worse paying one of the many 'Scam companies' saying they can fast-track your appointment - they cannot there is only one system in place!

9) Airport Transfers

If you are dreading the thought of arriving into the busiest airport in the world and trying to negotiate your way into London on the public transport system then you're not alone! We offer an alternative option of being chauffeur driven, directly to your accommodation!

Forget the Underground rush hour, escalators, steps and suitcase dragging - this is about chilling out in the back seat and enjoying the sights of your new city from air conditioned comfort. You’ll be met at the airport and taken directly to your accommodation.

Once you've recovered from the flight you can then go and experience all the fun that is the Underground Tube System!

10) Arrival Info Party

Whilst it's near on impossible to convey the value of the Arrival Info Party you can take a look through our reviews at the number of times it gets a mention. Yes we cover information but no, it's not a seminar or orientation! It's a very enjoyable afternoon at the BritBound Base and having a drink (alcoholic or non alcoholic options available!). Never underestimate the importance of meeting and socialising with other people in the same situation as you, especially when you have moved overseas. Most BritBounders will cite the Arrival Party as where they met their lifelong friends. After the Info session, we open the doors to the wider community and continue to enjoy a bit more socialising before heading to a near by pub. The Arrival Info Party is not compulsory, but you'll definitely be glad you came! All of our Membership Packages except the Cheap One Include an Arrival Info Party.

11) International Money Transfers

Moving money overseas is not as straightforward as it should be. Our banks sadly seem to be the least competitive way of carrying out an international money transfer! Perhaps they think we are a captive audience too fearful to shop around. Understanding how it works and what options exist will enable you to choose the most cost effective way to get your funds to the UK. When you are transferring a few hundred, or thousand dollars the difference in exchange rates and fees can make a big difference to how much you receive in your UK account. Click here to find out more about how to tackle this task and more importantly to understand how it works.

12) Ongoing Support and Guidance

Like our Arrival Info Party it is difficult to put a value on having someone and somewhere to go to when you get here. It's only once you've arrived when you realise that BritBound is like a big family, we're not a corporate office, firstly we have a dog (Henry the Black Labrador) who comes to the Base and is always on hand for any pet therapy if you're missing home! Secondly, we are a small team and we're on first name terms with all our BritBounders! There is no reception, just an open plan office where tea and coffee will be offered as soon as you walk in! We have an open door policy so if you need to chat to us about anything at all, or you just want to chill out and/or meet other BritBounders, you can just turn up! There is also free WiFi and printing as well.

13) Travel Insurance

When preparing for your big move overseas the to-do list can often be miles long and travel insurance rarely makes the cut! But it's definitely something you need to consider for your flight here, flight home and all your travels in between!

BritBound has partnered with World Nomads who offer simple & flexible Travel Insurance for over 150 destinations.

14) 365-Day Social Event Calendar

Everyday of the year we will either host an event or recommend one...you can see what's on here:

15) UK SIM & Oyster Cards

SIM cards: The great thing about our system is that once you select which network you want to go with, it will let you know your number straight away. Enabling you to give it out to your family, friends and any employers or recruitment agencies, even before you leave. Being contactable from the word go is a huge benefit especially when it comes to getting work here, plus your nearest and dearest will be relieved to know they can get hold of you once you’ve arrived and turned your phone on. The SIM's are on a pre-pay set up, you can, should you want to, move to a contract once you've been in the UK for about 3 months.

Oystercard: Oyster is the cheapest way to pay for single journeys on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services in London. This is a plastic re-useable smartcard that not only gives you access to the cheaper fares but it is so much easier than queuing for paper tickets. You can load it with weekly or monthly Travelcards, Bus & Tram passes or just keep topping up with ‘pay as you go’ credit.

16) Trips and Tours

17) Payroll / Limited company

Though it may sound like an odd question, many employers and recruitment agencies will ask you how you would like to be paid. This is because there are several different payroll structures in place and they can be financially advantageous to use. For this reason we work closely with an accountancy partner who will be able to assess your eligibility for the different payroll structures available. We also hold yearly workshops on submitting tax returns to guide everyone through the complex arena of the UK tax system!

18) Tax Refunds

How do you join BritBound?

If you head to our Package Builder this is where you can choose a Membership Package and further customise it with additional products and services as you feel necessary.

When should I sign up?

It's entirely up to you! We have a once a BritBounder, always a BritBounder policy, so your membership will never expire. But the earlier you sign up the more time you will have to get everything organised. We want you to enjoy a stress-free move to the UK, so if you do everything at the final hour you might not have the full benefit of feeling prepared when you arrive!

What is Britbound?

• We're a London based organisation which assists those relocating to the UK to live and work....we can still help you if you're not based in London.
• BritBound provides support for all aspects of your move to the UK no matter how long you intend to stay! Think of us as a safety net as you independently navigate this rite of passage.
• Most importantly, BritBound is a community of like-minded individuals living in the UK and hailing from all over the world.

Why join?

• When you become a BritBounder you're more than just a number passing through the door. You become apart of our community. This means that you're provided with an instant social circle where you'll make friends for life.
• Being based in the UK means that we not only get to welcome you when you arrive but we're here to assist with any challenges you may encounter throughout your stay. Our office has an open door policy and your BritBound membership never expires.
• Half of the team here are BritBounders themselves and the rest of us have lived and worked overseas. This means we're uniquely qualified to understand the challenges you face in relocating to a new country and we have a wealth of knowledge and experience at your disposal.

Who can join?

• Anyone who has the right to live and work in the UK either through a visa or with a British or European Passport

4 Times Winner of the British Youth Travel Awards

- Best Customer Service 2016

- Best Support Service 2013

- Best Support Service 2012

- Best Support Service 2011

What Britbounders Say

"I cannot begin to rave about BritBound enough! They are simply the best and provide you with a carefree and blissfully smooth transition into London life! If you are wanting to make the move, don't even second guess this decision. I can tell you without a moment's doubt that I never would have my found my London experience to be a fraction of how great it's been without this wonderful organisation, the people who run and work for it, and the group of people who are a part of it."

– Gray Smith

"BritBound provides thousands of travellers with everything they need to get settled in London, including moral support when required. Their Base is very welcoming, and there's always someone to talk to or have a cheeky drink with. Even if you're confident enough to come to London without their assistance, they offer amazing social events every day of the year. I have met lifelong friends because of this, and never find myself without something to do. My time in London would have suffered dramatically if not for BritBound. It's hard to imagine how they can make such a large assortment of people feel like a family, but somehow they manage."

– Liz Ross