Practical UK guides
Practical guides to UK life for newcomers: housing, work, tax, healthcare, visas and settlement, written from official sources and reviewed in 2026.
Your first 30 days in the UK
Your first month in the UK, step by step: check your eVisa, register with a GP, get a National Insurance number and set up Council Tax in order.
National Insurance: where to start
How to apply for a National Insurance number: who can apply, the online steps, why it can take up to 4 weeks, and 2026/27 NI rates from GOV.UK.
eVisa and share codes: choose the right service
How to get a share code from your eVisa: which service to use for right to work, right to rent or travel, how long it lasts and what to do if it fails.
Before a viewing: a practical housing checklist
Renting a flat in the UK: deposit caps, protection deadlines, banned fees, questions to ask at a viewing, and how rules differ in Scotland, Wales and NI.
From job search to comparing an offer
Working in the UK: right to work checks, contracts, payslips and tax codes, the minimum wage from April 2026 and the Skilled Worker salary rules.
Plan your studies: course, visa and budget
How to study in the UK: CAS and Student visa steps, the money to show, who can bring family, work limits and the Graduate visa dates for 2026 and 2027.
Healthcare registration: start locally
How to register with a GP in the UK for free: steps in England, Scotland, Wales and NI, what the IHS covers, prescription and dental charges, and 111.
Schools: prepare before moving
How to apply for a school place in the UK: England admission dates, in-year places, priority rules, appeals, free school meals and the other nations.
Transport: compare the door-to-door journey
UK transport costs door to door: TfL daily and weekly caps, Railcards, the bus fare cap outside London, and driving on or exchanging a foreign licence.
Visit Britain at your own pace
UK visit visa or ETA? Who needs a Standard Visitor visa, who needs a £20 ETA, what visitors can do, the documents to prepare and the official 2026 fees.
Visa costs: what is included and what is not?
UK visa cost explained: application fees, the health surcharge and priority services, what sits outside them, and worked examples for workers and students.
Prepare a reliable absence record
ILR absences explained: the rule of 180 days in any rolling 12 months, how whole days are counted, excluded absences and building an evidence-based record.
Ramadan 2027 in the UK: dates, fasting hours and work
Ramadan 2027 in the UK is expected to start Mon 8 Feb (Umm al-Qura), but mosques differ. Fasting hours for London and Glasgow, work, school and NHS advice.
Eid 2027 UK: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha dates and leave
Eid 2027 in the UK: Eid al-Fitr expected Tue 9 March, Eid al-Adha Sun 16 May. Not bank holidays. Work leave, school absence, Eid prayers and Qurbani rules.
Islamic calendar 2026–2027 UK: 1448–1449 AH dates
UK Islamic calendar 1448–1449 AH: Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Islamic New Year and Ashura dates by Umm al-Qura, why mosques differ and how to book leave.
Mosques in Scotland, Wales and NI: How Many and Where
How many mosques in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: independent counts, 2021-22 census Muslim population, and where our directory lists mosques.
London Central Mosque, Regent's Park: address, Jumu'ah
London Central Mosque, 146 Park Road NW8 7RG: opening hours, Jumu'ah khutbah in English and Arabic, parking, Nikah, library and how to visit.
East London Mosque (Whitechapel): address, Jumu'ah, visiting
East London Mosque, Whitechapel Road E1: entrances, women's prayer hall, Jumu'ah khutbah timing, Tube and bus routes, free tours and visitor dress code.
Birmingham Central Mosque: address, Jumu'ah, visiting
Birmingham Central Mosque, Belgrave Middleway B12 0XS: one Jumu'ah with Arabic khutbah, women's prayer room times, services, history and free visits.
Manchester Central Mosque (Victoria Park): address, visiting
Manchester Central Mosque, 20 Upper Park Road M14 5RU: prayer hall sizes, 100-space car park, Nikah, funeral service, history and how to book a visit.
Glasgow Central Mosque (Gorbals): address, prayers, visiting
Glasgow Central Mosque, 1 Mosque Avenue G5 9TA: women's spaces, Nikah that is legally valid in Scotland, funeral service, history and guided tours.
Edgware Road, London's Arab street: a practical guide
Edgware Road, London's Arab street: the two Tube stations, its history, Yemeni, Lebanese, Syrian and Iraqi restaurants, the shisha law and the mosque nearby.
Yemeni restaurants in Birmingham: where to go, what to order
Yemeni restaurants in Birmingham on Coventry, Stratford and Moseley Road, checked October 2026, with mandi, haneeth, fahsa and saltah explained and halal tips.