Lifestyle
TOP 3 THINGS THAT MAKE LIVING IN THE UK WORTHWHILE
Well, will you just look at me. Just like every
September 23, 2026
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The UK Essentials Guide for newcomers simplifies your next steps, cutting through the complexity of the GOV.UK’s system—beyond its handy ID Check and One Login apps, and before Digital ID.
Written by Ancestry Visa holder, Maggie van der Bilt, this book offers clear steps for work, renting, the NHS, driving, opening a bank account, and schools, with checklists and links to useful information, videos, and registration pages.
“This guide is an absolute must-read for anyone considering a permanent move to the UK, particularly from South Africa, another African country, India, or the Middle East.”
By Dr. Adéle Bezuidenhout.
Senior lecturer, University of Portsmouth.
This book is a UK immigrant guide that helps you cut through the red tape upon arriving in England with your UK visa. It is created to support GOV.UK’s digital tools, simplifying your transition to life in England. Packed with useful inside information, video links, and expat experiences, you will have a head start on newcomers still struggling to understand what they need to do next.
You’ve made an incredible leap! Tell us how life in the UK is unfolding for you — we’d love to hear your story.
Anyone new to the UK on a work, spouse, ancestry, student, or youth mobility visa. If you’re staring at GOV.UK wondering “where do I actually start?”, then this is for you.
Maggie van der Bilt is a lifelong journalist, writer, and editor with nearly four decades of experience across journalism, PR, freelance writing, and magazine publishing. Her true passion lies in translating complex concepts into clear, everyday language that anyone can grasp. This book exemplifies her enduring love for research—a cornerstone of her career that drives her to uncover depths others might overlook.
“Maggie is a professional who takes her work to heart. More than the average writer or editor, she delves into the subject at hand and works passionately to get it right.”
— Fienie Janse van Rensburg, CEO, Institute for Performance Management
Colleagues and clients alike praise Maggie for her reliability, insight, and dedication to the task at hand:
“Maggie is a pleasure to work with. I trust her to conduct senior client interviews on her own and have no doubt that she represents our company effectively. She is my go-to writer for all my medical press releases/content.” — Michelle Burt, Account Director, Magna Carta
Well, will you just look at me. Just like every
Leaving your home country, in my case now a South African expat, to move to the UK has been one of the best and most unnerving moves ever. From culture shock to changes in rules and regulations, I have navigated them all. Here are my top 5 things I wish I knew before moving to the UK. For a hand-by-hand guide, get my Uk Essentials Guide today!
The days of the frantic 8am phone scramble for a GP slot may soon be over. New figures from the Department of Health and Social Care show that 98.7% of GP practices in England now offer online consultation requests during core hours, with eight million submissions in October 2025 alone.