Useful Info for Overseas Visitors & Residents

Holidays

New Year’s Day 1 January
Good Friday varies every year (2022 date: 15 April)
Easter Monday varies every year (2022 date: 18 April)
Early May Bank Holiday first weekend in May (2022 date: 2 May)
Spring Bank Holiday last weekend in May (2022 dates: 2&3 June – celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee)
Summer Bank Holiday last weekend in August (2022 date: 29 August)
Christmas Day 25 December
Boxing Day 26 December
(If a national holiday is on a weekend, a ‘substitute’ weekday becomes a holiday, normally the following Monday)

Shrove Tuesday / Pancake Day February (2022 date: 1 March)
Valentine’s Day 14 February
St David’s Day 1 March (Wales)
St Patrick’s Day 17 March (Ireland)
Mother’s Day March (2022 date: 27 March)
Summer Time begins March – clocks go forward one hour (2022 date: 27 March)
April Fool’s Day 1 April
St George’s Day 23 April (England)
Father’s Day third Sunday of June (2022 date: 19 June)
Queen’s Official Birthday June (celebrated on a Saturday with ‘Trooping the Colour’, her real birthday is 21 April)
Summer Time ends October – clocks go back one hour (2022 date: 30 October)
Halloween 31 October
Guy Fawkes / Bonfire night 5 November (firework displays on and around 5 November)
Remembrance Sunday November (second Sunday. The nation wears poppies to remember servicemen and women who have fought in conflicts)
St Andrew’s Day 30 November (Scotland)
New Year’s Eve 31 December (the Thames fireworks display is now ticketed. Tickets can be purchased from October www.london.gov.uk/events)

You cannot pay with money/cash on the London buses. You must use a travelcard, Oyster card or your contactless credit card (if this is set up to work in the UK)
Vehicles are driven on the left hand side of the road
See London Transport page

Internet connection: There are free wifi hotspots in various cafes, shops, train stations, etc. Click here for Wifi on London transport
If you do not have a laptop or printer, you can use the computers in libraries
Order a giffgaff SIM card and you get £5 credit free when you make your first top up with £10 or more

The legal age to drive a car is 17 years old
The legal age for riding a motor bike, moped or motor tricycle varies, see website for details
The legal age to drink alcohol is 18 years old
The legal age to buy cigarettes and tobacco is 18 years old. It is illegal to smoke in enclosed public spaces including bars, pubs and restaurants and work places
The age of consent (the legal age to have sex) in the UK is 16 years old
The legal age to vote is 18 years old. To vote in a General Election you must be a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen. To vote in a Local Election you must be a British, Commonwealth or EU citizen

In an emergency dial 999 for the ambulance, police and fire services
For non-emergency health issues, see our Healthcare in London page
If you need assistance in knowing your rights, contact the Citizen’s Advice Bureau. They may be able to help you or will point you in the right direction.

If you have a dog you must clean up its mess, you may be fined if caught. Dogs must be microchipped
If you are bringing your pet cat, dog or ferret into the UK click here for rules and regulations

Recycling is common both in the home and sometimes on the street
Used toilet paper goes in the toilet
You can drink the tap water (unless there is a sign telling you not to).
Water refilling stations are popping up around London, for example, Borough Market. Download the Refill app.
The weather can be changeable – layered clothing is always a good idea and a small umbrella. See weather forecast.
Click here to find public toilets across London and at stations
Click here to find luggage storage in London
www.meetup.com promotes a diverse selection of groups to join, ranging from dating to business and walking to theatre goers
Check out the pages on this website for useful vocabulary, leisure and entertainment and much more

London is a big city. Don’t be scared of it but you need to be sensible:

Be aware of your surroundings
Don’t leave bags unattended
Take note of what time the last tube/train runs – are there night buses?
Be careful of scams – for example, if there is a job advert saying you must pay them first – ask yourself if this is real, it probably isn’t
How to stay safe in the rare event of a firearms or weapons attack. Run, Hide, Tell