Your First Week in the UK: A Practical Setup Guide for International Students and Families
Arriving in the UK with your accommodation already arranged is a big step. Once the suitcases are inside and you have had a chance to settle in, however, a new question usually appears:
What should I organise first?
There is no single compulsory order for setting up life in the UK. However, some things are much easier to arrange once a few basic services are in place.
A UK mobile number can make banking and account verification easier. A working bank account helps with household payments and Direct Debits. Families with children may need to start school applications quickly, while GP registration is worth arranging before anyone actually needs medical care.
This guide is designed as a practical first-week roadmap for international students and families who have already arrived in the UK and have somewhere to live.
Contents
Get a UK Mobile Number
Set Up a UK Bank Account
Sort Out Council Tax and Household Bills
Apply for Your Children’s School Places
Register Your Family with a GP
Set Up Transport and Everyday Services
First-Week Checklist at a Glance
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Get a UK Mobile Number
One of the simplest things to arrange soon after arrival is a UK mobile number.
If you have brought an unlocked phone from your home country, you may be able to use it with a UK SIM or eSIM straight away.
A local number is useful for everyday services such as:
banking apps and verification messages
delivery notifications
utility and broadband accounts
school and GP contact details
local bookings and appointments
other UK-based apps and services
You do not necessarily need to sign a long mobile contract immediately.
A Pay As You Go or flexible SIM-only plan can be a practical way to get started while you compare networks, coverage and monthly costs.
Practical Tip
Do not rush into a long contract on your first day.
Get connected first. Once you understand how much data you actually use and which network works well where you live, you can compare SIM-only plans and change provider if necessary.
2. Set Up a UK Bank Account
Opening a bank account is another useful early task because many parts of everyday UK life rely on card payments, bank transfers and Direct Debits.
Traditional high-street banks can be excellent long-term choices, but newly arrived international residents may not yet have all the documents a particular bank asks for.
For example, depending on the bank and account, you may be asked for additional evidence relating to your UK address or student status.
This is one reason some newcomers choose to investigate app-based or online banking options first.
They can be useful for getting everyday banking organised while you are still building up your UK paperwork.
However, do not simply open the first account you find.
Check:
eligibility requirements
documents required
monthly fees, if any
overseas card charges
cash withdrawal conditions
savings rates
customer service options
whether the account suits the way you expect to use it
Bank offers and interest rates change frequently, so compare current terms before applying.
Practical Tip
Once you are fully settled and have more UK documents available, compare accounts again.
UK banks regularly compete for customers, and different accounts may offer useful benefits, savings products or switching incentives at different times.
Your first UK account does not necessarily have to be your permanent bank.
3. Sort Out Council Tax and Household Bills
Once you have moved into your accommodation, check which household accounts need to be placed in your name.
These may include:
electricity
gas
water
broadband
Council Tax
If your property has meters, take clear photographs of the readings when you move in. Keep the photographs with the date recorded.
This can be extremely useful if there is ever a question about energy usage before or after your tenancy began.
Council Tax for Students
If you are a full-time student, check the Council Tax arrangements for your household.
Universities can usually provide information about student status or Council Tax documentation once enrolment or registration has been completed.
You should then check the procedure with the local council responsible for your address.
The amount of Council Tax due can depend on who lives in the property, so do not assume that one student automatically means the entire household will have no bill.
Broadband
If your accommodation does not already have broadband, look into this early.
Installation times vary by provider and property, so it is worth checking soon after arrival rather than waiting until you urgently need a reliable home connection for study or work.
4. Apply for Your Children’s School Places
If you have arrived with school-age children, school applications should be high on your first-week list.
In England, families normally check the school admissions process through the local council for the area where they live.
If your child needs a school place after the normal admission round or after the school year has started, look for information about in-year admissions.
The exact process can vary by council and school.
You may be asked for information or documents relating to your child and your new address, so check the requirements of your own local authority rather than relying on a general checklist.
Before You Apply
It can help to:
identify several suitable local schools
check travelling distance from home
read the latest inspection and school information
check each school’s admissions information
contact schools if you would like to arrange a visit
prepare any documents requested by your local council
Do not assume that the nearest school will automatically have a place available.
Where possible, consider several realistic options.
Practical Tip
If you have more than one child and would ideally like them to attend the same school, mention this when communicating with the admissions team.
It does not guarantee that places will be available, but it is useful for the council or school to understand your family circumstances.
5. Register Your Family with a GP
Do not wait until someone becomes ill before thinking about GP registration.
A GP, or General Practitioner, is usually the first point of contact for non-emergency NHS healthcare in the UK.
You can search for GP surgeries near your home and check whether they are accepting new patients.
Many practices allow you to start the registration process online.
One useful point for newcomers is that you do not need to wait until you have accumulated a large collection of UK paperwork before looking into GP registration.
Register each member of the family, including children.
Why Do This Early?
Once your family is registered, it is much easier to know where to go when you need routine medical advice, prescriptions, vaccinations or other primary healthcare services.
Keep the surgery’s name, telephone number and website somewhere easy to find.
It is much better to organise this during a quiet first week than while somebody is unwell.
6. Set Up Transport and Everyday Services
Once the essential administration is underway, spend some time setting up the services that will make daily life easier.
Transport
The best system depends on where you live.
Check your local:
bus services
train routes
transport apps
contactless payment options
student travel discounts
railcards or local travel passes
London and Birmingham, for example, use different local transport systems, so avoid assuming that advice for one UK city applies everywhere.
Mobile Plan
After using your first UK SIM for a little while, check whether it still represents good value.
SIM-only plans can be useful if you already own your phone. Once you are settled, compare coverage, data allowances and monthly costs to find a plan that suits your needs.
Changing mobile providers later is generally straightforward, and you can usually keep your existing UK mobile number.
Everyday Apps
You may also find it useful to set up apps for:
your bank
public transport
NHS services
your mobile provider
utility companies
grocery shopping
parcel deliveries
You do not need everything on the first day.
Start with what you actually need and build from there.
First-Week Checklist at a Glance
As Soon as You Arrive
☐ Get a working UK mobile number
☐ Check that your phone works properly on the UK network
☐ Start organising a suitable UK bank account
Once You Are in Your Accommodation
☐ Record meter readings where applicable
☐ Check electricity, gas and water arrangements
☐ Check Council Tax arrangements
☐ Arrange broadband if needed
For Families
☐ Start school applications for school-age children
☐ Register family members with a local GP
For Everyday Life
☐ Set up local transport apps and payment methods
☐ Check student travel discounts where relevant
☐ Review your mobile plan once you are settled
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to complete everything on my first day?
No.
For most families, trying to complete every administrative task immediately can make the first few days unnecessarily stressful.
Think of this as a first-week checklist rather than a first-day deadline.
Getting connected, starting your banking arrangements and identifying any time-sensitive family tasks is usually a good beginning.
Should I open an online bank account or a high-street bank account?
There is no single best option for everyone.
Some newcomers find app-based banking convenient during the early stages of settling in, while others prefer a traditional high-street bank.
Compare eligibility, documentation requirements, fees, services, savings rates and current benefits before deciding.
You can also review your banking arrangements again once you have been living in the UK for a while.
Do students automatically pay no Council Tax?
Do not assume that your household has nothing to pay simply because one person is a student.
Council Tax arrangements can depend on the people living in the property.
Check your student documentation and then follow the guidance provided by your local council.
Do I need lots of documents before registering with a GP?
You can begin by finding a local GP surgery and checking its registration process.
NHS guidance makes GP registration accessible to newcomers, and many practices now offer online registration.
If a practice asks for additional information for administrative purposes, contact the surgery if you are unsure what to provide.
How quickly should I apply for my child’s school place?
If your child needs a school place after you arrive, start looking at the local admissions process as early as practical.
For families living in England, your local council is a good starting point for information about school applications and in-year admissions.
A Final Thought
The first week in a new country can feel surprisingly administrative.
There are phone numbers to arrange, accounts to open, bills to understand, schools to contact and healthcare services to find — all while unpacking boxes and learning a completely new neighbourhood.
You do not have to complete everything at once.
Start with the services that help other parts of daily life work more smoothly, deal with any time-sensitive family arrangements, and work through the rest step by step.
By the end of the first week, the UK usually begins to feel a little less like somewhere you have just arrived — and a little more like home.
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