Niels & Eva(28)

Eva works as a nurse, I'm a graphic designer. Eva was offered a job at Bristol Royal Infirmary through a recruitment agency that specifically recruits NHS staff from abroad. The NHS has a chronic shortage of nurses, so her Skilled Worker visa was arranged quickly. I came along as a dependant.

Renting a home in the UK was the biggest culture shock. In the Netherlands you rent a place, pay a deposit and you're done. In England you need references — from a previous British landlord, which of course you don't have. You need a credit history — which as a newcomer you don't have. And many landlords ask for a UK-based guarantor, which you also don't have. We eventually paid six months' rent upfront to convince a landlord.

A letting agent in Bristol explained how it works: you don't pay agency fees as a tenant (that's been legally banned since 2019), but you do need a reference check via a credit reference agency. We had no British credit score, so had to provide extra documents — employment contract, bank statements and a letter from Eva's employer. OpenRent was ultimately the website where we found our flat — directly from the landlord, which simplified the process.

NHS registration was automatic for Eva through her employer. For me as a dependant I had to register separately with a GP. It went smoothly — BRP, proof of address (a bank statement or utility bill) and a completed form at the practice. What surprised us: you can't freely choose your GP like in the Netherlands. You're assigned based on your postcode. Fortunately our GP practice was good.

Bristol is a great city for a young couple. It's smaller than London, but buzzing with culture, music and street food. Rents are more affordable — we pay £1,100 for a two-bedroom flat in Bedminster. The city is progressive, green and has a strong sense of community. We quickly made friends through Eva's work and a local running club.

Our biggest advice: start building your UK financial footprint months before your move. Open a bank account as soon as possible (Monzo or Starling can be done online without a UK address), apply for your NI number and build your credit history. And don't be discouraged by the rental market — it's frustrating, but it works out. After a year we feel completely at home in Bristol.