Accommodation in the UK

Unless you have mates, or mates of mates, to stay with, you will need to look at short-term accommodation until you get established. If your main goal is to start a job in the UK quickly after you arrive, you should plan to find a short-term, well located, reasonably priced, safe and secure place to stay in when you first arrive. There are lots of accommodation options in and some types are far more suited to some than others.

Backpacker hostels in London - Traditionally the way to getting backpacker accommodation in London is through a hostel. Hostels are relatively inexpensive and a great way to meet lots of travellers. Cleanliness and comfort and privacy levels vary between the different London hostels so it pays to shop around. Visit www.workgateways.com for a list of hostels. Also see http://www.tntmag.co.uk/ and www.gumtree.com.

Staying at a guest house, small hotel or bed and breakfast. For the working traveller, in terms of privacy and a safe place for your belongings, you may want to consider the above rather than a hostel. In most guest houses or small hotels you will probably have your own room; however, you may have to share a bathroom with several other guests. If you can share a twin room with a mate, you will find it even cheaper. Safes for your valuables are sometimes provided. Hot breakfasts are usually included and you'll have a cupboard in which to hang your job-searching suit. If you go out of peak season or decide to stay longer-term, many UK guest houses and small hotels will offer a discount if you ask.

Shared accommodation. Visit www.accommodationlondon.net and you will find a range of studio apartments and shared houses in London which are fully equipped and accessible. They are usually in demand so you need to act quickly.

Live-in accommodation in the UK. Many jobs within a pub or hotel environment such as waiting tables, bartending, reception and chef jobs provide live-in work arrangements. Often in a live-in arrangement some meals and board are included and depending on the number of hours you work you can be paid wages on top of this. Live-in work is more often found outside London, in regional UK areas, smaller cities and towns.

Flats are generally apartments with one to three or more bedrooms which are to be let, or rented, as an entire unit.

Flat-shares come available when a flat is already occupied and one or more bedrooms become available for rent. This means you'll be sharing common facilities of the flat such as kitchen, lounge room and usually bathroom.

Bed-sits are interesting and popular in the UK. Usually an old multi-level house will be split up into mini-apartments. This mini apartment will generally just be a bedroom with perhaps some room for a sitting area; sometimes there are sinks in the bedrooms as well. Bathroom and kitchen facilities are generally shared with either all those in the house, or just tenants on the same floor. This can be an inexpensive and convenient accommodation option. It's a hybrid between a guest house and renting a flat.