Last updated on: April 11, 2026 by Frederica Hendricks Noble
Are you considering moving to the UK from the USA? I am an American who left sunny, Venice Beach, for the overcast and damp English countryside.
I had fallen in love with an Englishman.
My romance began online and fully blossomed when he arrived in Los for work. Unfortunately, after six months, he had to return to the UK. We tried having a long-distance relationship, but it became difficult and expensive.
Back then, the technology wasn’t what it is now, making it all more expensive and complicated. There was no FaceTime or WhatsApp. Phone calls and flights from LA to London were expensive.
So, we thought about which of us could make the move with little disruption. I had the more portable career and was unencumbered with few material possessions and no critical responsibilities (such as a mortgage, children or pets). Therefore, I decided to look for work in England.
Fortunately, there was a post open for a university lecturer at the University of the West of England in Bristol, which is exactly where I wanted to be!
The story of how I became an expatriate is detailed in my book, . However, here are a few things I wish I had known before moving from the US to the UK.
Things to Know Before Moving to the UK
1. Do Your Research Before You Move
Knowing some of the details of everyday living beforehand will help you in transitioning to your new home country.
No matter how much you want to move to the UK, you still have to do the paperwork, and here is where details are important. Unless you hold a British passport you’ll need a visa to live and work in the UK.
The visa application can be laborious and costly, so make sure to give yourself plenty of time to complete the process.
If you are being relocated for work, often your employer will bear the responsibility of sorting out your work visa, but it is worth a conversation with your HR folks. They may even have a relocation specialist you can work with here in the UK. If not, it is worth looking online for expat groups or organizations.
The UK government’s website provides information about different visas . And a website I recommend checking is The . It provides resources and information for American expats and those moving to the United Kingdom.
Any move can be stressful, but an international move can add additional layers of stress and anxiety to the situation.
For more personal, emotional-social support, I also highly recommend my own lifestyle coaching and consulting service – Noble & Noble Consulting which provides transition and wellness coaching for Americans moving to the UK, whether for business, study abroad, or personal fulfillment.
Subscribe to Spend Life Traveling!
Get updates on the latest posts and more from Spend Life Traveling straight to your inbox.Subscribe
We use your personal data for interest-based advertising, as outlined in our Notice.
2. Your Taxes Might Become More Complicated
Don’t forget, you still have to pay your American taxes!
Once you’ve moved from the US to the UK you’ll most likely have to file taxes in both countries.
The dates for the UK tax and US tax are different, so it may help to get a tax consultant to ensure you are meeting all your tax requirements.
3. Houses in the UK are Smaller Than Houses in the US
In fact, research done by the University of shows that English homes are the smallest by floor area in all of Europe!
Of course that doesn’t mean you can’t find large mansions in the UK.
But, most likely you’ll end up downsizing when moving from the US to the UK. And, there is a good chance the doorways and hallways of your new home are narrower than what you are used to as well, and ceilings of older houses are often low.
This is something to keep in mind when you plan to move all of your furniture from the US to the UK!
Talking About Housing: Use an Estate Agent
In the U.S. we refer to them as “real estate agents”, so, not that different (I’ll talk about language in the next section).
There are a variety of options available for when you first move to the UK ranging from temporary living accommodations such as serviced apartments to short-term residential lettings.
If you are going to be here for the long haul, then you may consider a long-term rental or purchasing a property. There are different methods for acquiring property (i.e., leasehold, freehold, shared ownership, building your own), and it’s worth talking to the estate agent about the best options in the area where you plan to live.
You can live in a sprawling metropolitan area, small town, rural countryside, seaside, or a quaint village. Each area has its own vibe in terms of housing offered – terraced houses, mews, detached houses, thatched cottages, apartments (with or without doormen), apartments in a mansion, converted barns and mills. An estate agent can help you navigate the property market.
As in America, there are quite a number of estate agents and certain agencies will always have in their portfolio particular types of properties. My recommendation is to, in addition to the big, well-known estate agencies, try the local, smaller agency in the area you want to live, as they sometimes know of listings that may not have yet come online.
You should also pay attention to the cost of the council tax and a minor thing worth mentioning about living in the UK; you’ll have to pay a tv license if you’re going to be watching television.
4. Speaking English vs. Speaking American
I speak American, my son is bi-lingual and speaks both English and American.
I sometimes have to remember to use the English words when I am in a shop or clothing store. For instance, the word for sweater in England is “jumper”. Cookies are referred to as “biscuits”.
I have a tradition of making sugar cookies for Christmas and giving them to friends and neighbors. The first time I delivered the cookies, the neighbor said, “Oh, what lovely biscuits!”. It caught me off guard because I hadn’t made biscuits. My southern heritage was a bit offended; biscuits are a staple in the American South, you can have them smothered with gravy or with grits, eggs, and country ham. How could she confuse my decorated sugar cookies with biscuits?
I quickly remembered, she was simply speaking English and I was thinking in American parlance.
So, brush up on your English before you move to the UK. Or you could find yourself in an embarrassing situation, like asking for pants (underpants) when you mean trousers. Moreover, you won’t be put off at work if your colleague wants to borrow a rubber (eraser).
Want to know more about British English? The book How toSpeak Brit is both an entertaining and useful read!
5. Transportation
I grew up in Detroit and lived in Los Angeles, two cities where cars are the preferred method of transport. So, I was quite surprised when my would-be-husband gave me the gift of a bus pass!
When I first arrived in the UK, I was hesitant to drive, it was so completely foreign driving on the left side, and the roundabouts frightened me.
My rides on the double-decker bus to and from work were some of the best experiences I had in those early days because I was able to literally see the lay of the land. I learned the route to work and when I did eventually start driving, I knew the roads and wasn’t intimidated by the narrow roads and zebra crossings.
I do recommend taking a few driving lessons to get comfortable with the left-side driving protocols.
Additional Article to Read: Tips for Driving Abroad for the First Time
6. British Food
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention there are more things to British food than “fish and chips”!
I have dedicated an entire chapter in my book to food and drinks, and I still have not captured all of the wonderful British cuisine available.
Prior to living in the UK, I did not appreciate seasonal food nor a good curry. Since there are people from all parts of the globe living in the UK, it has a good selection of world cuisine, which I did not know before moving here.
The nations within the UK each have their own special foods (example: Haggis – Scotland) unique to their culture. Let’s just say, your palate will develop, and you may even acquire a taste for Marmite!
Final Thoughts About Moving to the UK From the USA
I love my life in the UK. And although I have to set a reminder for different holiday dates in the US (like Mother’s Day) or set a clock for Eastern Standard Time, I would not change my experiences.
The British are generally very polite. They might feel a little reserved at first and not as optimistic as the average American, but give it some time and I’m sure you’ll love the British and life in the UK.
Ironically, when I am in America, there are things about England I miss and vice versa. It has been a fantastic journey and even after 20 years of living here, I am still exploring new places within the UK and learning new things about my adopted homeland.
Are you thinking about dating (or marrying) a British man and moving to the United Kingdom to be with him? Then I think you might enjoy my practical, easy-to-read, and sometimes humorous guidebook. It will help modern women better understand British men and English culture.
Two Other Entertaining Books to Read:
Like this article about moving from the US to the UK? Pin it!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Author: Frederica Hendricks Noble
Frederica is a trained psychologist and life coach, she is the Principal Consultant and Lead Life Strategist at Noble & Noble Consulting. She is the author of The Special : A modern American woman’s guide to finding love with a British man. In The Special Relationship, Federica shares her tips and tricks to help American women succeed in living (& dating) in England. From food and beverages to sports, religion, politics, holidays, daily living, and geography, she provides readers with a practical, easy-to-read, and sometimes humorous guidebook to help modern women better understand British men and English culture.
Recommended
3 thoughts on “Moving From the US to the UK: The Things I Wish I Knew”
- API found this post highly relatable! I moved from the US to the UK a year ago and can totally relate to the struggles of adjusting to the different cultures and ways of life. One thing that I wish I had known before making the move was how to navigate the healthcare system here. It’s been a bit of a learning curve, but I’ve finally got it figured out. Thanks for sharing your experiences!Reply
- DeeI am in the same boat, I fell head over heals for a britishman who is my soulmate. I am looking to move permanently to be with himReply
- JoI’d love to move to the UK and leave America behind, so good for you that you were able to do it. The quality of life in the UK is much better than here, and the NHS is a Godsend. Here, they financially “draw and quarter” you if you so much as get sick or injured.😩 I got hit by a plow nearly a year ago and had to pay $299 for the ambulance bill after 4 months of fighting with the insurance company and trying to get the people responsible to pay it.😭 I wish I were born in the UK. You’re very lucky to be living there.❤️
