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After arrival on Skilled Worker visa — NI Number, GP, bank, school, taxes

Updated: May 2026

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After arriving in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa — 5 key administrative steps: open a UK bank account, get an NI Number (you can start work without it), register with a GP for free, understand PAYE on your first payslip, arrange school for your children. All these steps are public information, not immigration advice.

£0
GP registration
free for everyone in England
Day 1
Access to state school
from the first day of arrival for children
Yes
Work without NI Number
Right to Work — eVisa is enough
£0
Documents for GP
ID not required when registering

NI Number — what it is and how to get it

National Insurance Number is a tax and social identifier used by HMRC and DWP. You need it for correct taxation, pension, and benefits.

You can start work without an NI Number. If you have a Right to Work proof (eVisa / BRP), your employer can hire you. Until you get an NI Number, an emergency tax code (usually BR or 0T) will apply, which deducts more tax. After you get an NI Number, a recalculation happens through your Personal Tax Account or your employer.
1
Check if you already have an NI Number — if you have a BRP, the number may be on the back. In your eVisa (UKVI account) — look in the "Your profile" section. An NI Number may have been automatically assigned when your visa was issued.
2
If no NI Number was assigned — apply online: gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number. You will need a Right to Work proof.
3
Your NI Number will arrive by post — usually within 2–4 weeks after you apply. Give it to your employer — HMRC will recalculate your tax for the current tax year.

PAYE — how salary works in the UK

PAYE (Pay As You Earn) is a system where your employer deducts Income Tax and National Insurance from each payslip before paying you the net amount.

What your payslip must show

  • Gross pay — salary before deductions
  • Income Tax deducted
  • Employee NI deducted
  • Net pay — the amount you receive
  • Year-to-date totals — accumulated amounts since the start of the tax year
  • Employer's PAYE reference — your employer's identifier with HMRC
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Cash-in-hand and 'self-employment' demanded by employer — Red Flag

A Skilled Worker visa requires your employer to run a compliant PAYE system. The Home Office checks HMRC PAYE data against the salary stated in your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). If you are paid less, this automatically starts a compliance investigation. If your employer offers to pay you "cash in hand" or asks you to work as "self-employed" — this breaks the conditions of your visa.

Check your tax record: gov.uk/personal-tax-account

GP Registration — free, no documents needed

Registering with a family doctor (GP, General Practitioner) is free for everyone in England — including temporary residents.

What you need
  • Fill in a GMS1 form (at the surgery)
  • An address — can be a temporary address or the surgery's address
What is NOT required
  • ID / passport
  • Proof of address
  • Proof of immigration status

Find a GP near your home: nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-gp

After registration you get an assigned NHS number and access to NHS healthcare (consultations, prescriptions, hospital referrals).

Council Tax — who pays and how much

Council Tax is a local tax on your home (property), not on your personal income. It is paid by the adult occupier (18+) — usually the tenant, unless the tenancy agreement says otherwise.

  • Couples and unmarried partners living together — joint responsibility
  • Band D (UK median 2026): ~£199/month on average, varies a lot by council
  • Discounts: 25% off for a single adult occupier; full-time student exemption; disability reduction
  • Council Tax is not public funds. Skilled Worker visa holders must pay it, like all UK residents

Find your council and its rates: gov.uk/council-tax + the name of your local council.

School for children — access from day one

Day 1 access. Children of dependant visa holders have the same right to state school as British citizens — from the first day of arrival in the UK.
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Schools cannot ask for immigration documents

According to gov.uk Schools admissions guidance, a school does not have the right to ask for a passport, BRP, eVisa or any immigration documents as a condition of admission.

1
Apply through the school admissions portal of your local council, using your address.
2
If there is a place — the school must accept your child. If there is no place — you can appeal through the local council's admission appeal panel.

UK bank — what you need and which banks work

Large banks
Lloyds, HSBC, Barclays, NatWest, Santander
Usually require:
  • Passport + eVisa share code
  • UK address proof (tenancy agreement, employer letter, council tax bill)
Digital banks
Monzo, Starling, Revolut
Usually open:
  • Through an app in 5–15 minutes
  • Passport + eVisa
  • No UK address proof needed (your current address is enough)

FSCS protection — up to £85,000 per bank per person for all FCA-authorised UK banks. Source: FCA / FSCS guidance.

Basic worker rights

  • National Minimum Wage — £12.71/hour (age 21+ from April 2026). Most Skilled Worker visa holders earn more because of the going rate requirement.
  • Holiday entitlement — 5.6 weeks (28 days including bank holidays) for full-time work.
  • Statutory Sick Pay, Maternity/Paternity leave, Anti-discrimination — these apply to all UK workers regardless of visa status.
If your employer breaks your rights:
Fair Work Agency (FWA, formerly GLAA) — gov.uk/fair-work-agency