Not from the UK?
Working in the UK
We understand it can be difficult to live in a foreign country, particularly at first. If you do not know the language it is very hard to communicate, access information, and therefore access public services. You may also find the UK legal system differs from that of other countries.
When coming to UK and planning to work and spend some time here, we advise you to:
Start learning English. (We can help you access free ESOL classes).
Know your rights and obligations. Websites www.romani-online.co.uk and www.anuntul.co.uk offer helpful information in Romanian.
Learn about the law in relation to sex work.
Register with a General Practitioner (GP) close to your home address.
Get a National Insurance Number, this allows you to work in the UK and access public services. Call Job Centre Plus Application Line on 0845 600 0643 and register for an interview to get a National Insurance Number.
Learn how to travel independently (Public transportation is very well organized and easy to use). For information about transport the Norfolk County Council website has all the information you need to plan your journey.
Learn by heart telephone numbers you need to know in case of an emergency and save useful numbers in your mobile phone. In an emergency call 999 for police, ambulance or fire rescue. Call 101 for the police if the situation does not require an immediate police response.
Think about your personal safety. When you are in a public space, travelling, or in a stranger's car, take note of visual landmarks. Try to use a mobile phone that takes pictures and take a picture of the registration number of a stranger’s car, before you get in.
Healthcare in the UK
Health care in the UK is provided by the National Health Service (NHS). It is divided into:
- Primary care which is basic treatment provided by a local doctor, General Practitioner (GP) and pharmacist
- Secondary care which is specialist treatment provided in a hospital.
How do I register with a GP?
Everybody in the UK is eligible to register with a local doctor (GP) and to access primary care for free. To find your local GP go to www.nhs.uk Scroll down to “Health Services Near You” and type your postcode in clicking on GPs This will give you a list of your local GPs.
To register at a GP surgery you will need attend the surgery and give your name, date of birth, address and telephone number. The receptionist may also ask for additional documents, for example proof of address or proof of ID.
Sometimes it can be difficult to register with GPs, because you do not have the documents asked for. We may be able to help you with this, please contact us on 01603 883423.
If you need more specialist care your GP can refer you to see a consultant in the hospital. This is called secondary care, and depending on your immigration situation, it may or may not be for free.
How do I get Immediate Necessary or Urgent Care?
Care that the doctors consider immediately necessary or urgent must always be provided by the hospital, even if you cannot pay beforehand.
Only If the treatment is seen as non-urgent can the hospital ask you for money and not provide treatment unless you pay.
What if there’s an emergency?
You can go to an Accident and Emergency (A&E) department at your local hospital, if you or someone you know becomes seriously ill and cannot wait until a GP surgery is open.
Care provided in A&E departments is always free but is ONLY for emergencies and should not be used for minor non-serious issues. If you need to call an ambulance, the number is 999.
Walk-in centres
A walk-in centre provides fast access to health advice, emergency contraception and treatments for minor ailments, infections, or injuries such as cuts, strains, sprains and broken bones. You do not need to be registered with a GP in order to see a doctor.
