South Africans and the National Insurance Number

South Africans who are relocating to the United Kingdom sometimes get strangled in the paperwork and red-tape involved with their relocation. One of the topics on which the consultants at Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants often get questions is the National Insurance Number. We have compiled a short article for South Africans relocating to the UK, on the issue of the National Insurance number. The National Insurance Number The National Insurance (NI) number is unique for every person. You will keep your NI number for life, and the number will only be used for one person. It consists of numbers and letters and is allocated by the Department for Works and Pensions. The NI number is used by the HM Revenue & Customs and the Department for Works and Pensions to identify persons. The number also ensures that NI and tax contributions are recorded against the record of the correct person and that the correct amount of tax and NI are paid by every person. The National Insur…
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Weekend travel information for 6 April 2018

Here is our weekly travel update to help you get around London this weekend, 7-8 April, and also the following week. Most of the network will be open with services running as normal, but please check if any of the following affect you. London Underground Due to ballast and track replacement, there is no service: Metropolitan line On Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 April, between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Uxbridge Piccadilly line On Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 April, between South Harrow and Uxbridge London Overground There will be no service: From Saturday 7 April to Sunday 8 April between: • Gospel Oak and Barking, due to Network Rail infrastructure work • Crouch Hill station will be closed, with no staff or ticketing facilities available, due to Network Rail bridge work On Sunday 8 April between: • New Cross Gate and Crystal Palace/West Croydon, due to Network Rail track and infrastructure work • Surrey Quays and New Cross after 20:45, due to Cr…
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Weekend travel information for 30 March 2018

Here is our weekly travel update to help you get around London this weekend, 31 March - 1 April, and also the following week. Most of the network will be open with services running as normal, but please check if any of the following affect you. London Underground There will be no service Circle line On Saturday 31 March and Sunday 1 April between Edgware Road and Hammersmith, while we test new signalling District line From Saturday 31 March until Sunday 1 April between Edgware Road and High Street Kensington, while we test new signalling Hammersmith & City line From Friday 30 March until Sunday 1 April between Edgware Road and Hammersmith, while we test new signalling Northern line From Friday 30 March until Monday 2 April between Charing Cross/Moorgate to Golders Green/East Finchley, while we carry out points works at Camden Also, on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 April, all southbound trains from Edgware will be via Charing Cross and all train…
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Moving abroad: The top five cities South Africans should consider

As beautiful as South Africa can be, sometimes you’ve just got to fly the nest. So with the help of Nestpick, we’re looking at some of the most attractive options for those of us considering moving abroad. Compared to previous generations, we have been lucky enough to travel around the world for many different reasons, either for pleasure and curiosity of exploring what we can find behind the doors of our comfort zone or simply for gap years or educational exchanges. Whichever your reason might be and even though most popular destinations among expats include Australia, USA, UK and New Zealand, there are some top cities that definitely attract a larger audience of expats eager to live and work abroad. Nestpick, a search aggregator for apartment rentals all over the world, has analysed different factors in some of the most attractive cities for expats in order to assess the costs of renting a flat there and furnishing it. The best cities for South Africans moving abroad: Lo…
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Weekend travel information for 23 March 2018

London Underground Due to line modernisation work, all weekend there will be: Circle line No service on the entire line District line No service between Edgware Road and High Street Kensington Hammersmith & City line No service between Moorgate and Hammersmith Metropolitan line No service between Aldgate and Wembley Park London Overground There will be no service on: Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 March between: • Hackney Downs and Enfield Town/Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters), due to Network Rail infrastructure work • Romford and Upminster, due to Crossrail construction work and Network Rail infrastructure work Sunday 25 March between: • Liverpool Street and Walthamstow Central, due to Network Rail infrastructure work • South Tottenham and Barking until 12:30, due to Network Rail track work On Saturday 24 March, trains will not stop at: • Cambridge Heath station, due to Network Rail infrastructure work • London Fields st…
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Weekend travel information for 16 March 2018

London Underground Due to ballast and track replacement, and points and crossings refurbishment, there will be: Metropolitan line No service between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Uxbridge Piccadilly line No service between South Harrow and Uxbridge London Overground There will be no service on: Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 March between: • Romford and Upminster, due to Crossrail construction work and Network Rail infrastructure work • Sydenham and West Croydon, due to Network Rail infrastructure work Sunday 18 March between: • Camden Road and Stratford from 21:45, due to Network Rail infrastructure work • Highbury & Islington and Dalston Junction from 22:00, due to Network Rail infrastructure work • Gospel Oak and Barking (eastbound) until 09:00, due to Network Rail infrastructure work • Liverpool Street and Enfield Town/Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters)/ Walthamstow Central, due to Network Rail infrastructure work TfL Rail This weekend th…
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Weekly Travel Information for London

Status updates:- Tube, Overground, TfL Rail, DLR & Tram Bakerloo Line: Minor delays Queens Park to Elephant & Castle due to an earlier signal failure at Willesden Junction. GOOD SERVICE on the rest of the line. Circle Line: Minor delays Anti-clockwise due to a signal failure at Baker Street. GOOD SERVICE Clockwise Free signup to our Expat Match ...just click ex-patriates.com now !! Jubilee Line: Minor delays due to an earlier faulty train at Baker Street. Metropolitan Line: Minor delays due to a signal failure at Baker Street. London Tramlink: Minor delays due to an earlier customer incident. Central:- Good service District:- Good service Hammersmith & City:- Good service Northern:- Good service Piccadilly:- Good service Victoria:- Good service Waterloo & City:- Good service London Overground:- Good service TfL Rail:- Good service DLR:- Good service F…
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Moving to the UK? Don’t leave South Africa without tying up these loose-ends

For South Africans, the road to the UK can be a challenging one, but once you get there it’s worth it. To help you navigate through all the requirements and to ensure that your move goes off as smoothly as possible, we’ve compiled some essential advice and information based on what other Saffas have learned while making the big move. Transfer your money the easy way When transferring your money out of South Africa, you want to get as many Pounds for your Rands as you can. Banks are notorious for giving shoddy exchange rates and it’s far better to use a specialist forex agency. Forex agents build key relationships with banks from all around the world and they process all their transfers in bulk. That’s how they’re able to give you the best rates at lower fees. So forget about using your bank, shop around online and find a broker with local expertise that can help you get the most out of your money transfers. To financially emigrate, or not to financially emigrate? Financial e…
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Weekly Travel Information for London

London Overground:- Minor delays between Surrey Quays and New Cross due to a shortage of trains caused by recent weather conditions. GOOD SERVICE on the rest of the route. GOOD SERVICE all other London Overground routes. Piccadilly Line:- SEVERE DELAYS between Acton Town and Uxbridge due to a signal failure on the eastbound at Sudbury Town, your tickets will be accepted on the local buses. TfL Rail:- SEVERE DELAYS between Ilford and Shenfield eastbound and MINOR DELAYS Shenfield to Liverpool Street westbound due to an earlier faulty train, your tickets will be accepted on the local buses and the Underground. Free signup to our Expat Match ...just click ex-patriates.com now !! Bakerloo:- Good service Central:- Good service Circle:- Good service District:- Good service Hammersmith & City:- Good service Jubilee:- Good service Metropolitan:- Good service Northern:- Good service Victor…
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Weekly Travel Information for London

Here is our weekly travel update to help you get around London this weekend, 3-4 March, and also the following week. Most of the network will be open with services running as normal, but please check if any of the following affect you. London Underground Bakerloo line This weekend, there is no service between Queen’s Park and Harrow & Wealdstone due to Network Rail engineering work. Replacement buses are running. Due to line modernisation work this weekend, there will be: Circle line No service between Hammersmith and Tower Hill via King’s Cross St. Pancras. Hammersmith & City line No service between King’s Cross St. Pancras and Barking. Metropolitan line No service between King’s Cross St. Pancras and Aldgate. London Overground There will be no service on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 March, between: • New Cross Gate and Crystal Palace/West Croydon due to Network Rail track work • Romford and Upminster, due to Crossrail constructi…
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