₦airaland Forum

Grace321:
For the graduate visa application, someone selected “No” for the question ‘Did you have any medical treatment in the UK’ but this person has done ear syringing before. Is ear syringing considered as a medical treatment?

Thanks

Ear syringing is medical treatment, but to the best of my knowledge that is no longer provided free by the NHS - did you get it through your GP or were you referred to a clinic where you had to pay?

The "no" is fine, as that question is simply a carryover from the tourist visa application aimed at smoking out those who get NHS treatment without having paid/being eligible for it, and as a student on a Tier 4 visa you have paid the IHS and are entitled to NHS treatment like any other UK resident, so even if you had attended a hospital or GP surgery for any other reason and answered yes, it's absolutely fine and makes no difference.

semmyk:
Typically, yes no cooling off period (on used car). However, there are circumstantial technicalities of law.
However, from the OP reply, it I even more remote to launch any without clutching at straws.
Nonetheless, legal challenges on other grounds is possible (might not be feasible): civil claim are notoriously unreliable!!
Be it as it may, if the OP has a solicitor friend, maybe a 'demand letter' might do the trick. Well, that is if the 'trader' is not a perennial fraudster.
[addendum]
Small claim might also come in handy.
However, the 'stress' of small claim or civil case might weary OP out quickly, especially when dealing with a trader that's a fraudster-for-a-livinh!

That's the key point there.
The effort and cost of a small claim might not be worth it, especially as the poster's claim is not specifically for fraud, because he wasn't defrauded. Like any other matter, the OP should count the cost (with all that he's got going on at the moment, do you have the time and energy to chase 200 pounds with an initial 35 pound fee and so forth), and decide whether its worth it to him, especially as this is not a clear open and shut case of fraud and/or misrepresentation.

missjekyll:
This right here is racist. If you doubt me, share these thoughts at work or with other people at the pub. What do you mean by curly haired people? Our hair is the curliest of all.
What on earth are you on about? Hian oh

Lol.
Resurrecting old threads, I foresee some more fire and brimstone splashed about later today, so shall be giving this thread some space.

As a matter of fact, I think there's nothing derogatory or racist in referring to ethnic subgroups such as a reference to Arabs or people of south Asian or European origin. And I think the guy is quite correct in his terminology as he is referring to an African ethnic subgroup (I think he means the Somalis and Eritreans, those with the straighter noses and sometimes lighter skin) and they do generally have curly hair, which is different to the hair of most of us who are generally referred to as being of African origin. The most common African hair type is "coily" and not curly and is properly referred to as "tightly coiled". Easy to see why the confusion with pronunciation could arise .

I gather from having taken one of those workplace diversity courses that "kinky" as used to refer to African hair is no longer acceptable, and the proper terminology is "Type 4" hair.

Amarathripple0:
Exactly! Hence why I’m weary of these challenger banks. If today they crash, getting your money back would be an extreme sport. I read the fine print of some of these banks and I went with Barclays instead.

All UK banks have the same £85,000 FSCS deposit protection including the challenger banks, so they're just as safe as Union, abi Barclays Bank.

Lexusgs430:
But this transaction was not a scam ........ A non refundable deposit was made ...........

Exactly, so trying to claim the money back in the guise of fraud, as advised, will not work.

hustla:
Does this apply to Monzo too?

I am thinking of sticking to the regular chase for work related payments and then transfer to Monzo, Monese etc for petty spending

I don't use Monzo, so I can't say if it's signed up to the CRM Code. You could check their FAQs on their app if they have those or just google.
However, Monzo, Chase and Starling are full banks, unlike Revolut and TransferWise, which specifically do not offer banking services.

Also remember that just because they have signed up to the refund-in-the-event-of-fraud code, it doesn't mean that all banks will refund scammed customers in all cases, and something that might fly with one bank might not with another. Customers have to also do their own reasonable due diligence.

AlphaUno:
I’m sure you in a good place now concerning the above, nevertheless, this should still guide others appropriately

Is the cited umbrella contract rate gross or net?
I think its net.

mizGene:
Interesting, what is the criteria for free university education?

Last time I checked, you would need to be a UK resident with ILR at a minimum, and to have lived in Scotland for at least 3 years prior.

kode12:
Maybe this is a lesson for those leaving the high street banks, for the new generation, gen z banks. It could be that Barclays has more "influence".

Revolut isnt a bank, and I dont think it has signed up to the voluntary fraud protection scheme some UK banks have signed up to which is what enables them to refund money when people are scammed.
All UK banks are generally equal in terms of services offered to depositors.

bluebella:
-the holding was done via a call
-the deposit was done via bank transfer(from my revolut)
- I didn't do a screenshot of the post before it was pulled out.
- there is no t&c to the best of my knowledge.



I contacted the bank last night and they said the transaction was authorized and they cannot influence it.

Regarding this deposit, I don't think you can claim it back from the bank without more because not all deposits are automatically and statutorily refundable in all cases.

Whatever the outcome, we can all learn from this - before you hand over money, read T&Cs carefully, and know your rights and obligations. As the Bible says, gird your loins for any action in the event of things going not the way you planned. Dealers are there to make money from you, that is why they are in business. Be prepared to research/consult - for instance when I bought my first car on finance and the dealer pushed GAP insurance (which I hadn't heard about till then) - I told them to hold fire, that I would go home and read up about it, and get back to them later. The car was still waiting for me when I resurfaced.

All in all, I would say that the 200 pounds/mental effort involved in getting it back is the fee for a course in basic DYRC - do your research carefully - and if you dont get it back, absorb it, draw the moral and move along.

semmyk:
While the Elders look into this matter (and say okodoro ọrọ #reality), perhaps few things to pertinent info that might assist me to look from law of contract
- how was the 'holding' done; call or email or WhatsApp or Telegram or online msg ...
- affirm the £200 ('deposit') was (sort code based) bank transfer
- affirm you have a screenshot of the auto trader post before it was pulled out (or you saved perhaps to PDF or print out)
- was there any as-is t&c (though might be possible to contest on 'cooling period', depending)

Lol.
No cooling-off period on used cars, except you carried out a distance selling transaction like buying online.

rayralph:
Visa switched and renewed already.

We did NOT apply for free housing support from the council.

We applied for low cost tenancy from housing association.

Like I said, nairaland isn’t reality. Scotland isn’t England.

Good point.

Scotland is very socialist and I am actually strongly considering moving to Scotland (both I and my wife are remote with only a couple of days in the office) for some better quality of living in a place like Aberdeen, maybe Dundee, the "free" prescriptions, university education and bus transport for children (I've no problem with the higher taxes), but only as long as Nicola is fully aware that her independence talk should be nothing more than "ogboju" to extract more money from the UK government/maintain the amount it already gets. Otherwise Scotland is not financially viable and all the benefits of living there as opposed to England will end overnight if it ever gains independence.

NaughtyBrainiac:
You guys are doing a stupendous job here.
Bravo to everyone that contributes generously here.

My Sister who is in Nigeria, contacted me yesterday that she got an Agent's contact. The Agent would help her get a Slot for Tier 2 visa sponsorship directly from Nigeria.

I told her that I understand that the UK Government issues licenses to some companies and that makes it possible for such companies to sponsor foreigners to work in the United Kingdom.

I explained to her that I don't feel good about such arrangements because:

1. What is the meaning of slots? Slots sounds like a shady arrnagemnet just like we here people say they've got slots in Nigeria.

2. You are not a specialist ( Health Sector, Tech Guru etc) and your occupation is not on the the list of UK shortage occupation. What then is special about you that will make a company sponsor you for a Tier 2 visa?

3. I feel the UK companies that allow such arrangements might be struggling companies that charge a fee for such service.

4. I feel the working conditions in such companies might not be good and such employers might maltreat you because they brought you in some sort of way.

These are just my thoughts. I assured my sister that I will do an extensive research and get back to her in 3 days.

Kindly tell me everything and anything you know about such schemes. Thank you

cc: Ticha Lexusgs430 Rayralph Giselle237 mimilyrics Hustla

Add this to your research:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jun/18/migrant-care-workers-paying-illegal-fees-recruiters

koonbey:
Thanks. I mean reasonable in the context of those models and the purpose.

I'm looking to pay upfront, not finance. Budget is flexible and primary consideration is reliability.

I asked here because I once saw someone quote a price to someone who was looking to finance, saying he could instead buy a cheap car for that figure, but I can't trace the comment.

Any car will serve that purpose.
A 2022 Ford Focus or a 2021 Corolla will be fine in that context, and so will a 2006 Focus or a 99 Corolla.
If you want to buy a car, look into your pocket and decide what you can afford.
Then start looking for a car in that price range.
Obviously for some old cars, any money you put in is basically a gambling stake - if something major or just average goes wrong, you might end up scrapping the car. For some, such as the tongue-in-cheek car for 750 quid someone put up here once, the cost of buying tyres alone could match that of the car, for instance.

All in all, that's the size of the information you can really rely upon for buying old used cars - map out budget, seek car, buy car, write off car price simultaneously and sit back and enjoy the ride.

koonbey:
What model would you recommend for a first car (in the UK)?

I just need something to take me to the office and back (10km each way) three times a week, primarily. I cycle everywhere normally and love it but would need the car as winter approaches.

So just a tool - nothing fancy.

I'm a big guy so can't do one of those Corsas or VW Up!s.

Currently looking at the Toyota Corolla or Ford Fiesta/Focus range.

Kindly advise on what your preference would be and reasonable spend?

"Reasonable" is in the eye or the pocket of the beholder. Only you know what you can afford.
Regarding used cars, note that finance interest rates are always high.

Maturedhustler:
My people,

I am planning a trip from Scotland to London for my family just to refresh and rekindle energy in me that is almost depleted due to school works and settling down for past 6-7months.

I saw reasonable flights through easy jet via Gatwick/Luton/Stansted but not sure which one of the 3 airports will fit into my plan that I can easily commute btw tourist destinations, cheap but safe accommodation (bnb in family oriented area) and back to airport.

I have never been to London but looking forward to see places like London bridge that was falling down , London Big Ben, Iya Charlie abode, my boys will like to visit one/two clubs stadia.

I will appreciate if I can get advice on areas to search for BnB based on listed plan above. Don’t forget I be JJC for London o . Thanks

London is a huge place and accommodation is expensive there, residential and tourist alike.
The good part is that public transport is excellent and you can link everywhere from everywhere with time and patience.
Use the accommodation sites to find something will suit your pocket and head off. Very likely not to be cheap.
All London airports are accessible from central London, choose any.
Regarding sightseeing, buy a ticket on a hop on hop off bus, they take you round all the major sights, best way to get a feel of the metropolis. For specific locations, simply use your phone to plot a course.

claremont:
My views on immigration (and most things in general) is pretty biased mainly because I'm hard left wing, politically. I keep on hearing people make the emboldened comment. It simply isn't true. There is no such principle in the 1951 UN Refugee convention. Refugees are allowed to apply for asylum in any country they deem fit regardless of the number of countries they have passed along the way.

https://fullfact.org/immigration/refugees-first-safe-country/

You are correct that FSC is not specifically stipulated in the Refugee Convention. However, under UK law the government is specifically empowered to remove to third countries asylum seekers who have passed through a safe country to reach the UK to claim asylum. Where this is somewhat unenforceable is on the basis that the asylum seekers of course will not say where they came through. So the Rwandan removal policy is not unlawful (which is why the courts could not strike it down on the grounds of legality).

P.S. As a hard leftist [Corbynista] that you are, apart from taxation levels (which are not yet back to 1970s levels), surely you must have noticed that 2022 UK is not too far from a practical functioning Marxist paradise, there is very little of so-called conservatism in the bunch in Downing Street at the moment.

erico2k2:
well we all are not here as economic migrants, there are some who are visiting and others schooling and will go back.
However if you look at the bigger picture this plane is not about taking people to Rwanda no one is going the Brits know this however, the law is going to leave this process open the backlash to this is simple, anyone who comes fru the river gets taken to a processing centre to be removed to Rwanda. Implication no one will allow themselves to be caught , immigrant will disappear into underground/black economy as they do in the continent and hustle. Job done the Uk save money in housing them treating them and paying for benefit. These guys at the HO have been thinking bout this for ages, now they are going to amend that small gray line that allowed that night judge in the Eu to overrule this and the whole plan will unveil, no one is going to get on a plane but no one can go claim benefit of any sort, This will make the Uk less attractive,

Night judge, lol.

MichaelUde:
Secondly, I clearly said (go back and read my comment, something you very clearly failed to do before jumping in with both feet) that I have much sympathy for refugees and am not very keen on this Rwandan thing, but I understand how their continued coming is not ideal, before the extremists vex and start carrying guns. All the more so when I see lots of young men standing around in groups, playing, talking loudly at the tops of their voices, ostensibly doing nothing in the middle of the day, I wish they would not make themselves so visible, because looking at it from a possible oyibo man's extremist standpoint, it is not hard to see that they would think these are illegal boat people, happily doing nothing and feeding off their taxes and chopping benefits at government expense, whether or not that is actually the case.

.

The people I think you're referring to are mainly Somalians and Eritreans, I believe, people from the Horn of Africa. You're right, they are a visible sort of group in Manchester sometimes, and this is because the HO uses or used to use Manchester [and Glasgow too] as dispersal locations for refugees, so many ended up settling there while others might be waiting for their situations to be sorted. In their defence, asylum seekers are not allowed to work, so perhaps coming out every day to hang around and make noise in the park is the only thing they can do with themselves until their situation is resolved, but I see your point about how that can be open to a different interpretation.

biggieman1:
Hi,

I am currently working in the Financial sector earning about N430k and expecting upward increase to N550k plus in November 2022.

Since 2019, I have been trying to switch to HR. I have written CIPM and became an Associate Member. I am also running a Master's program in Unliag in Industrial and Labour Relations (HR). I currently have an opportunity to switch to HR consulting (entry level position with monthly net of about 240k) in one of the big 4.

I have tried to switch to HR as an Experienced hire in the past but I always get regret mails because of lack of HR experience.

I have plans to japa from the country by next year by God's grace and will love to have HR experience before I do but the pay is discouraging as I need to gather as much money as possible

Should I stick to my current job or pick the HR entry level job? What would you advise?

Stay where you are.

stephoye:
Good morning my people. I worked for an employer who doesn't want to pay my wages. They should have paid since 27th of May. My calls and messages were not responded to. What can I do please?

Find out from your colleagues if they have been paid, then write your employer a formal letter demanding your own pay. In the absence of any response, gather all your evidence and contact a body called ACAS. Beyond that I'm not too sure of the process, as that's the farthest I've seen it taken, but I think if they cant help resolve the matter, you can now get a lawyer and head to an employment tribunal.

claremont:
We are all here as ''economic migrants'', it's only sheer luck that make us different from refugees.

Be that as it may, I'm happy today that the ECHR has intervened at the expense of the UK courts who supported this abhorrent policy. No one is going to be deported to Rwanda.

I'm an Atheist, but I specifically welcome the intervention of the Church of England in this matter. If the Queen who is the Head of the Church of England and Prince Charles finds that this policy is ''appalling'' and abhorrent, who are you?

Who am I? We're all human beings who shit, piss, fart, emit the usual bodily fluids and occasionally [or frequently, as the case may be] shag and whose bodies/ashes will all rot in the ground. Nobody, but nobody's opinion is sacrosanct, everyone's entitled to one.

Firstly, Prince Charles stated his opinion not in any religious capacity, but in relation to his trip to Rwanda representing the Queen as the Head of the Commonwealth. It was some COE bishops who condemned the policy from that angle. But with regard to your statement that you're an atheist, I have to state that I do believe in God, but do not practice religion, as it is all manmade and generally targeted at mind control and not worship, so whatever COE bishops or the Pope or any given pastorpreneur back home in Naija say naturally carries little weight with me, from a religious standpoint.

That said, I don't think Boris actually properly planned this Rwanda thing (of which I would have been in support if carried out), he must have known that the ECJ would step in on the basis of the ECHR to stop it, as the UK and the EU are not friends at the moment, to say the least. It's worth pointing out that the EU itself has previously sent migrants to Rwanda, so there's arrant hypocrisy and sheer politics at work here.

We are all economic migrants, true, but we came lawfully, with the consent of the UK government. Followed the rules, paid the huge monies, etc. We didnt pay tens of thousands of pounds to people smugglers, we paid it to UK universities and/or the Home Office as the rules required.

I have every sympathy for genuine refugees, for one my mother is Igbo, and some of my family here in the UK arrived here during the civil war as refugees, and for another, with the way Naija is going under Buhari's TLC, many people back home, including my friends and family members, might one day find themselves as refugees when it ultimately collapses, but these people coming are not genuine refugees, they have the money to pay for one way smuggler tickets to the UK, passing through parts of Europe in the process, and thus circumventing the "first safe country" principle. They are economic migrants, and should come through a different process, the ones we followed. In response to the argument that some of their countries are not safe places to be in the first place so they cant apply for UK visas from there, they should claim asylum in the first safe country they get to, or last last, France, then apply from there.

The harsh truth is that these people coming unrestrictedly are polarising the immigration debate unnecessarily, and that ultimately affects us who came lawfully as well if things go nasty. Again, in response to the assertion that the UK is not the US and people are more "civilised" here, with the way things are going in this country, extremism, which tends to flare up when economic issues arise and people become or feel poorer, may not be too far off.

In response to the other argument that the UK came to Africa and Asia, robbed, exploited, raped and stole, so is now reaping the fruit of what it sowed in terms of the "We are here because you were there" assertion, again 99% of the time there is no morality in politics, it is all about achieving ends, so come lawfully or try making that argument to some extremist like those in the US who set out deliberately to kill minorities and see how far you get.

Suzam:
How easy or difficult is it to open account with Baclay for someone that just arrived UK

Lol.
Barclays still has a hold over the Nigerian imagination as per a UK OGB.
All UK banks na the same, and with the way they are closing branches these days, Barclays might become fully app-based like Monzo by the time our children are opening their own accounts.

DeeOneBangin:
The first driving lessons I had, told my instructor I have 12 years driving experience. Na so he give me car say he wan see my driving.

When we got to the down hill part, I put car for neutral straight. The guy asked me “Where did you learn that, was that how you were taught in Nigeria ”

By their driving ye shall know them.
Funnily enough, I went to a driving school in Naija, and I was taught about that and not to do that, along with the proper way to navigate roundabouts (which I find difficult to unlearn, giving credence to Lexus' hypothesis).

kaylov12:
Hello all,

The government is issuing a maths and Physics teachers retention payment. Does this count as public fund?
I need to know this as I am due to apply by Jan 2023.

I certainly shouldn't think so.
A quick look on Gov.uk shows that this is an incentive meant to attract/retain staff in a sector, just like a sign-on bonuses.

Osoderi:
Morning house pls is there any one that have traveled from uk to Romania on medical appointment. please if there is kindly assist. I am thinking of traveling abroad for medical issue. The NHS is nothing to write home about. i need urgent medical assistance but no appointment even after my GP sent a referral. i can't hold the pains , pls any body who has gone abroad to Romania should kindly assist. Thank you.

I assume you need an operation of some kind. I'm also sort of looking into this as well as my mother might need a knee replacement and I'm looking at accessible and affordable options in eastern Europe.

We had this discussion the other day in the office. I had some dental work done for which the rip-off private dentist charged me almost 2k. My coworkers were all shocked, telling me that lots of people go to eastern Europe (Budapest, Prague, Lithuania) or Turkey for serious dental work given the cost differentials. (A colleague of mine has just come back from Turkey, said she spent 2k in total on what she was being charged 9k+ for in the UK). The discussion moved on to medical issues, and how the long NHS waiting lists and huge UK private costs are making people have to go to eastern Europe for necessary operations.

I don't know about Romania, but the main destinations mentioned were again Lithuania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Turkey and Greece. Some people say you can also get relatively cheap care in Portugal as well.

Points to note:

1. From what I have gathered so far from my research online and from word of mouth, some of the reputable hospitals you could contact have UK reps, and some offer a whole facilitation package for getting you there, accommodation, etc.

2. Depending on the operation, you should note that you usually have to go back to them for follow-up/checkup/disaster management if anything goes wrong, so factor that in. UK providers might not want to do that for you except in an emergency and you have to turn up at the ED.

3. When reading reviews online, remember that there are just as many bad reviews for UK private providers. Operations go well and go badly everywhere in the world. Nothing is foolproof. When researching, I came across an article in the Times about NHS waiting lists and how people are going to Europe to get things sorted, and after reading the extensive comments on the article, where people tell of their experiences, I was amazed to find out that people are going as far as Thailand for dental work, and they were generally bashing UK dentists for being just as ordinary as everywhere else and 5 times as expensive.

4. Getting visas is another hurdle to scale - the east Europeans generally have lousy visa processes, based on some form of official racism. Romania's is a case in point, even though it's recently moved some of the process online. Far better to get a multiple entry Schengen visa from a western European country and use that. Easier for the Brits who of course can just get up and go. Turkey has the easiest visa process, its fully online.

Best of luck as you search.

MadeMen4Life:
On the other hand, where can I get cheap car parts please… My Lexus is250d injectors don dey drop diesel causing some bad smoke coming out of my exhaust. I was advised to buy 4 fuel injectors

Ebay.
Breakers' yards in your city.
Diesel cars are fine. I drive a diesel, even though as Lexus pointed out they do have those weak points in the EGR valve (and the DPF). If you are using your car for short, intra-city trips, get a petrol car. Diesel cars require some TLC, such as hitting a motorway every so often (I used to do Sunday mornings) for the whole DPF regeneration thing. (That might not be sustainable in these days of £2/litre). Apart from that, for common models you should find anything you want on eBay, but if I were using an old model diesel and any of those diesel-specific wahala cropped up, off to the scrapyard it goes.

penurypredator:
Good evening house, just need clarity on an issue.
So basically, I’m in the process of changing apartments and I did go for a viewing. They took my details and Missus’ own and ask about our pay and stuff.
Fast forward to earlier this week, they asked for ID’s and proof of address and details of employer & landlord details. My current landlord I think he replied to their email and same as my COO at work.
Afterwards they asked for employment contract and last 3 months payslip and I sent that as well.
Got another email hours back saying they needed to see last 3 months account statement showing salary being paid. Had to drop a mail for my bank asking if they can send that to my address because Monzo allows me to either generate for June or all time statement.
Told Missus about it and she’s not a fan of being pushed around that much and she told me these requests are really off. I felt that way too because my current apartment, all I had to do was show proof of residency and that was it.
These new guys have ran credit checks and asked for literally everything. It’s not like I’m applying for a mortgage or something.
Has anyone moved apartments recently and is this like the new normal?
Because I can’t seem to recollect people on student visa being asked for this amount of documentation.
Ps; I’m sorry this is one hell of a long read

Unfortunately, yes it is, in England at least.
Regarding renting, it is a landlord's market now, and the hurdles to jump through are legion.
There are more renters than available properties so landlords can afford to pick and choose.
Play ball, choices are limited.

donald197:
Hi elders, I heard I can travel to Dublin with train from Belfast and I don't need tourist visa to Ireland from UK. How true it?

If you have a Nigerian passport, you need a visa to visit the Republic of Ireland.

mintyx:
Wow, thanks again for the clarification.

I really don't know how to go about with the SIPP, I'm kinda new to the system.

Would you be kind to explain how to go about the SIPP further please?

SIPP means "self-invested personal pension". The name explains it all. Basically, it means saving a certain amount of money from your salary every so often (maybe each month for instance), and investing it in the stock market yourself for your pension.

In a traditional pension offered by the government (and companies as well, previously) called a defined benefit pension, you will get a guaranteed amount of money each month when you retire (depending on how much you were earning before you left). This guaranteed amount is usually increased in line with inflation every so often (recall Nigerian civil service pensioners who retired in the 90s when money was money on pensions of maybe 5k a month for some directors, and who were still receiving those amounts in the 2000s before harmonization, when 5k naira had turned into change/fuel money). In the UK, the government guarantees pensioners will receive that sum, and the UK government has more credibility than the Nigerian government. For now at least.

The reason why Lexus referred to the NHS pension as being the baba of all pensions is because of the amount the government contributes. In a standard pension setup, money is deducted from the employee's salary every month for their pension, and the employer also makes a contribution. You might have maybe 5% deducted from the employee's salary while the employer makes a contribution of maybe another 5% of the employee's salary. In the NHS (and other public sector jobs), the government as the employer contributes like 20% or so, which is way better than what the private sector offers.

(On the other hand private sector salaries are usually better than public sector ones for comparable positions).

The private sector offers defined contribution pensions. In this type of pensions, your employer deducts money from your salary, adds their own contribution and hands the money to a pension provider who then invests it in stocks, bonds, etc. There is risk involved in that after you retire, you can get less than you actually paid in if your pension provider's investments do badly, as opposed to the government-guaranteed defined benefit pensions wherein if you are told you will get maybe 80% of your final salary as a pension, the full faith and credit of the UK government is behind that guarantee.

The law requires employers to auto-enroll their employees into pension schemes 3 months after they are employed. You can opt out, but the employer is required to auto-enroll you again some time later, I can't remember exactly.

Do not waste your hard-earned money with a SIPP if you are not ready to put in some effort to study the stock market and get more than a general overview of investing. It's not for everybody.

hustla:
Lexus, I have a Q
Would have asked the person directly but I left the city already

The babe works in IT Audit with NHS and she's on a student visa (20 hrs)

Does it qualify as sponsorship and towards ILR?

1. No to the first half of the question, and yes to the second half. She's on a student visa, so she is not being sponsored.

Sponsorship is a specific process whereby the employer tells the Home Office you are working for them and you are given a COS number (same concept as a CAS number for students) to apply for a Skilled Worker (former Tier 2) visa. If you get a skilled worker visa, you have to spend 5 years on that visa (you can change employers) to qualify for ILR.

2. If you are on a student visa, all time spent legally in the UK counts towards the 10 year ILR route, including student visas and the post-study visa.

[quote author=tolajay post=113347621]Dear UK-based Global Freelancers:

1. [How do you receive money (USD) in the UK?
Your clients can either wire the money direct to your UK GBP account (it will be converted at the day's exchange rate), or you can open a Wise USD account so that you can receive directly in USD, as a separate account will help for accounting (and maybe tax) purposes.

2. I saw a USD account feature on my Revolut app, can it be used for USD inflow?
No idea. Try it and see.

3. How are Freelancers that earn from abroad taxed in the UK?
You have to declare your income to HMRC separately by filing a self-assessment either online or manually. If your income is sizeable, best to pay an accountant so they can claim all the reliefs claimable and loop you through the loopholes

4. If I have a Nigerian USD account and receive USD into it, then convert to Naira, then convert to GBP, would that make sense and will the inflow be taxed?
See the response to 2 above. No-one goes checking your accounts for inflows to be taxed, except where their amounts raise questions at your bank. It is your duty to declare your income to the government