Care of Valuables

 

We want you to enjoy your stay in London, so please do your best to avoid being a victim of crime. Theses are some of the things you can do.

· Open a bank account. It’s not a good idea to carry a lot of cash
· Put your wallet in your front pocket - it’s more difficult to steal
· Carry your handbag in front of you. If the bag has a flap on one side keep the flap towards you.
· Carry your valuables in a moneybelt hidden under your shirt.
· Don’t leave anything valuable in the classroom between lessons.
· In pubs, clubs and restaurants don’t put your bag under a table. Keep it with you or ask a friend to keep an eye on it. Even better, if you are going out for a late night, just take some cash, your keys and your travelcard.
· Don’t use a mobile phone in the street - people might try to steal it.
· If you use your credit card, don’t let the assistant take the card somewhere you can’t see it. Credit card copying is common in London
· Be very careful using a cashpoint. Don’t let anybody see your number and if somebody starts talking to you, stop immediately and hold on to your card.
· If you share accommodation with somebody you don’t know, try to find somewhere safe to keep your valuables. Don’t let people know how much money you have.
· If you are renting accommodation:
- try to pay by cheque or credit card.
- if this is not possible get the landlord to show you his/her passport and proof
that the property is his/hers.
- get a receipt.

If something does happen...

Tell the police immediately and get a crime number. This is necessary if you want to make an insurance claim.

Consumer Law

 

When you buy something, you (the “consumer”) have a lot of rights. You should get what you pay for and if something doesn’t work or doesn’t do what it is supposed to do, you have the right to return it and either:

· get a refund
· get a replacement

Most consumer law is based on the “reasonableness” test. When something is not right, just ask yourself what it is reasonable to expect or do. For example, if you buy a waterproof watch and the first time you go swimming the watch stops working, you should get a refund or a new watch. It is reasonable to expect a waterproof watch to be waterproof.

Dealing with the shop

Some shops don’t like giving refunds and sometimes, because you are a foreigner, they think they can make you go away with nothing because you don’t know the law.
Be strong. Tell them that you have the right to refund and if you don’t get it you will report them to the Trading Standards Officer of their local Council.

You can also quote the following Laws:
Sale of Goods Act 1979, Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, the Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations (Directive 1999/44/EC).

Your responsibilities

Of course you can only get a refund if there is something wrong with what you buy and it’s not your fault. If you buy a TV which works and then drop it on the floor and break it, then it’s not the company’s fault. There is also a time limit. If you buy something and it breaks or stops working after a month, you should be able to get a refund, but after a long time it is more difficult. The law is not very clear about how long something should last for, but again the “reasonableness” test is used.

You can make a complaint to your local Trading Standards Office by logging on to:
www.consumercomplaints.org.uk

Drug Offences and the Law

 

The United Kingdom has strict laws about the sale, supply and possession of drugs.
It is best not to get involved in drugs at all as even a minor conviction can lead to you losing your visa and in the future you will not be able to visit a lot of countries.

Under The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, drugs in this country are divided into 3 classes:

Class A
Heroin, methadone, cocaine, Ecstasy (also known as “E”), LSD and magic mushrooms
Punishment for possession: up to 7 years in prison and a fine
Punishment for supply: up to life imprisonment and a fine.

Class B
Amphetamines (speed), barbiturates (speed).
Punishment for possession: up to 5 years in prison and a fine
Punishment for supply: up to 14 years in prison and a fine.

Class C
Anabolic steroids, benzodiazepines (tranquillisers like Valium andTemazepam), cannabis and some mild amphetamines.
Punishment for possession: up to 2 years in prison.
Punishment for supply: up to 5 years in prison and a fine.

For a lot of medicines you need a prescription from your doctor. Without a prescription it is illegal to have these medicines.

Finding a Job

 

Where to look
Many students in London work part-time. If you are a visa student the maximum you can work is 20 hours per week. There are a lot of things that you can do to find work:
· Networking. This means talking to all of the people you know (classmates, friends, landlord, people you meet in the pub) and telling them you are looking for a job.
· Going to a Job Centre. There are government Job Centres all over London. Some of them specialise in particular types of job. For example, the Job Centre in Denmark Street (30 metres from the school) deals mostly with jobs in catering and hospitality.
· Newspapers. The Evening Standard advertises jobs from Monday to Thursday with a special “Just The Job” supplement on Mondays. There are a lot of free weekly local newspapers in every area of London.
· Agencies. There are a lot of agencies, particularly in catering, which will employ foreign students. You will need a CV or to fill in an application form and you should have an N.I. (National Insurance) Number. Some agencies try to charge money for finding you a job. This is illegal - if an agency asks you for money don’t use it.
· Going door to door. It can be very tiring and discouraging but it is possible to get a job by visiting all the businesses in an area and asking if they have any vacancies. You should dress smartly and carry some copies of your CV with you.
· Newsagents’ notice boards. There are some very good job notice boards in newsagents windows, for example near Manor House and Wood Green Underground stations. There is also an excellent job/accommodation board near Earls Court station (come out of the station, turn left and walk about 30 metres)

What you need
· A Curriculum Vitae (CV). There are many websites which give you a template which helps you write your CV. There is also a Microsoft Word Resume Wizard (resume is American English for CV). Some employers prefer you to fill in an application form, but having a CV will still be useful to help you with the form.
· A National Insurance number. You will have to apply to your local Benefits Agency office as soon as you start work. While you are waiting you will be given a temporary number which will be your date of birth and your gender (F for female, M for male) e.g. TN140778F. It can take a long time to get an N.I. number. You have to get an interview (you might wait up to 10 weeks for a date) and you have to take a lot of identification with you - passport, proof of address, a letter from your company confirming you work for them and pay slips. You will eventually get a plastic card with your number on it.
· A home address/passport. Many employers want proof of where you live or who you are, particularly if you will be handling money in your job. You should also get a letter from the school confirming you are a full-time student.

What you will pay

National Insurance
£1 - £76.99 per week
You pay nothing but you don’t qualify for pension & benefits in the future.
£77.01 - £88.99 per week
You pay nothing but you qualify for pension and benefits in the future
£89 - £595
You pay 11%

PAYE (Pay As You Earn - Income Tax)
Personal Allowance £4615

Taxable Bands - After your personal allowance of £4,615 you pay:

0 - £1,960 = 10%
£1,960 - £30,500 = 22%

PAYE Enquiry Line 0845 300 3939

N.I. Enquiry Line 0845 741 3355

Inland Revenue website: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk

 

Licensing Laws

 

You must be over 18 to drink alcohol in a pub, bar or club.

People over 16 can go to a pub accompanied by an adult but they cannot drink alcohol.

If you buy a drink for somebody under 18 you are breaking the law and could be fined or sent to prison.
(If you buy cigarettes for somebody under 16 you are also breaking the law).

The government is currently thinking about changing the licensing laws but the situation at present is as follows:

10.50 pm: the pub must ring a bell to warn customers of “last orders”, which means you
have ten minutes to buy a last drink.
11.00 pm: the pub stops serving drinks
11.00 - 11.20 pm: “Drinking up time” for customers to finish their drinks.

Pubs can get extensions until 12.00 or 1.00 am for very special occasions like weddings or 21st Birthday parties.

Bars and clubs usually have late licences and are open very late but you often have to pay an entrance fee, particularly on a Friday or Saturday.

Drinking & Driving

The best advice is “Don’t drink and drive”. Even a small amount of alcohol can put you “over the limit”. You can be fined or be sent to prison if the police catch you driving a car
with too much alcohol in your blood.

Religious Centres

 

There are a lot of religious buildings all over London. The UK is a multicultural country and there are people of many different faiths here. You can worship in any way you want and many churches, temples, mosques and synagogues are happy for people to visit and talk about their beliefs. The official religion of this country is Protestantism, a form of Christianity, and the head of the Church is the Queen. However, very few British people are now “practising Christians” - only about 5% of the population go to church on Sundays.

 

 

Police Registration

If you are required to register with the police you have to go to:

Overseas Visitors Records Office
180 Borough High Street
Borough
London
SE1 1LH
Tel: 0207 230 1208

Nearest tubes: Borough (Northern Line) or London Bridge (Jubilee Line)

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9.00 am - 4.30 pm
Registration Fee: £34
Documents needed:
· Your passport/travel documents
· Any letters from the Home Office or Overseas Visitors Records Office
· Your Work Permit (if you having a Work Visa)

If you change your address you must inform the police.

 

Medical and Personal Insurance

 

Before you come to the UK we recommend you get good Medical and Personal Insurance.

Seeing a doctor

Students can use a GP (a family doctor) in an emergency without charge, or they can go to the Accident and Emergency Department of a hospital, but in general, for non-emergency medical help, you have to pay.

Some countries have a reciprocal agreement with the UK which means their citizens can use the National Health Service but you should find out about this before you leave your country and get any necessary documents and forms.

If you intend to stay in the UK for a long time and you are considered to be resident, then you may also be entitled to free medical treatment.

Seeing a dentist

Most British people have to pay to see a dentist. If your dentist is registered with the National Health Service you can get a reduction. Full time students are eligible for this reduction but you have to ask your dentist for a special (and very long!) form which you have to fill in before treatment.

Insurance

It is better for you to get insurance in your country before you come here. Medical Insurance should cover at least the following:
· All hospital and treatment costs
· Repatriation (being taken back to your country)
· Living expenses while in hospital
The health service in the UK has long waiting lists and many hospitals are short of emergency beds so if anything happens, you know that with private health insurance you can see a doctor or specialist immediately.

Insurance of your personal belongings is also a good idea. Many students live in shared accommodation with people they don’t know and thieves often see foreigners as easy targets.

Personal Safety

Taxis
If you want to get a taxi, get a black London taxi (“a black cab”). It is more expensive than a minicab but it is much safer. Some minicab drivers have no insurance and quite a lot of people, particularly women, have been attacked by minicab drivers.
If you have no choice but to use a minicab, don’t get it from the street, phone a company and get the name of the driver and the car registration number.

 

Accommodation
If you are looking for new accommodation, never go alone. Ask the landlord for identification and proof that the building is his/hers. Try also to get a landline telephone number, not just a mobile. Check that your accommodation has two types of lock - a Chubb and a Yale. A Yale lock by itself is not very secure. If your room/flat is on the ground floor or in the basement, it should have bars over the windows. Visit the area at night to see if the street lighting is good or bad.

 

Jewellery
If you are going to an area which is not very safe it is better not to wear expensive
jewellery and you should dress down (wear old casual clothes).

 

Mobile phones
The police advice people not to use mobile phones in the street because people might mug you.

 

Using the Underground late at night
If you are travelling on the underground late at night try to sit in a carriage where there are a lot of people, or there are married couples. Don’t sit in a carriage where you are the only person.

 

Procedures in Case of Arrest by Police

 

In general you are expected to cooperate with the police. If they ask you something you should answer them. If the police suspect you have done something wrong they can arrest you. If they do this they are required by law to caution you and tell you your rights and why you have been arrested. Even if you are innocent you should not fight because if you resist arrest you are breaking the law.
If the offence is minor, the police might just take you to a police station, charge you, fingerprint you and then let you go (if they are satisfied that you gave your real name and you are not a danger to society). You might have to appear in court at a later date. If the police want to keep you at the police station in a cell, they will search you and take your shoes away. You have the right to ask the police to tell a friend or relative about your detention. You have the right to contact a solicitor (lawyer) and, if you do not feel confident in English, you can ask for a translator to help you. If you do not know a solicitor you can ask the police to find a government one (the Duty Solicitor) for you.

It is better to wait for your solicitor to arrive and give you advice before you
make a statement to the police.

Traffic Regulations

 

To know about traffic regulations in the UK you should buy The Highway Code from a bookshop.

 

Buying a car

If you buy a car it must be registered, insured and taxed. If it is over three years old it has to be tested annually by a garage registered to do MOT (Ministry of Transport) Tests. If the car passes the test it will be given Certificate of Roadworthiness.

 

Hiring a car

To hire a car you must:
· Full valid licence
· Have had the licence for more than one year
Some companies ask:
· For an international licence
· that you are over 25 (for insurance purposes)
If you want general information about driving in the UK you should visit the DVLA website www.dvla.gov.uk. To find out the law about using your licence here you can go direct to “Driving in Great Britain as a Visitor or New Resident” www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/drvingb.htm .

Basically, if you are over 18 you can use your licence for up to 12 months from the time of your arrival in the UK but the DVLA must be able to contact you through family/friends at the address in your country where your licence is registered.

There is no identity system in this country and you do not need to carry your driving licence with you when driving but, if the police stop you and want to see your licence you have to take it to a police station within seven days. For this reason it is better to carry your licence with you because, if the police don’t believe you have given them your real name they can arrest you.

 

Driving in the UK
These are the regulations produced by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for people who want to use a vehicle in the UK.
Your Legal Obligations as a Driver and/or Keeper of a Vehicle
As a vehicle owner or driver you have certain duties which must be met before you take a vehicle on the road.

Before taking a vehicle on a public road, it must .....
· be registered with DVLA
· have a valid vehicle licence disc (see Vehicle Excise Duty Rates)
· be insured
· hold an current MOT certificate (if this is required)

To drive a vehicle you must .....
· hold the appropriate driving licence for the vehicle being driven
· meet driver minimum age requirements
· meet the legal eyesight standards (see Medical Rules)

You must tell DVLA if you .....
· change your address or name
· make any alterations to your vehicle
· sell your vehicle
· have a medical condition (see Medical Rules)          

To drive a moped or motorcycle you must .....
· have completed and passed a Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) course
· not carry any pillion passengers before passing the appropriate test

As a learner driver you must .....
· be supervised by a qualified driver
· display L plates

 

Avalon School Welfare Officer

 

 

Hello. I am Avalon School’s Welfare Officer, Diane Williams

If you have any problems you need help with, ask Reception for an appointment with me. If you have a problem that is urgent I can see you immediately. Ask at Reception.

 

Appointment times
Appointments will always be some time between 12.30 and 5.00, but the exact time will be different each week so it is possible for students studying at different times to see me. Please check the Notice Board each week to see what time I will be available. Of course, emergency appointments will still be available at any time.

 

Possible problems we can help with:
· If it is difficult for you living in London
· You are feeling homesick and need to chat to someone
· Immigration/Home Office/visa
· Accommodation/landlords
· Dealing with the government e.g. tax, National Insurance
· Lost credit cards, phones
· Who to contact in order to get information
· Hospitals/ Doctors
· Interpreting official forms and bills
· Maps/tourist information

 

You can also speak to me about your studies and what you would like to do in the future.

 

PLEASE NOTE :
Conversations with the Welfare Officer are confidential

 

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