Time: Local time in the United Kingdom is GMT (GMT +1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: The electrical current in the UK is 230 volts, 50Hz. Flat three-pin plugs are standard.
Money: The currency is the pound (GBP), which is divided into 100
pence. ATMs are available in all towns and Visa, MasterCard and
American Express are widely accepted; visitors with other cards
should check with their credit card companies in advance. Foreign
currency can be exchanged at bureaux de change and large hotels,
however better exchange rates are likely to be found at banks.
Travellers cheques are accepted in all areas frequented by
tourists; they are best taken in Pounds Sterling to avoid
additional charges.
Currency Exchange Rates
£1.00 =
US$ 1.53
£ 1.00
C$ 1.56
A$ 1.49
R 12.95
€ 1.21
NZ$ 1.93
Note: These rates are not updated daily and should be used as a guideline only.
Language: English is the official language, though visitors will be astonished by the variety of regional accents.
Entry requirements for Americans: US travellers must hold a valid passport; a visa is not
required. UK Immigration officials will decide on length of stay up
to six months depending on reason for travel.
Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadian nationals must hold a valid passport; a visa is not
required. UK Immigration officials will decide on length of stay up
to six months depending on reason for travel.
Entry requirements for Australians: Australian nationals must hold a valid passport; a visa is not
required. UK Immigration officials will decide on length of stay up
to six months depending on reason for travel.
Entry requirements for South Africans: South Africans require a valid passport and a visa for entry or
transit through the UK. South African temporary passports are not
recognised.
Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealand nationals must hold a valid passport, but no visa is
required. UK Immigration officials will decide on length of stay up
to six months depending on reason for travel.
Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals need a valid passport but do not require a visa
to enter the UK.
Passport/Visa Note: If a visa is not required, travellers should hold a return or
onward ticket, or proof of funds for the duration of stay.
Passports must be valid for the period of intended stay in the UK;
nationals of the EU require a passport valid on arrival. It is
highly recommended that passports have at least six months validity
remaining after your intended date of departure from your travel
destination. Immigration officials often apply different rules to
those stated by travel agents and official sources.
Travel Health: There are no specific health risks associated with travel to the
UK and food and water can be considered safe. The British National
Health Service is excellent; emergency treatment is free to
visitors, but charges are made for routine medical care. A number
of countries have reciprocal health agreements with the UK
including Australia, New Zealand and EU countries. Visitors from
other countries (including Canada, South Africa and the US) are
advised to take out good medical insurance.
Tipping: Tips of 10 to 15% are expected in restaurants and upmarket
hotels in the UK if a service charge hasn't been included. Hotel
service staff receive an optional amount. Taxi drivers are usually
given 10 to 15% of the fare. Other services are discretionary.
Safety Information: It is generally safe to travel throughout the UK, although
travellers are advised to take special care of their personal
belongings in central London, where pick-pocketing is often
reported. There is a risk of international terrorism and security
has been increased at transport hubs throughout the country.
Security at all UK airports has been tightened and increased
restrictions on hand luggage have been introduced.
Local Customs: Handshaking is customary when introduced to someone new. Smoking
is banned in all enclosed public spaces, including pubs and
restaurants, and on public transport. The ban is also in effect in
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. There is a strict etiquette
on escalators - stand on the right, walk on the left. Visitors will
find Londoners more rushed and less friendly than Brits in other
parts of the country, particularly on London transport where
tourists are generally the only people who talk.
Business: The four countries of the United Kingdom, although culturally
and historically different, generally keep to the same practices in
business. Politeness and punctuality are key to good business
relations, and initial meetings are often conducted formally and
impersonally, becoming more open and social as things progress.
Business cards are exchanged at introductions. Dress is formal,
with dark suits preferred. Business hours are generally 8am to 5pm
Monday to Friday with an hour taken at lunch.
The communication style can be difficult to adjust to: the
British people respect politeness to a point that often obscures
their ability to say exactly what they mean. As a result,
travelling businessmen will need to learn to "read between the
lines" and to take cues from tone of voice and facial expression.
Humour is also an integral part of the British system of
communication, and is used to diffuse a tense situation and to
cultivate relationships. Never assume that an attempt at humour
undermines a person's ability to do their job, or discredits the
importance they attach to a deal or negotiation.Furthermore, don't
be fooled into thinking that the British propensity for irony and
sarcasm equates with an informal work environment.
During meetings, be tactful, avoid becoming emotional and
illustrate your experience with the subject at-hand. Performance
and initiative are looked upon favourably, whereas, academic
pretension is given far less credence. Meetings are often used as
platforms for debate, rather than moments of confirmation,so don't
be surprised if not much progress is made. Be sure to respect and
appeal to all parties involved, as the British have recently begun
to take a far flatter approach to management and the responsibility
of decision-making. And if things go well, purchase a pint or two
for your clients or colleagues; though gifts are borderline
inappropriate, a round of drinks will rarely be refused.
Communications: The international country dialling code for UK is +44. The
outgoing code is 00, or 048 for Northern Ireland, followed by the
relevant country code (e.g. 001 for the United States). There are a
wide range of city/area codes in use. Mobile phones work throughout
the country; the network operators use GSM 1800 networks, which may
not be compatible with some dual-band US cell phones. Internet
cafes are available in major towns and cities, train stations and
airports.
Duty Free: When arriving from a non-EU country, travellers can bring the
following goods into the UK tax or duty free: 200 cigarettes, 100
cigarillos, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco, 4 litres of still table
wine, 16 litres of beer, 1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs or 2
litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine or other alcoholic
beverages of less than 22 per cent volume, £340 worth of all
other goods including perfume and souvenirs. When travelling from
another EU country to the UK visitors do not have to pay tax or
duty on goods purchased in said EU country provided tax was
included in the purchase price, the items are for personal use and
have been transported to the UK by the visitor, and do not exceed
3200 cigarettes, 400 cigarillos, 200 cigars, 3 kg of smoking
tobacco, 110 litres of beer, 10 litres of spirits, 90 litres of
wine and 20 litres of fortified wine. Note that although Gibraltar
is part of the EU, it is outside the Community Customs territory
and allowances for outside the EU therefore apply. In the case of
Cyprus, only goods under the effective control of the Government of
the Republic of Cyprus are treated as EU imports.
