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London still pulls in tens of thousands of newcomers every year, including plenty of French citizens chasing jobs, degrees, or a fresh start in one of Europe’s biggest global hubs.
But Brexit ended the old “just show up and settle in” era. If you’re planning a move to the U.K. in 2026, the basics now come with paperwork, higher costs, and tighter requirements, especially around visas, rent, and access to the National Health Service.
Visas, the ETA, and what Brexit changed for would-be residents
Since Jan. 1, 2021, French citizens, and other EU nationals, can no longer move to the U.K. freely. If you’re going for more than a short stay, you’ll need a visa.
For trips under six months, the U.K. has rolled out an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), required since late 2023 for many travelers. For anyone relocating long-term, the main pathway is the Skilled Worker visa, which ties your right to live in the country to an eligible job and an approved employer sponsor (the U.K. Home Office is roughly the British equivalent of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for immigration matters).
The Skilled Worker route generally requires a job offer from a Home Office-licensed sponsor, proof of English, and a minimum salary of £38,700 a year as of April 2024, about$49,000at current exchange rates.
Other options exist depending on your situation, including student visas, entrepreneurship-focused visas, and family reunification visas. The key takeaway: the U.K. system is now closer to a U.S.-style immigration model, permission-based, document-heavy, and dependent on your category.
London housing in 2026: high rents, big deposits, and neighborhood trade-offs
Sticker shock is part of the London experience. According to Rightmove, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the capital tops £1,800 a month in 2026, roughly$2,300, with major swings depending on the neighborhood.
Some areas come up repeatedly among French expats. South Kensington has long been popular with families, especially those connected to the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle. Clapham draws young professionals for its parks, nightlife, and (relatively) less brutal rents by London standards. Hampstead appeals to renters who want more green space without leaving Greater London.
Landlords typically ask for a security deposit equal to five weeks’ rent, around$2,600if you’re paying the average one-bedroom price, plus employer references. For many newcomers, a shared apartment is the most realistic first step while you build a local rental history and figure out where you actually want to live.
Your first admin sprint: National Insurance number and a U.K. bank account
One of the first things you’ll need is a National Insurance number (often called an “NIN”). Think of it as the U.K.’s essential work-and-tax ID, closer in day-to-day function to a Social Security number in the U.S. Without it, you can’t work legally, pay into the system properly, or access many public services.
Since 2022, applications have been handled fully online through the official government site, gov.uk, with no in-person interview required. Processing typically takes two to four weeks.
Banking can be another early headache. Traditional banks like Barclays and HSBC often require proof of a local address and a U.K. credit history, two things new arrivals usually don’t have. Many expats start with a digital “neobank” to get up and running, then switch or add a traditional account after they’ve secured an NIN and built a few months of local financial history.
How the NHS works for newcomers, and the fee you’ll pay upfront
The National Health Service (NHS) is free at the point of use for legal residents, but most visa applicants pay an Immigration Health Surcharge as part of the process. Since 2024, that fee has risen to £1,035 per year, about$1,300.
After you arrive, the must-do step is registering with a local General Practitioner (GP), the front door to most non-emergency care. Registration is tied to your ZIP code equivalent (your postcode) and can be done through the NHS website.
Wait times vary sharply by neighborhood and clinic. Some GP offices offer same-day appointments through an app; others book weeks out. For urgent but non-life-threatening issues, Urgent Treatment Centres can be faster than hospital emergency departments, and are often the smarter first stop.
For Americans used to employer-based insurance networks and surprise bills, the NHS can feel like a different planet. But the trade-off is clear: you pay upfront through the visa surcharge, then navigate a system where cost is less of the issue than access and scheduling.
