Remote working in the

UK

The UK has a diverse culture, a long proud history, and beautiful countryside dotted with iconic cities. It is the home of some world famous institutions, from renowned universities to fan-favourite football teams as well as infamously varied weather.

Employment laws in the UK and IR35

The UK recently left the European Union which can add a bit of paperwork to those from Europe who might have previously enjoyed more seamless freedom of movement between countries. A Tier 2 general visa is normally required for any highly skilled workers accepting a job in the UK whilst a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa is what you would need if you are setting up or running a business in the country.

There is also a set of off-payroll working laws, known as IR35, that ensures freelancers who would have been employees if working directly for their client pay the same level of income tax and national insurance contributions as employees do.

Joining the Hightekers network allows you to sidestep all of this as all of that paperwork and local compliance will be handled for you as you will have a full time contract in the UK for tax and regulation purposes.

Quality of life in the UK

Generally the quality of life in the UK is high, although quality of life is not evenly distributed across the whole country. Approximately 75% of people between the ages of 15 and 64 are employed, and there is a well established public health system. People are afforded a decent amount of leisure time and despite the poor reputation, the weather really isn’t that bad – whilst it can often be overcast a lot of the time, the climate generally avoids the extremes of summer and winter and is fairly stable.

Infrastructure in the UK

30Mbps internet is accessible from more than 97% of the country and Gigabit-capable broadband can be accessed from 66% of residential and commercial premises. Mobile internet is consistent in all major urban areas, falling down only in more rural locations with 92% of the UK having good 4G mobile coverage. The UK is working to build its 5G network, currently estimated to have a presence in 50% of all premises across the country.

Transport in the UK

Travelling around the UK is generally very expensive and the train network is notoriously unreliable. Bus networks between different towns also tend to be patchy, but public transport within individual cities tend to be better, with London in particular having a very reliable transport network.

Cost of living in the UK

The UK has become an expensive place to live, especially London, with food and energy prices escalating more than they have done across the rest of Europe. The annual rate of inflation hit 11% in 2022.