If you're moving to the UK from South Africa, the money side has two halves: closing things down properly at home and setting things up quickly here. Get the order right and you'll be paid, banked and building a UK credit file within weeks rather than months.
This checklist covers the costs to budget for before you fly, how to open a UK account without a credit history, how to move money out of South Africa, and how UK tax works in your first year. Every figure was checked against GOV.UK and other named sources on 11 November 2026.
Key takeaways
The NHS surcharge is £1,035 per adult per year on most visas (£776 for students and under-18s), paid upfront: £5,175 for a 5-year visa.
South Africa's single discretionary allowance is now R2 million per adult a year, up from R1 million, after the Reserve Bank's April 2026 circulars. Larger amounts need SARS approval.
A card-style SA licence lets you drive for 12 months after becoming UK resident; exchanging it costs £43 and must be done within 5 years.
UK income tax starts above £12,570 in 2026/27, with 20% to £50,270 and 40% to £125,140 outside Scotland.
South Africans are Commonwealth citizens, so with leave to remain you can join the electoral register, which helps your UK credit score.
Source: GOV.UK, Immigration Health Surcharge, checked 11 November 2026
What should you sort out before moving to the UK from South Africa?
Before you go, budget for the upfront visa costs, collect your documents and decide what happens to your South African accounts. Most of the expensive surprises for South Africans moving to the UK come from things left until after landing.
Task
When
Why it matters
Budget for the Immigration Health Surcharge
With the visa application
£1,035 per adult per year, paid upfront
Get a card-style SA driving licence and an RTMC confirmation letter
Before you leave
Needed to exchange your licence in the UK
Order several months of SA bank statements and a reference letter
Before you leave
Some UK lenders and landlords ask for financial history
Tell your SA bank and insurers you're moving
Before you leave
Avoids blocked cards and invalid cover
Speak to a cross-border tax adviser about SA tax residence
Before or soon after you leave
Decides whether SARS still taxes your worldwide income
Set up a way to move money, such as Wise or your bank's international transfers
Before or just after you arrive
Compare exchange rates before you send large sums
Deposits and rent land before your first UK payslip, so an emergency fund held in pounds bridges the gap.
Take Action: list your one-off moving costs and your first three months of UK spending in the UK Budget Planner before you book flights.
How much does the Immigration Health Surcharge cost?
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is £1,035 per person per year for most visas, including Skilled Worker and family visas, according to GOV.UK. Students, their dependants, Youth Mobility visa holders and children under 18 pay a lower £776 a year.
You pay it upfront for the whole visa, so a 3-year visa costs £3,105 per adult and a 5-year visa £5,175. Adult dependants usually pay the same as the main applicant. For a couple with two children on a 5-year visa, that's £10,350 for the adults plus £7,760 for the children, before any visa fees. Once paid, you can use the NHS for the length of your visa.
How do you open a UK bank account when you've just arrived?
App-based banks are usually the quickest way to open a UK bank account as a newcomer. Monzo says you need to be at least 16, "live in the UK full time, with the right to reside here", and show a passport, driving licence or national ID card plus a video selfie (Monzo help).
Monzo doesn't always ask for proof of address, but it "might ask you to verify that you live at the address you chose", using a document such as a utility bill or Council Tax statement from the last 3 months. That makes it easier than many high street banks, which often want proof of address before you have a lease in your own name.
High street bank (Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC and others)
Branch access, overdrafts and mortgages later
Usually stricter on proof of address
Through our Monzo link, a new customer aged 18 or over gets £10 and a free month of Monzo Extra after downloading the app, applying, adding money and making a card payment within 30 days, under Monzo's referral terms (no end date set). For a wider comparison, see our guide to the best bank accounts in the UK.
Take Action: open the account you'll be paid into in your first week, and give the details to your employer before the first payroll run.
How do you move money from South Africa to the UK?
Most people move money with a specialist transfer service or their bank, within South Africa's exchange control limits. The Reserve Bank's circulars of 8 April 2026 raised the single discretionary allowance (SDA) from R1 million to R2 million a year for resident adults aged 18 and over. Amounts above that go through the foreign investment allowance, which needs SARS approval.
The allowance is per adult, so a couple can each use their own, and your bank or authorised dealer handles the paperwork.
When you send the money, the exchange rate costs more than the fee. Banks often add a margin to the rate they quote, while services such as Wise show the fee and the rate separately. Under Wise's standard invite programme, people who join through an invite get a discount to try it, usually a free transfer (fees only, not external costs). Our Revolut vs Wise comparison covers the two most popular options.
What about your South African retirement annuity?
Since 1 March 2021, you can only cash in a South African retirement annuity before 55 once you've stopped being SA tax resident and stayed non-resident for three uninterrupted years, according to FinGlobal. The old "financial emigration" route through the Reserve Bank has gone; it's now a SARS tax residence test. Get advice before you withdraw, because tax may be due in both countries.
How is UK tax worked out when you arrive?
You pay UK tax on your UK earnings from your first payslip through PAYE. For 2026/27, GOV.UK sets the Personal Allowance at £12,570, the basic rate at 20% up to £50,270, the higher rate at 40% up to £125,140 and the additional rate at 45% above that (Scotland has its own bands). National Insurance comes off too.
Try it with your own expected salary:
Calculator
Which UK income tax band will your salary fall into?
Your expected yearly UK salary£45,000
Your resultBasic rate, 20% on income above £12,570
£12,571 or moreBasic rate, 20% on income above £12,570
£50,271 or moreHigher rate, 40% on income above £50,270
£125,141 or moreAdditional rate, 45% and no Personal Allowance
You're £5,271 below the £50,271 threshold.
2026/27 rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland from GOV.UK, checked 11 November 2026. Scotland has different bands. National Insurance is extra.
Whether you're UK resident for the whole tax year depends on the statutory residence test. In the year you arrive, split-year treatment can mean only the part after your arrival is taxed as a UK resident. The UK and South Africa also have a double taxation agreement, so the same income shouldn't be taxed twice, although you may need to claim relief. Our guide to UK income tax explains the basics.
Can new arrivals use the 4-year FIG regime?
Possibly. Since 6 April 2025, people who become UK resident after at least 10 years of non-UK residence can claim the 4-year foreign income and gains regime for up to four tax years. It covers things like foreign interest, dividends and rental profits, but not foreign earnings. You claim it on a Self Assessment return, and you give up your tax-free allowances for Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax in a year you claim.
How do you build a UK credit score from scratch?
Your South African credit record doesn't follow you, so you start with a thin UK file. The quickest wins are getting on the electoral register, keeping a UK current account in good order and paying bills by Direct Debit from it.
South Africa is in the Commonwealth, and councils such as Manchester confirm that Commonwealth citizens can register to vote if they live in the UK and "have leave to remain in the UK or not require such leave". Being on the register helps lenders confirm your address. Mobile contracts, a credit-builder card used lightly and paid in full, and time at the same address all help. Our guide on how to improve your credit score has the full list.
Take Action: register to vote at your UK address as soon as you have one, then check your free credit report after a couple of months.
Can you drive in the UK on a South African licence?
Yes, for a while. GOV.UK says you can drive on a card-style South African licence for 12 months after becoming resident. After that you must exchange it, which you can do up to 5 years after becoming resident if it hasn't expired.
The exchange costs £43 with form D1, and you send a Confirmation of South African Driving Licence letter from the RTMC with your licence. The new licence usually arrives within 3 weeks. Old book-of-life licences can't be used or exchanged.
What should your first 90 days of UK money look like?
In your first 90 days, aim to be banked, paid and budgeting in pounds. A simple order works for most people:
Week 1: open a UK current account and share the details with your employer.
Week 1-2: register with a GP and, once you have an address, register to vote.
Month 1: move your first tranche of savings from South Africa within your SDA.
Month 1-2: build a UK budget around your take-home pay, rent and Council Tax.
Month 3: check your credit report and start an emergency fund in an easy access savings account.
The UK Budget Planner is built around UK bills such as Council Tax and the TV licence, which often catch South Africans out. If you'd like a qualified review of your plans, our personal finance review can help.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need to move to the UK from South Africa?
There's no single figure, but budget for visa fees, the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per adult per year (paid upfront), flights, shipping, a rental deposit and the first month's rent, plus living costs until your first UK salary arrives.
Can I open a UK bank account before I arrive?
Usually not a full UK current account. Monzo, for example, requires you to live in the UK full time with the right to reside. A multi-currency account such as Wise can be opened earlier and used to receive pounds, then you open a UK current account once you have a UK address.
How much money can I take out of South Africa?
Each South African resident adult can send up to R2 million a year under the single discretionary allowance, after the Reserve Bank's April 2026 changes. Larger sums go through the foreign investment allowance, which needs SARS approval. Your bank or authorised dealer will confirm the paperwork it needs.
Do I pay tax in both South Africa and the UK?
You might, depending on whether you stay SA tax resident. The UK taxes you on UK earnings from arrival, and the UK and South Africa have a double taxation agreement to stop the same income being taxed twice. It's worth taking advice on your SA tax residence before or soon after you move.
Can South Africans vote and get on the electoral roll in the UK?
Yes. South Africa is a Commonwealth country, so South African citizens who live in the UK and have leave to remain can register to vote. Being on the electoral register also helps lenders confirm your address, which supports your UK credit score.
The bottom line
Moving to the UK from South Africa is easier when the money is planned in order: budget for the NHS surcharge, open a UK account in week one, move rand within your R2 million allowance and get on the electoral register fast. Leave the trickier calls, such as SA tax residence, retirement annuities and the FIG regime, to a cross-border adviser.
For transfers, Wise and similar services are usually cheaper than a bank's exchange rate, and Monzo is a quick first UK current account. Plan your first months in the UK Budget Planner.
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