Before You Arrive

Relocating to a new area can be a daunting experience for any new member of staff. To help you with relocating to Aberdeen to take up your new appointment, we have compiled the following information which we hope will help you to get started with some of the essentials when taking up your new post.

Accommodation

Aberdeen City and Shire has a wide selection of private accommodation available, however, you should be aware that at present there is a high demand for rental accommodation within the city and you should make sure you have arranged your accommodation well in advance of your arrival in Aberdeen.

You can find out what properties are available at the Aberdeen Solicitors Property Centre. This is a useful source of information on accommodation available to rent in the Aberdeen area, as most of the Aberdeen solicitor's pool their properties for rent and sale here.

You can visit the centre in person at 40 Chapel Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1SP. Call them on +44 (0) 1224 632 949, email centre@aspc.co.uk or browse their website.

There are also a number of letting agencies in Aberdeen such as

• Simpson Brebner
• Grampian Accommodation Agency
• Aberdeen Property Leasing
• Bain Property Agency

Please note that this information is provided for illustrative purposes only and other letting agencies exist within Aberdeen. The University of Aberdeen has no links to private letting agencies within the City.

The University has a number of houses/flats available for rent to University staff, all of which are located around the Old Aberdeen campus and are on a bus route to Foresterhill and the City Centre. Information on these can be found on the Estates pages of the University website.

Information on bed & breakfasts, guest houses and hotels and their location in relation to the University campuses can be found at these web links:

• King's College campus
• Foresterhill campus

Banking

There are many major banks and building societies operating in Aberdeen. Branches for all these can be found in the city centre with several of these banks having more than one branch in the city at various locations including near the Old Aberdeen and Foresterhill campuses.

National Insurance Number

A National Insurance (NI) number is a personal number used

• To record a person's NI contributions and credited contributions
• Because it is needed when claiming social security benefits

You should apply for a NI number if you do not already have one and

• You have started or are about to start work
• You are self-employed
• You want to pay voluntary NI contributions and would benefit from paying them

For these applications you should telephone 0845 600 0643 between 8.00am and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Childcare

The King's College campus-based Rocking Horse Nursery provides childcare for preschool aged children of students and staff. The nursery has three 'departments' which cater for 0-2, 2-3 and 3-5 year olds respectively.

The Rocking Horse Nursery has facilities for 46 children, from 0-5 years of age. Places are allocated according to the waiting list and the age of the child. Early booking is advisable.

The Rocking Horse Nursery is situated at 51 College Bounds, within the grounds of Crombie-Johnston Hall of Residence, and has a large play area ringed with mature trees. All enquiries should be addressed to

The Manager
Rocking Horse Nursery
University of Aberdeen
King's College
Aberdeen
AB24 3YD

The Local Authority that the University is situated in also provides a pre-school education service Further options for child care may be explored via the external government Childcare Link website.

The University also has a Childcare Vouchers Scheme which is a tax saving initiative for staff.

Education

The education service in and around Aberdeen is provided by the relevant Local Authority for where you live.

Information on schools in and around Aberdeen

• Aberdeen City Council's website
• Aberdeenshire Council's website
• More information on Education in Scotland

Healthcare

Local health services in the area are provided by NHS Grampian who have a list of the services they provide. It is recommended that you register with your local medical practice, a list of which is provided by NHS Grampian and can be found on the above website.

Services

Local services and amenities are provided by the relevant local authority depending on where you live, for those living in and around Aberdeen these will be provided by either Aberdeen City Council or Aberdeenshire Council. For those living further distance from the University a full list of local authorities in Scotland can be found on the Scottish Government's website.

Registering with the Police

If you are a citizen of certain countries, and have been given permission to stay in the United Kingdom for more than six months, you will normally be required to register with a police station in the area in which you are living. Information on registering with the police including who needs to register can be found on the Home Office website.

If you need to register, this requirement will be endorsed in your passport. You must register within seven days of arriving in the United Kingdom. To register you will need your passport, two passport size photographs of yourself are usually required and the registration fee.

This should be done at:

Queen Street Police Station
Queen Street
Aberdeen
AB10 1ZA

Tel: +44 (0) 1224 635 888

Expenses

• Further information on Relocation Expenses