As you all know, the cost of ILR is quite high. Here is the breakdown of the costs for my wife's and my ILR and then the naturalization process for my wife, daughter and myself.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table
Life in the UK test ( https://www.gov.uk/life-in-the-uk-test ) - 50 GBP each
Fees for one main applicant, spouse and 2 year old daughter born in the UK (but has Pakistani nationality, visa valid for one year from date parents apply for ILR )
2 x ILR fees ( 2389)
Then
2 x naturalisation fees ( 1330 ) plus Nationality registration as a British citizen - child ( 1012) after 1 year
Plus
The arrangement of a citizenship ceremony ( 80x 3 ) plus
Biometric enrolment ( 19.20 x3 )
Plus UKVCAS appointment fees ( variable )
Plus
Cost of passports are
75.50 x 2 for 2 adults
49 for 1 child.
This comes out to be 9000 GBP in total.
As you can see, this is quite a high amount.
Here are a few tips which can help:
SAVINGS
I have a subaccount in which I transfer a small amount every month. I have been adding a small amount from locums ( described below) and any savings from my main pay every month.
I have been doing this since 4 years now.
The savings do go down when I:
1. Relocate - I got a reimbursement within a few months.
2. Applied for visas
3. Spent money on deposits for rent
4. Spent money for deposit for cars on PCP
ROTA
This is my rota as a ST4 trainee registrar in acute internal medicine in a busy teaching hospital:
Orange- days off
Blue dots /Black dots- locums I do in ambulatory care in my previous trust
Yellow highlighted days- my 0900 to 1700 weekend shifts
Green highlighted shifts - nights
Days underlined with red marker /pen 1700 to 0500 AM on calls.
Non highlighted days - regular day shifts ( 0900 to 1700 when I was in acute medicine and 0800 to 1600 when I'm on ITU )
On top of this ,
From August to December whilst rotating in acute medicine:
1 day off each week for personal development
Currently on ITU Off every Friday PM ( from 1200 to 1700 ) for personal development ( From December to April)
From April to August : AMU. 1 day off each week for personal development
How I planned my leaves
1. I booked them in advance. All my leaves were booked before I actually started in this trust and I booked them as soon as I got access to my rota
2. I book study leaves in advance for everything
Mandatory training days
Teaching days I do as faculty ( I am part of faculty for simulation and communication teaching sessions).
They have never been denied as I book them as soon as the faculty team asks me .
3. Book lieu days
Lieu days for doing on calls on bank holidays
Lieu days for flu jab ( yes occupational health is very generous- they give a day off , any day of our choice after mutual agreement with the line manager)
Lieu days for attending mandatory training days at home , out of working hours ( e - induction, GIM training days when they were ongoing )
4. Swapped out of shifts I had commitments on beforehand so that I could take other vacant shifts on the rota before they are taken.
As you can see , this is a very reasonable rota and despite doing locums I still get at least 2 days off a week. It is very important to ensure you give time off to yourself and demand what's your right - lieu days , annual leaves and study leaves.
LOCUMS
I have been locuming on a regular basis since my first job in the NHS ( I started locuming 1 year into my first job once I felt comfortable and confident that I could manage on calls)
I booked locums in my previous trust where I was working as a ST3 trainee registrar as the rate was better for registrars, it was in ambulatory care unit ( which is part of my training) and I know everyone well ( from managers to HCAs) there so I feel very comfortable working there. It takes me only 20 minutes extra to get there than my usual place of work so it is not tiring either.
That trust has a very user-friendly application and I can just book shifts there. Plus all the rota coordinators have my number and WhatsApp me if they need urgent cover.
I never do nights or shifts which last beyond 10 PM just because I feel unsafe on the road if I am sleep deprived. As I want to spend the maximum time possible with my family, I do not want to stay in the doctors accommodation there either.
I booked my locums as soon as I got the rota of the main trust and this way, was easily able to get enough rest days, save enough and enjoy my shifts as I was not exhausted.
A few tips:
1. Save up a certain amount every month
2. Plan everything in detail - from booking annual leaves, taking lieu days by talking to management early, booking locums as soon as the vacancies turn up.
3. Be smart- know your worth. A registrar can get anything from 55 to 90 GBP an hour for a locum shift. The standard rate varies. I went for my previous trust just because their standard locum rate is reasonable even if there were vacancies in my current trust.
4. Do not overdo it - I did maximum 4 locums a month to avoid burn out. In 5 months, I saved enough to cover for my ILR. I can do more - but I feel family time trumps everything else.
5. Locum in places which improve your training. As an acute medical registrar, locuming in ambulatory care in my previous trust has helped a lot in my knowledge.
6. Maintain a balance - do not stop completely either. A small amount of saving via locums ( 1 or 2 a month after the financial bomb of citizenship) will help to putting a deposit on a nice house/Jaguar F type/ whatever you fancy.
Post a Comment