Single mum moving to UK with twin girls

[ThipBanks]

Hi,

I am planning to move to the UK next year with my two daughters aged 4 (turning 5 next spring). It's so overwhelming with planning the move back to the UK, haven't been back in 18 years. We all hold British citizenship so is no problem moving over there. I have started looking at schools and areas to live but I don't know where is best. Places I'm looking are surrounding London e.g. Surrey, Berkshire, Kent etc.

It's hard to decide without going to these places beforehand. If you have any tips on which counties are best for a single mums and are affordable (I don't get any support from the dad, and plan to apply for child support etc once I arrive). I have not yet found a job but I plan to find work in London, so I will need to commute.

How do other single mums manage their time with full time work and taking care of their kids full time? I've been very lucky to have had family help me up until now, when we go to the UK I won't have any help whatsoever and probably won't be able to afford a nanny as my budget is limited.

If you have any tips and advice, I would be grateful to hear :)

This is really hard without understanding your budget. Are you looking to buy or rent? Do you plan on the kids going to state or independent schools? Any ideas where you think you might end up working- as that would really dictate which side of London you look to move to.

London is the priciest area overall - do you realise the price of commuting and how long it takes?
Because this impacts on cost of child care - holidays? how would you manage?

Do you need to work in London? If you could get a job in a cheaper, smaller city that would be better but it depends what you do.

I think step 1 is find a job, then you can work out where to live with a reasonable commute. Will your children be in school at the start of 2022 or do you live somewhere currently where school starts later?

Most state schools do breakfast and after school clubs, which might be necessary if you are working in London full time, but beware not all schools offer both to infants school pupils, as they think the day is too long, so watch out for this.

I don’t think you can generalise at county-level about where will be best to live. If you can get a job outside London, I would do. Otherwise I’d probably look at living within London.

What are your priorities? For example, Do you want somewhere ethnically diverse, somewhere that supports kids with English as a second language, somewhere green and quiet or somewhere urban and buzzy?

It's really dependant on budget. Are you renting or buying?

You will struggle in London with two young children, childcare is hard to find and very expensive. You are also looking at upward of £1400 a month for a two bedroom flat within zones 1-4.

is it going to be a v high single salary you have or what sort of amount ?