If you dread the cold weather now is not the time to travel to London.

Snow has started to fall earlier than usual in the City this year raising hopes of a White Christmas.

Overnight, national weather forecaster the Met Office predicted around 10cm of snow fell across the City.

This came with a severe warning to brace ourselves for more heavy snow across London and the south-east of England.

Cold Snap: London snowfall expected to wreak havoc for commuters. Picture: Leah Cassidy

If you’re in London and trying to escape the cold, the snow is causing havoc for commuters.

Flights have been delayed and even cancelled.

On top of that, many rail services and motorways have come to a halt.

So although the thought of a White Christmas complete with snowmen and snowball fights sounds great, will London’s snowfall bring the City to a stand-still again?

Survival Tip: Don’t come to London without your thermals!

Video taken by Leah Cassidy showing the first signs of snowfall in London on Thursday 17th December.

Happy New Year: Commuters face fare rises in 2010.

As an Australian in London, having to deal with the Aussie dollar’s poor performance against the pound makes the cost of living an expensive ordeal.

A bus ride here, quick trip to the local supermarket, mobile top-up and before you know it you’re doing algorithms in your head trying to work out how on earth you’ve spent £50.

A recent survey by Swiss bank UBS revealed a drop in the cost of living in London but showed rent and travel expenses continue to be on the rise.

Mayor Boris Johnson confirmed an increase in travel with his announcement last month that commuters would be paying more for their fares in 2010.

The Mayor announced a 12.7% increase in bus fares and a 3.9% rise in tube journeys.

A £10 Congestion Charge is also set to apply in the New Year.

But it wasn’t until today, while I was exploring my travel options to Glasgow, that I realised what a dent travel expenses are putting in my purse.

Believe it or not but apart from an 8 hour bus trip (not really my cup of tea), the cheapest option was to fly – or so I thought.

Cheap fares were going for around £26.99 one-way. But add on the Christmas surcharge and you’re already up to £35.99 one-way.

So that makes the fare around £71.98 return – still cheaper than the train fares averaging between £105 to 150 return for about a 4 hour trip.

So out came the credit card and as I proceeded to the online check-out, so did the extra costs.

- Luggage allowance: £18
- Travel insurance: £8.50
- Credit card use: £3.50

What started out as a trip just over £70 has now jumped to £101.98 in just the click of a mouse!

But the costs didn’t end there. Getting to the airport adds another coach ride or train journey costing around £14 to 25 return.  And on top of that add the cost of getting to the departure point in the first place.

So with the cost of my trip escalating to around £120 before I even board the plane, anyone stuck for ideas about what to buy me for Christmas – a money tree to pay for the hidden costs of travelling will be an ideal gift!

Survival Tip: Walk or cycle wherever you can because unfortunately money doesn’t grow on trees.

Picture of bus pass from Flickr

Resistance: Swine flu treatment Tamiflu fails to fight off new strain.    Picture: Tony Hisgett

The country’s leading health authority has confirmed that a handful of patients at a Welsh hospital have a strain of swine flu resistant to the antiviral drug Tamiflu.

National Health Insurance (NHS) says five patients with severe health conditions at the University Hospital of Wales have been infected with the strain.

It appears three of the five patients caught the H1N1virus in the Cardiff hospital and it is believed to be the first confirmed case of a person-to-person transmission of a strain resistant to Tamiflu.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) says the risk to the general healthy population is low as the patients all have serious health problems and suppressed immune systems.

The agency also says there is no evidence that the new strain is more prevalent than any other flu type.

NHS figures released today show that there has been a fall in the number of new swine flu cases in the past week. 

There was an estimated 22,000 new cases of the virus in England last week, down from 46,000 the week before.  

Health officials are urging anyone showing signs or considered to be at risk of catching the virus to contact their local GP.

Survival Tip: Catch it, Bin it, Kill it!

Picture of Tamiflu from Flickr

1. London A-Z Street Map

This should be one of your first purchases when you arrive in London city.

It will become your Bible throughout your stay.

This pocket-size book is a total must have for helping you find your way around this amazing, yet at times overwhelming city.

2. Oyster Card

This golden pass will save you a fortune on transport costs.

Oysters are the cheapest way to travel by bus and tube around London. A single fare is deducted from the card for each trip you make.

Up to £90 can be put on Oysters.

You can also add a weekly travelcard to your Oyster which will give you unlimited travel on the entire transport system for the week. You will definitely notice more pennies in your pocket with a travelcard.

3. Tube Map

Another essential to make life easier when using the London Underground. Yes it looks complicated, but this handy little map shows all the different tube lines as well as interchange stations. 

A definate must have to help you determine the fastest route from A to B.

4. Cabs

Be weary of unlicensed cabs in London.

There are two types of cabs – Black cabs and Mini cabs.

Black cab drivers know just about every little shortcut and backstreet there is in London. Black cabs charge by the meter and can be flagged down on the street if their yellow sign is lit up.

Mini cabs charge lower fares but might not know the route as well. These cabs don’t have meters, so make sure a fare is agreed on before you start your journey.

5. English Slang

“You alright” – No this phrase isn’t asking whether everything is ok, it is actually a greeting meaning “hello, how are you.”

“Wog” – In the UK, this term is not a nickname for Italians and other Europeans.

In fact, it is an extremely racist slur referring to dark-skinned people. The term is believed to have derived from the word Golliwog; a black rag doll.

Swamped: immigrants raise fears the UK's population could hit 70 million.  Picture: Tino Morchel

On the rise
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed immigration to the UK continues to rise.

The figures show about 590,000 people moved to Britain in 2008 compared with 574,000 in 2007.

That’s an increase of 16,000 within a year.  

Cause of influx
But what makes the UK such an attractive destination to foreigners? We can rule out the weather….or a relaxed, slow-paced lifestyle. 

A BBC analysis of ONS figures from 2007 revealed multiple reasons why people pack-up and head to the UK  – the number one being for work.  

Main reason for immigration to the UK – 2007

Limited opportunities

So, with work opportunities being the main factor drawing in foreigners, what are the chances of securing employment in the UK?

Under the Brown Government’s new immigration rules, all jobs must be advertised to British workers for a four week period before companies can seek recruitments from outside of Europe. 

These new rules will apply from next year onwards.

On top of that, the newly revised visa points-based system limits the professions eligible for entry to the UK.

According to the BBC, engineers, chefs and care workers could be among those affected.                    

Opportunities: immigrants flock to the UK for work Picture: mm-j

Earning the right to stay
And if you’re already in the UK and thinking of staying, don’t think it’s a few forms and you’re done. The revised points-based system requires immigrants from outside the European Union to earn the right to permanently live in the UK.

In his latest speech on immigration, Gordon Brown said people earn this right “not just through their economic contribution, but also by their respect for our [British] values and language and by their wider contribution to society.”

How you prove this is undoubedbly going to be another complicated (and currently unknown) process.

The facts are clear – people continue to flock to the UK…for now. With reduced job opportunities and tougher hoops to jump through to stay in the country, how long will this trend continue?

With fears the UK population will reach 70 million, it seems the Brown Government is doing everything it can to slow the pace of this trend and save the UK from being swamped!

Survival Tip: Don’t become swamped in the concrete jungle

 Related stories: UK tightens immigration 

Picture of London crowd and business men from Flickr

London: weak pound makes the city more affordable. Picture: Patrick Mayon

For years, London has maintained a spot somewhere in the top ten most expensive cities in the world.

Last year, the Price and Earnings study conducted by Swiss bank UBS ranked London as the 3rd most expensive city in the world.

This year, the city plummeted to the 21st spot and has fallen below New York for the first time in seven years.

According to the Swiss investment bank’s research, the slide in the value of the GBP to around 1.40 against the USD caused a sudden drop in the price of living in London.

But a TripAdvisor poll of more than two thousand travelers voted London as Europe’s most expensive city. This was despite UBS results and figures from the Hotel Price Index revealing accommodation prices in London are down 12 percent on 2008.

Although UBS’s survey reveals a drop in the cost of living in London, the UK came in with the most expensive rail travel.  It was found that commuters pay double the fare charged in other Western European cities.

On top of that, as reported in the Telegraph, Daniel Kalt, head of economic research at UBS said: “While prices in London have come down, rents are still high despite the collapse of the property market.”

Last week, the GBP rebounded to 1.65 against the USD. UBS predicts that if the pound were to reach around 1.70, London would move back up the rankings to become the fifth most expensive city.

Survival Tip: Don’t pack your bags just yet….it only means London is cheaper not cheap!

London City picture from Flickr

Insecure: Britons fear job security as foreigners flock to UK.
Picture: Anna Gowthorpe, Associated Press

British jobs for British workers
The Government recently accepted recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to tighten rules allowing workers from outside Europe to enter the country.

The MAC put forward 16 recommendations, all of which will be adopted to ensure the UK’s points-based immigration system does more to support UK workers. 

The new rules mean that from next year onwards, all jobs must be advertised to British workers for a four week period before companies can seek recruitments from outside of Europe.

Tough but fair approach
In a speech in West London, Mr Brown said that a “tough but fair approach” to immigration is needed to ensure those living in the UK with low skills and little job opportunities are helped into work.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of Britons unemployed from July to September increased by 30,000.

This means the UK’s unemployment figure has now hit 2.46 million.

The Home Office estimates that one in 10 workers from outside of Europe will be excluded from working in the UK under the new visa rules.

Soaring population
Mr Brown said the system is about “managed and controlled migration while ensuring that it serves the national interest.”

But Conservative MP Nicholas Soames told the BBC that the government’s visa system “affects just 20 percent of immigration and will not stop the UK’s population hitting 70 million in 2029.”

Take it or Leave
Prime Minister Brown also urged immigrants to accept the responsibilities and rights that come with living in the UK.

“British values are not an add-on for us – an option, or an extra to take or leave. Those who wish to come to our country must embrace them wholeheartedly and proudly, as we do.”

“But people want to be assured that newcomers will accept the responsibilities as well as the rights that come with living here – obeying the law, speaking English, and making a contribution.”

The Prime Minister said those who want to stay in Britain will have to prove their commitment through a probation system. 

Survival Tip: Don’t miss the boat!