Russians in England include numerous immigrants from the countries of the former CIS and the Baltic states. There are especially many Russians in the UK from Latvia and Lithuania, since these countries are members of the EU and their citizens have the right to move freely throughout the EU, which, to the displeasure of the titular nation, includes the UK. The number of those Russians who called their homeland Russia, is only a small part of the total number of Russians in England: according to the 2001 census, there were only 15 thousand people. A new study by the National Statistics Office in the UK in 2009 adjusted this figure to 32 thousand.
In addition to Russians legally residing in the UK and considering it their home, Russian students, refugees and illegal immigrants, including those with expired visas, can also be found on its territory.
Russians in London
In the photo: a line of Russians at the casting of the film "Anna Karenina".
Photo from the site
https://sites.google.com/site/annakareninablogdrama/home.
Especially many Russians live, of course, in the London area. For this reason, London is jokingly called "Londongrad" or "Moscow-on-the-Thames". Here is what a casting participant for the film Anna Karenina directed by Joe Wright says: “Arriving, as advised, by three o'clock in the afternoon, I found the following picture. On a quiet London street, there was a gigantic line of compatriots stretching beyond the horizon. There were, according to my calculations, about one and a half thousand people. People stood in tight rows of 4 people "wide". The line was about 200 meters long - it was bent around the corner of the street and still stretched to half of the neighboring one.
London has several Russian schools, including the Russian school at the Russian embassy in the UK (unfortunately, recently only children of employees of the Russian embassy are accepted to the school).
There are two in London Russian Orthodox churches: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and Holy Royal Martyrs, located in Chiswick at 57 Harvard Rd, London W4 4ED, and Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady and All Saints, located in Knightsbridge at 67 Ennismore Gardens, London, SW7 1NH .
Available in Londongrad and Russian restaurants: the restaurant of Russian cuisine " Mary Vanna ", the brainchild of the Ginza Project, and an Italian-Asian restaurant with a modest name" Novikov ”, belonging to it is easy to guess who.
Russian oligarchs in London
Russian oligarchs with families and other wealthy Russians are happy to settle in London and invest in local real estate, which is why housing prices in London are constantly rising by leaps and bounds, to the delight of numerous real estate agencies (and to the annoyance of the indigenous population, which is being pushed further away from the center of London) . Back in 1999, the daughter of Boris Yeltsin Tatyana Dyachenko bought an art deco house near London, in the town of St. George's Hill. And the most famous Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, prior to his purchase of Chelsea Football Club in 2003, purchased the 420-acre Fyning Hill estate in Rogate and two luxury flats in London. Slowly, from the beginning of the 2000s, they began to move to the UK Russian entrepreneurs who were looking for peace and security here.
According to rumors, the most expensive apartment in London is a hotel penthouse Bulgari near Knightsbridge worth 150 million pounds - was acquired by a Russian client. Wealthy Russians tend to settle in such prestigious areas of London as Knightsbridge, Kensington, Belgravia, Chelsea and Notting Hill. Favorite area for Russians Chelsea- the patrimony of the Chelsea football team, an asset of Roman Abramovich, - even received the nickname "Chelsky" from Londoners: it seems to the British that such a name sounds quite Russian.
Photo: disgraced Russian oligarch Yevgeny Chichvarkin in his wine boutique in London. Photo courtesy of forbes.ru.
It was thanks to the first super-rich Russians that the British formed an opinion about the entire Russian nation as upstart spenders - this was greatly facilitated by the flashy British tabloids, who are in the eternal search for scandalous facts, and such "reliable" incorruptibles as " Londongrad. From Russia with cash by Stuart Lansley and Mark Hollingsworth, describing the incredibly lavish lifestyle of the Russian rich. From such sources, the British learned that it was the Russians who bought a fifth of all the houses in London worth more than 8 million pounds, which is why prices for luxury real estate flew up to the sky. Expensive shops and boutiques in the West End began to hire Russian-speaking staff in order to satisfy the needs of wealthy Russian customers and their non-English-speaking lovers. Russians have become desirable customers for luxury jewelry and automotive brands.
What Russians live in the UK
However, with all this, few people thought that not all Russians lead such a “glamorous” lifestyle, drinking Cristal champagne at the Mahiki nightclub in Mayfair for 400 pounds per bottle. So what most Russians in England- these are not upstart nouveaux riches, but professionals, high-class specialists - lawyers, programmers, scientists, financiers, creative workers who are in the UK on work visas. Many of them came to Britain to receive higher education and stayed here to live and work after graduation. This is usually ambitious young people with work experience and a good education, but without millions in the bank account. They are actively interested in the culture and art of their host country. Another layer of Russians - entrepreneurs who take their families out of Russia and transfer their business to Britain. Moreover, contrary to the established opinion, the attitude towards Russians in England is quite friendly, and there are plenty of opportunities for honest business.
Reality show about Russians in England "Meet the Russians"
In the photo: The quintessence of the English stereotypes about Russians - the reality show "Meet the Russians". Photo courtesy of www.dailymail.co.uk.
The entrenched stereotype of the untold riches of Russians led to the appearance on British television in the fall of 2013 of the scandalous reality show " Meet the Russians " (literally - "Meet the Russians"), dedicated, according to the Daily Mail, "to the most vulgar reality TV stars who are buying up Britain." It is noteworthy that not all the heroes of the show are Russians: for example, the heroine of “Meet the Russians”, singer Kamaliya, is Ukrainian by origin, and her husband, businessman Mohammad Zahoor, is Pakistani. But, apparently, this does not matter to the British at all, since their way of life in fabulously expensive, but tastelessly furnished houses, with wasteful shopping in Harrods and Selfridges, fits into the stereotypes. English about Russians. And no one thinks about the fact that you can not judge all the Russians in Britain only by a few hundred super-wealthy people.
Russian diaspora in England
As such, organized Russian diaspora in the UK does not exist and there are no regular meetings, however, according to my own observations, contrary to a common myth, Russian speakers are happy to communicate and help each other if possible. Not once, while in the UK, have I encountered rudeness or rejection from Russians. On the contrary: Russians living in Great Britain leave an extremely pleasant impression of themselves. Therefore, if you are thinking about moving to the UK, you should hardly be afraid of a lack of communication in Russian: Russians in England will gladly help you with advice and will gladly tell you where to get Russian food over a glass of ale in a local pub.
One of the most popular developed countries for immigration among Russians is England (or Great Britain, or the United Kingdom - as you like, but for some reason everyone goes to England). There are three main reasons for this: a high standard of living (and salaries), a rich, well-advertised culture, and, of course, English - no one wants to learn French or German from scratch.
About how cool it is to live in Britain, Reconomica talked to a Russian immigrant who has been living and working in London for a long time. You will learn about salaries, taxes, housing and food prices, bureaucracy and many other problems of visitors, about which there is very little information in the media.
My name is Alexey. The other day I turned 37 years old, most of which I lived abroad. After graduating from the Faculty of Journalism of St. Petersburg State University, when the idea of emigrating to Europe finally took shape and the decision was made to go to the UK, a question arose before me:
Is it so expensive to live abroad?
Many of you have heard about incredibly high prices, high taxes and many other things that would spoil the life of an ordinary person. So let's figure out how much life in Europe really costs.
in 2016, over 50,000 people left Russia forever. Many of them leave for work, many for relatives, but there are also adventurers who risked leaving their native lands in the hope of living “beyond the hill”. I was one of those adventurers. It's not easy to leave the places where you grew up, but the thirst for adventure is often stronger. So I ended up in the arrivals terminal of Heathrow International Airport.
What awaits you in the UK
According to statistics, about 35% of people arriving in the United Kingdom from outside do not stay here for more than a year. The reasons are different: from homesickness to lack of money. The well-known myth - the EU does not like Russians, fueled by hundreds of reviews from our emigrants - is not entirely true. Europe does not like those who are not ready to work and those who live long on social benefits. Regardless of nationality, appearance and the country you come to, you will always have to work.
Any person who has arrived for permanent residence will surely face financial difficulties. Rent, taxes on income and property, buying or renting a car, food costs. And you also want to have fun, don't you? But the question is, there is almost no money! What to do when in such a situation?
Why live in another country? We provide sources of income
Well, I'll write down the points. The first thing you need is a work permit.
Work permission. Types of work permit in the UK
My main income was wages given by the employer. To obtain a work permit (work permition) it was necessary to submit the correct set of documents for a work visa. There are 3 types in total: Tier 1 (for high-class, rare and experienced specialists), Tier 2 (For mid-level specialists), Tier 5 (for low-skilled or seasonal workers). I got a Tier 2 visa, which I, albeit not without problems, received.
Average salary in the UK for visitors
For an hour of work, the average specialist receives 6.5 pounds, which is approximately equal to 510 rubles. Thus, the average earnings are 1500 - 1800 pounds (about 125 thousand rubles). But you should not deceive yourself. Firstly, not everyone receives such salaries, and the costs are rather big. Personally, my profit at first was only 900 pounds per month for a full-time correspondent. For comparison, in 2017 it is about 475 pounds.
Types of social benefits in England. Is it possible to come to Europe and live on welfare?
There are more than a hundred different benefits in England. Among them are Child benefit(payments to parents of a child who work more than 30 hours), Jobseeker's Allowance(unemployment benefits), Housing Benefit(poor allowance covering the cost of housing), Income support(general support) and others.
But don't count on them. Both at the time of my arrival, and now, long-term queues are lining up at the Social Centers to receive this or that payment. However, you will not listen to me anyway, and you are interested in the list of documents for receiving benefits, right?
The registration procedure is simple, it only requires a set of documents:
- Passport
- Document confirming immigration status
- Letter from employer confirming employment
- Tax forms P45 and P60
- A letter from the employment agency that you are looking for a job
- Dismissal, in case of leaving work
- Letter from school if there are children
- …and very, very much patience.
Lotteries
The UK has an interesting national lottery system. The total prize fund is quite large, and sometimes reaches millions of pounds. But, as in any lottery, you have to rely only on luck. I must admit, sometimes I myself spent the last money on participation, but fortune did not like me. None of the tickets brought me luck. Any resident of the United Kingdom over the age of 16 can buy the right to participate. If you are still passing through England, ask any boy to buy a ticket. Maybe you'll have better luck.
Cost of living in the UK. Basic expenses
It is clear that in general you need to rely only on your salary and sources of income in Russia, if you have any left (you rent an apartment at the time of departure, for example). Now about the sad - about the cost of living in Europe.
Rental prices in London
Renting a home is incredibly expensive. Now the average cost of renting an apartment in London reaches 700 pounds per week, 2800 per month, which equals 220 thousand rubles.
When I first began to explore this topic, I found a woman renting a two-room apartment for 90 pounds a week. Bureaus working with tourists - and there are about 10 of them - are ready to provide housing of any class for pretty decent money. If everything is not very good with finances, try looking through the Social Centers for old women who are ready to rent it out cheaper. Also, a small note, if you want to rent an apartment with children, try to explain to them in advance that making noise in the evening and at night is a bad idea. Neighbors are likely to call the police, who will impose a heavy fine (up to 500 pounds) and make a note. If you only have a residence permit, this may be a reason for denial of citizenship.
Buying a home in the UK
A whole network of brokerage and real estate companies operates throughout Britain. When buying an apartment, it is better to trust them, but only if you have money. Acquisition Agent will help you quickly find housing, but also ask for a rather large percentage. Otherwise, the realtor will be chosen by the seller. All of you have seen the “For Sale” signs near the houses more than once in the cinema. This means that the seller turned to a company that is ready to help sell the home. My advice, do not get fooled by the exterior of the house and the stories of brokers. Carefully check every little thing and feel free to ask questions about each item. This can save you from unintended costs in the future. Prices for economy housing range from 13 to 90 thousand pounds (about 4 million rubles at the current exchange rate).
Nutrition. The cost of groceries in England
The supply of food is carried out by several large companies that own a network of shops and supermarkets. London is a tourist city, and therefore filled with shops for tourists. These outlets should be avoided. Prices are way too high for the same range. The best solution would be to choose one of the supermarket chains "For their own". Such stores hide in the centers of residential and commercial areas and in any non-tourist places. A distinctive feature is the absence of bright signs and advertising banners designed for an inexperienced tourist.
It is better to go to the store with your grocery bag. This tip will significantly improve the attitude of the cashier towards you. The British authorities are now pursuing a policy of preserving the environment, getting rid of bags and plastic containers.
The average check for one comes out a little more than 120 - 200 pounds per week when buying meat, dairy products and vegetables. For a family of three, the amount will increase to 400-450 pounds.
Many stores have a cashback system, but more on that below.
Taxes in the UK
The income of every person living in the Kingdom is taxed. Income tax (ranging from 10 to 45%) is levied annually. Income tax rates in the United Kingdom in 2017:
- 20% on income from £0 to £43,000
- 40% on income from £43,001 to £150,000
- 3.45% on income above £150,000
Also, inheritance is taxed, the amount of which exceeds 150 thousand pounds (40%), the sale and purchase of real estate and securities (from 0.5 to 2%), capital gains (up to 40%).
My annual income is £18,472, which means I fall into the first category. I pay the government £3,694 (20%) a year.
Connection. Tariffs of European operators are a robbery
UK communications are also not distinguished by low prices. The largest operator, covering the whole country with its network, is Vodofone. Vodofone's tariffs, however, are highly undemocratic. For 9.5 £ 250 minutes (+ roaming) and 250 mb of mobile internet are offered. If the tariff limits are exceeded, the same amount is automatically debited. In my opinion, the best option is the tariffs of the Extra category, which gives unlimited calls. The cost of such tariffs exceeds 18 £.
I spend on communication: £18 for a personal phone and £25 for a work one.
Transport in London (public, forget about the car)
Owning a car is becoming less profitable. The government is increasing taxes, gasoline is becoming more expensive, repairs are growing in price. The business part of the city is totally replaced by taxis, of which there are not so few here. Unlike Russia, there are almost no private traders here, which ensures low prices and little competition.
Public transport deserves special attention. The famous double-decker buses and the subway are familiar to many. Yes, but they are not convenient to use. More than 1,300 people descend into the metro every hour, and only 800 get off. Minibuses are also overcrowded, delivering more than 4,000 people a day.
The best option is Car Sharing Systems, which allow you to quickly take a car anywhere in the city.
How can an immigrant survive with such prices? Sharing my life experience
Yes, you heard it right, everything is expensive in London. But people live! And I live normally. I have developed several rules from everyday observations, I will share them with pleasure.
St Paul's Cathedral
Bank accounts and cashbacks
A bank account is a must. Without it, you can’t get a salary, you can’t pay off a realtor. But becoming a bank customer is not easy. This requires a voluminous package of documents, knowledge of the language and a clear understanding of the work of British banks. The opening procedure takes from 3 to 14 working days and often ends with a refusal. Stock up on patience, because rudeness, said in a fit of emotion, can permanently close the entrance to this bank.
Cashback is very popular now. This is a refund system for purchases in certain stores. Usually, it is from 3 to 10%. Cashback is issued at the bank that issued the card.
- Save money and resources. They are very expensive and often irreplaceable.
- Smile when talking to civil servants. A simple smile increases your chances of getting what you want.
- Keep track of expenses and income. This will help you not to be left with empty pockets in the middle of the month.
- Don't take a loan. No way. Interest rates will ruin you faster than you can pay back
- Use cashback. Your expenses will be significantly reduced.
findings
Life in the EU, and especially Britain, is extremely expensive. Keep this in mind when you migrate.
Great Britain, and in particular the capital of this great country - London, is home to a huge number of Russian-speaking population. This is largely due to the economic and political aspects of cooperation between the two powers. So most often in England, businessmen and politicians who want to find peace and protection from representatives of the Russian authorities find refuge. However, even ordinary residents are happy to change their native open spaces for a foggy and rainy metropolis on the outskirts of Europe.
When did it all start?
Back in the 17th century, London received its first inhabitants from Russia. They were families sent by Boris Godunov to receive an education, and remained in England. Later, seekers of a better life began to move to the foggy island, people politically objectionable to the current regime and simply wanting change. In the 19th and 20th centuries, forbidden political newspapers were printed in London, which were later transferred to Russia, famous revolutionaries lived, who had a significant impact on the history of the Russian Empire and the formation of Soviet power.Russian life in London
It should be noted that excellent conditions for adaptation and living have been created for emigrants from Russia in London. The Russian diaspora is quite strong, and therefore in different parts of the city there are:- Russian Orthodox churches;
- stores offering "Russian" products;
- restaurants and cafes with Russian cuisine.
At the moment, in London, as in other cities in England, there are no areas where exclusively Russians live. This is the fundamental difference from the situation of emigrants in the USA, France, and Asian countries. Voluntary and forced migrants choose housing for themselves depending on their financial capabilities in different neighborhoods - from the poorest to the most prestigious and expensive. Basically, representatives of working professions and the middle class (construction specialties, financiers, lawyers, managers, translators) are now moving to London.
Now the British treat the Russians with more sympathy, which is supported by the destruction of stereotypes about the ignorance, rudeness and savagery of the “Russians”. It is noteworthy that in London, as in no other city in the world, emigrants from Russia and native Englishmen get along well, finding a common language in domestic and political terms.
The most famous and richest Russian Londoners
In different years, representatives of various professions rushed to London, from poor workers to billionaires. In the history of the capital of Great Britain, one can see what a significant imprint the Russian emigrants left:- The famous ambassador S.R. Vorontsov in the 18th century prevented the dispatch of the British fleet to participate in the Russian-Turkish war. In memory of this, a street was named in London - Vorontsov Road, and the inhabitants of foggy Albion themselves speak extremely positively about this great man.
- It is also known that Russian revolutionaries, writers and politicians of the 19th-20th centuries lived in London - A.I. Herzen, N.P. Ogarev, P. Kropotkin, P.N. Milyukov, A.F. Kerensky.
Of the most famous personalities living in London, we can note:
- Roman Abramovich, owner of Chelsea football club, big businessman, multibillionaire.
- Vladimir Gusinsky is a major businessman, a political opponent of the current government.
- Ahmed Zakaev.
- Boris Berezovsky.
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In the late 1990s, a certain part of the Russian population began to have excess cash, which the nouveau riche preferred to transfer to Western banks. Great Britain accepted a considerable share of Russian money, where the richest Russians moved along with their savings.
british trap
In the wake of another round of worsening relations with Moscow, official London announced to Russian account holders in UK banks that, on the basis of the Criminal Finance Law, their assets would be frozen until the circumstances of the origin of the funds were clarified.
Judging by the statements of the Deputy Minister of the Interior of the United Kingdom, Ben Wallace, it will be not so much “fugitive oligarchs” that will be checked, but quite law-abiding Russian officials who have chosen England because of the peculiarities of its legislation, which facilitates non-transparent financial transactions.
British courts are now able to send requests to foreign investors, owners of real estate or companies (the value of which exceeds 50 thousand pounds) to provide information about the origin of their assets. Russian Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika noted that over the past decades, according to the most conservative estimates, tens of billions of dollars have flown from Russia to the British Isles along with fugitive bankers and oligarchs.
Banking lawyers explain to the Russians that if they do not give strong arguments in favor of the legitimacy of receiving funds invested in the UK, then their accounts will be frozen even without a court decision. At the same time, investors will be able to unfreeze funds only through the courts.
Russian President Vladimir Putin foresaw such a situation at the end of 2017, and therefore instructed the government and the Central Bank to issue special bonds to return capital to Russia. According to some estimates, the wealthy Russians who have settled in London hold amounts from 1.5 to 2 trillion dollars in their accounts.
Under the protection of offshore
Recently, the London branch of Deutsche Bank published a report on the amounts of Russian investments in the UK. Having studied the statistics of the balance of payments, experts came to the conclusion that in 2010-2017, tens of billions of dollars of “gray” capital from Russia were transferred to British banks. Oliver Harvey, one of the authors of the report, notes that over the past 10 years, the growth rate of Russian money has been about $1.5 billion a month, a significant part of which has settled in the real estate market.
According to Rosstat, the volume of Russian investments accumulated in the UK is much less than British experts say. Thus, in 2013 it barely exceeded $9.1 billion, which is about 5% of all foreign Russian assets.
The Guardian, relying on its sources, states that at least $20 billion was withdrawn from Russia to England between 2010 and 2014. British investigating authorities believe that the amount of Russian capital illegally exported to Foggy Albion can reach $80 billion.
However, the identity of the Russians involved in fraudulent schemes, law enforcement officers only establish. According to preliminary data, these include oligarchs, Moscow bankers and individuals with links to the FSB. Money laundering on such a scale was made possible by a controversial law in Britain that guarantees the anonymity of offshore owners.
Russians in London
Who among the Russians holds the largest assets in the UK? Here are some of them.
In the first place on this list is the founder of USM Holdings Alisher Usmanov, who is known for owning a 27% stake in London's Arsenal. The total fortune of the oligarch, located within the UK, is estimated at 12.3 billion pounds.
About £ 7.5 billion on the account of Leonard Blavatnik, who is engaged in the aluminum and oil business. His London home alone is worth £41 million.
Former Togliattiazot co-owner Vladimir Makhlai, suspected in Russia of financial crimes, has £1bn of British assets.
The assets of one of the founders of the trading oil company Runik and a friend of Abramovich, Yevgeny Shvidler, are slightly smaller - £820 million.
Even more modest in London lives the former president of Inteko, Elena Baturina. Her UK net worth is £729m.
Andrey Andreev, the founder of the popular dating app Bumble, has £700 million in London accounts.
Andrey Borodin, the former president of the Bank of Moscow, who fled to London because of allegations of involvement in major fraud, has £ 180 million in his assets.
