Initial guide

От моей подруги. 
Visas - most likely you will get Tier 2 General, normally you don't need to worry about the process at all - it is your employer's job, you only need to pass IELTS(or other equivalent english test) I think. Remember that any employer has £8000 tax free allowance to spend on your relocation (make sure you take full advantage of it - we for example brought our cat - which costs lots of money)
https://www.gov.uk/tier-2-general/overview


After arriving you need to register with police within 1 week (this is very important) and go to police office update your records every time when you change your job or move house.
http://content.met.police.uk/Site/overseasvisitorsrecordsoffice


Taxes - it depends on a lots of factors, I quite like this site:
http://www.listentotaxman.com/
You can get tax refund for any work-related expenses like travel, lunches, cloths, professional certifications. I can recommend tax advisor if you are interested.
Make sure that you or your company registered your NI number:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ni/index.htm


Where to live? Generally speaking, all good areas are above the Thames river, zone 1 and 2. More detailed - among young urban professional very popular areas are: Old Street, Angel, Finchley Road, Hampstead, Primrose Hill, Marylebone.If you want to rent one bedroom it will cost you around £1200-1500, you can share a room - it will be cheaper £700-900. When looking for a property very important to check if utility bills and council tax are included in the rental. Deposit normally is 2-10 weeks of rent. Properties can be furnished or unfurnished.
Best websites to find a flat:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/
http://www.zoopla.co.uk/


All bills like council tax, water bill, utility bill, parking space bill are normally paid by setting directs debits on your current account. Always remember that there are specific days when you can put your rubbish away - in our area it is for example Monday and Thursday, on other days you can get fine £60 (we almost had one once!). Cleaning services cost around £10/hour, normally you need 2h per week for 1 bedroom flat. I can recommend good cleaning agency if you are interested.


Bank account - you need to register it as soon as possible when you arrive to be able to get your money. For this purpose you normally will need to provide your passport, proof of address and your job offer/contract/reference. Most popular banks are HSBC, Lloyds, Nationwide, Santander, Barclays. I use HSBS, never had any issues.


Oyster. Majority of people use tube or buses (cars are very expensive to keep in the city). Most efficient way to pay for travel is Oyster Card, which you can top up monthly or weekly for required zones.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/oyster?cid=fs076
Cycling to work is very popular as well if you work near by your house.


Mobile phones. The most efficient way to pay for mobile phone are contract or maybe your company will provide it. I quite like EE network, it has 4G, although Vodafone and Virgin are popular as well.


GP. Medical services are free, but you need to register for them. Without prescription you cannot buy anything(except painkillers and other simple drugs). You can choose and compare GPs here:
http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search


You can use your Russian driving license for 1 year (or 6 months) since you arrived to the UK. After that you need to apply for the UK one.


TV. If you watch TV or even BBC on-line stream through internet you need to buy TV licence. It costs £12 per month.


КОНСУЛЬСКИЙ УЧЕТ http://www.rus.rusemb.org.uk/pmzh/