Student Introduction

• City Guide
• Living in London
• Medical Information
• Time zone & holidays
• Utilities & services
• Personal Safey & tips
• Working in London

Utilities & services

Electricity

The voltage used in Britain is 240 Volts AC at 50HZ. Most power sockets are designed for standard 3-pin square plugs. Electrical appliances in Britain generally use the British standard plug with 3 square pins. Plug socket adaptors and power transformers are widely available, you can buy them at most airports, electrical shops and hardware stores.

Water

The quality of tap water in Britain is very high. You can usually drink from all taps that supply water to kitchen areas. Bottled water is also common and available in all local grocery shops and supermarkets.

Gas

Gas is often used in homes for cooking, central heating and to heat water. Some cookers may use both gas and electricity, for example they may use gas for the hob and electricity for the oven.

Car fuel

Most cars in Britain run off petrol, but there are also a large number of cars and lorries that run off diesel. Petrol is usually sold as either Four Star (usually a red pump), or Unleaded (usually a green pump); both types are available for most petrol stations. You will also see an increasing number of electric or electric-petrol combined and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cars on the road.

Tipping

The following is intended only as a guide to customary practice

Hotels

Most hotel bills include a service charge, usually 10-12%. Where a service charge is not included in a hotel restaurant, it is customary to give 10-15% of the restaurant bill and for rooms an optional amount to room staff.

Restaurants

Some restaurant bills include a service charge; where a service charge is not included it is customary to leave a tip of 10-15% of the bill. Some restaurants now include a suggested tip in the bill total.

• Porterage      :50-75p per suitcase.
• Taxis            :10-15% of the fare.
• Hairdressers  :£2

Opening hours

Opening times for businesses and services can vary hugely. Use this guide as a very general outline for what to expect, but for exact opening times you should contact the organisation directly. Also note, most British businesses do not close for lunch:

Banks & building societies	09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday 09:00-12:30 Saturday (limited branches)
Clinics and doctors' surgeries	08:30-18:00* Monday-Friday *Many surgeries and clinics only see patients during certain hours. Some offer out-of-hours and weekend services.  If you have a medical emergency you should go to the Accident and Emergency department of the nearest hospital – Emergency services can be called free on 999.
Emergency services – hospitals, police and fire stations	24 hours a day You can call emergency services free on 999
High street shops	10:00-18:30* Monday-Saturday 11:00-17:00* Sunday *Larger shopping areas and centres may stay open later, sometimes up to 22:00, especially in busy periods like Christmas.
Museums & galleries	10:00-17:30* Monday-Saturday Around lunchtime – 17:30* Sunday *Times vary and some museums and galleries may close one day during the week.
Nightclubs	10:00-04:00*  *Nightclub closing times can vary greatly, some close around 02:00, while some stay open all night.
Post offices	09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday 09:00-12:30 Saturday (main offices only)
Pubs	11:00-23:00* Monday-Saturday 11:00-22:30* Sunday *Pubs in Britain have had the right to apply for a 24-hour drinking licence, so you will frequently find pubs open well after 23:00.
Restaurants	18:00-11:00* *Again, opening times can vary
Supermarkets	09:00-22:00 Monday-Sunday
Taxi stations	24 hours a day
Tourist information centres	09:00-18:00* Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00* Weekends Opening time vary, especially weekends. Some centres may close on Sundays.