Daily life

Driving on an EU licence — and exchanging it

You can keep driving in Great Britain on a valid EU or EEA licence after you move here — for most people, until age 70 (if you were 67 or over when you became resident, for three years). You can also exchange it for a GB licence without a test, and exchanging an EU/EEA licence is free. Different, broadly similar rules apply in Northern Ireland.

• Driving in GB on a non-GB licence (GOV.UK) — the official rules, including the age limits.
• Exchange your licence (GOV.UK) — the DVLA keeps your EU licence and returns it to the issuing country.
• Northern Ireland rules (nidirect)

Gotcha: if your EU licence was itself obtained by exchanging a non-EU licence, the generous rules may not apply — you may only be able to drive for 12 months. Use the GOV.UK tool above to check your exact position.

Owning a car: insurance, tax, MOT

Three legal requirements, all checkable online: insurance (driving uninsured is a criminal offence), vehicle tax, and — for cars over three years old — an annual MOT safety test.

• Tax your vehicle (GOV.UK) · MOT (GOV.UK) · The Highway Code
• Bringing a car from the EU? It must be registered with the DVLA.

Public transport

• National Rail — trains; a Railcard pays for itself quickly if you travel a few times a year.
• Transport for London — in London, just touch in with a contactless bank card; fares cap daily.
• Traveline — bus and local transport journey planning UK-wide.

Mobile and broadband

Pay-as-you-go SIMs need no credit history; contracts do. Compare deals on an Ofcom-accredited comparison site, and if money is tight ask providers about low-cost "social tariffs" for people on certain benefits.

Energy — and what to do when a supplier mistreats you

You have a right to accurate bills. If a supplier billed you wrongly, it cannot chase you for energy you used more than 12 months ago — this "back-billing" rule protects you from a sudden demand for years of catch-up charges. If you depend on your energy for health reasons, or find bills hard to deal with, ask to join the Priority Services Register: a free service for households with children under 5, illness, disability, or communication and language needs, giving extra help such as advance warning of power cuts and bills in a form you can use.

If something goes wrong, complain to the supplier first, in writing, and keep a copy. If it is still not resolved after 8 weeks, or the supplier sends you a "deadlock" letter, you can take it — free — to the Energy Ombudsman, whose decision is binding on the supplier. For any consumer problem, from energy to a faulty product in a shop, the Citizens Advice consumer helpline (0808 223 1133) gives free advice and passes reports to Trading Standards. For a water company, the free body is the Consumer Council for Water. See the full routes under when a company mistreats you.

The TV licence

Watching or recording live TV on any channel or device, or using BBC iPlayer, legally requires a TV licence per household. Streaming services on demand (without live TV) do not.

• TV Licensing — costs, exemptions, and how to tell them if you don't need one.

Last reviewed: July 2026.