The CharityJob Guide to Living And Working In London
You great people who are regular readers of the CharityJob career advice blog (and if you’re not, then we want to see more of you!) will have noticed that over the last year we’ve been doing our take on some of the UK’s major cities. We’ve been focusing on work and play, giving an idea of the local economy, the charity sector and things to do outside of work. Here’s a little reminder of the cities covered.
CharityJob’s guide too…
Well, now the time has come to turn our gaze to the capital. This guide will be more of an overview, individual parts of the city will be covered in their own guide! So read on to find out all about charity jobs in London.
London: A CharityJob guide
How much of an introduction do we need to give here? Yes, it is a city of 11 million people, the economic and political heart of the country and the location of many charities’ headquarters. London has found itself bearing the brunt of the financial recovery, seeing its economy grow at twice the national rate. A lot of us working in the charity sector are in London (whether that is a good thing or not), and future grand investment plans show no room for slowing down.
A little bit of history:
- Established as Londinium by the Romans in AD43.
- William of Normandy is named King of England in the newly constructed Westminster Abbey. 1066
- London bridge is completed on 1209.
- The great fire of London took place in September 1666, burning around 80% of the capital.
- The world’s first underground railway was built in 1863, the tube is still heavily used today.
- Suffered repeating bombings during the blitz, lasting from 1940 until the conclusion of the Second World War.
- In 2012 The Shard was completed handing the title of Europe’s tallest building over to London
Jobs in London – where to start?
Being the capital, London does pull a lot of the country’s investment. Home to most of our civic institutions and a large chunk of the public service. Overall employment in the capital has seen significant growth across all sectors, with a substantial increase in self-employment. Furthermore, a considerable majority of FTSE 100 listed companies are based in the city and is home to third largest stock exchange in the world. It’s easy to see how these things combine to create one of the worlds strongest economies. The capital is certainly our busiest location, check out what charity jobs in London are available now.
Resources for jobseekers in London
London is chocked full of great places to help you find work and advance your career. Recruitment agencies and organisations offering CV advice can help you on your way.
Here are some fantastic recruitment agencies in London.
Places that offer CV and career advice in London
The charity sector in London
London is home to a lot of charity headquarters, both national and international. But the city is by no means home to giants only, a plethora of small and volunteer lead organisations are in every borough. Charities in London span the entire breadth and width of causes and the charity sector is perhaps the most diverse, charity jobs in London often outnumber the rest of the country. It is true that the third sector can be a little London-centric, which is something that we have discussed before. Though certain sectors such as International Development and Human Rights, find it practical to be based in a large international city. Look at the exciting variety of positions we have today! Or keep or to date with a job alert.
A significant amount of large charities have their headquarters in London.
- WaterAid
- Macmillan Cancer Support
- Christian Aid
- The Princes Trust
- Save The Children UK
- Cancer Research UK
There are numerous small charities working in the capital, here’s just a taste.
Employment Market
The job market in London is booming. Furthermore, the number of jobs created is increasing more than anywhere else in the country. Employment is more abundant than any time since the financial crash (though the type of employment is often disputed). London starts the year with continued growth and strong financial footing, though a cost of living squeeze sparks fears of low spending. Despite concerns about a slowing economy, job creation continues to be some of the strongest in Europe. High employment bodes well for the charity sector, ensuring a healthy roster of individual and corporate donors. So, whether you live here or are moving here, London so little signs of contraction and charity jobs in London remain abundant.
- For an overview of London’s economy, see: London’s Economy Today
Housing
Living in London can be fast-paced and exciting, with some many things to see and do, but there is no doubt that it’s also expensive. This is no different for housing, which can often be the most costly in the country. This year house prices in London are set to fall by 3.7 %. Furthermore, it is expected that asking prices will continue to drop in London, having already lost an average of £22,000 while rising in the rest of the country. Overall this means that housing in the capital will remain relatively expensive, but will continue to become more affordable. Or—good news for first-time buyers, unwelcome news for investors.
- The average house price in London is £660, 610.
- The average flat price in London £538,248
- The average rent in London is £667 per week.
Check out Rightmove for further details on the London housing market.
Traffic and travel:
Roads
London has an extensive network of roads serving both central and suburban areas. As the city’s population is growing, road use increases and with it, the number of roadworks. Driving can be time-consuming in suburban areas and impractical in the city centre. Driving may not always make sense, depending on where you’re based.
Four national motorways serve London: the M25, M1, M4 and MII, bring traffic from all major regions. A large network of A roads connects a majority of the city, delivering heavy freight and passenger traffic daily. Routes such as the A40 and A406 are vital arteries for transport and are considered “Red Routes” by TFL.
Rail and tube (and the rest)
London is served by the most extensive urban transport system in the UK. So, there are myriad ways of getting around. Rail, underground, overground, tram and DLR lines serve various parts of the city. Crossrail: a new high capacity rail line, connecting 41 stations will be active in 2019.
Southern, Southwestern, Midland, Thameslink and Greater Anglia run regular commuter services. Trains can be taken nationally to other major cities from hub stations such as Victoria, Waterloo, King’s Cross and St James’s street. International rail services to France and Belgium can be accessed via the Eurostar at King’s Cross St Pancras.
The underground and overground lines cover most of the metropolitan area, with rail required to reach the outer boroughs. Other travel options exist as well, such as the DLR connecting canary wharf to East London and the Croydon Tramlink serving as a line between the South and West.
Bus
London’s red double-deckers are iconic and somewhat of a moving landmark. Travelling by bus is the cheapest way to get around, but not always the quickest. With a single fare at £1.50, they can prove an affordable and convenient way to get around. Buses cover both inner and outer London, just remember your oyster or debit card as you can’t pay in cash! Also, leave a little extra time to travel.
Cycling
The city is investing heavily in cycling, with new cycle super-highways opening all over the city. Cycle hire via Santander cycles is available throughout most of the capital, making cycling to work a real possibility. Multiple cycles routes can take you through London and Cycle parking is available at several locations. If you have a folding cycle, you can even take it on public transport, making half-cycle half-train journeys a possibility.
Airports
Five airports serve London: London City Airport, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead and Luton. These are all accessible by road and by varying degrees by rail. Only London city and Heathrow are served by the tube. Heathrow and Gatwick are major international airports connecting London with the rest of Europe and indeed the world.
Riverboat services
You can even take riverboat services if you fancy taking on the Thames. Boat services can be a great alternative to taking the tube or train and serve 21 locations along the river. West London, Central London and Docklands all have ferry services. River travel is worth investigating to avoid crowds on the tube.
It’s not all about work
Sometimes you need to think about play. Here are a few ideas to fill your free time after hard day’s work.
- Learn to work metal at the Blackhorse workshop: You craft your own metalwork and grab a flat white after, what’s not to like?
- See great theatre with subsidised prices at the national theatre: Take in everything from Shakespeare to contemporary theatre.
- Sample the flavours of the world at Borough Market: Sample food from around the globe, with one the largest and most interesting food markets in the city.
- Let out your inner child at Ballie Ballerson: Yes it’s a bar with a ball bit. Hisptery? Yes. Fun? Also yes.
Whether you’re looking for a career change, are moving with the charity sector or are just looking for new experiences, jump on into our job search and find what Charity Jobs in London are available right now.
