London FAQs
London Time Difference
Q. “How many hours ahead or behind is London compared to the US?”
A. London is AHEAD of the US by between 5 and 8 hours. So…
12:00 midday in London =
- 7am in New York City and Florida
- 6am in Chicago and Houston
- 5am in Denver
- 4am in LA and Seattle
(Live outside the US? Check your city here).
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Currency
Q. “How many British Pounds will I get for my US Dollars or other currency?”
A. That depends on the exchange rate when you want to change your local currency – be it US Dollars or anything else – into GBP (Great Britain Pounds, or Pounds Sterling – it’s all the same thing).
Check your currency’s exchange rate here.
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Travelers Checks
Q. “Can I pay for things throughout Britain using Travelers’ Checks?”
A. While many people who visit Britain rely on travelers’ checks for security reasons, please note that travelers’ checks are rarely accepted in shops, restaurants, train stations and so on in the UK.
Travelers’ Checks issued by the major companies (AmEx, Visa, etc) are, however, recognised and exchanged by banks, many hotels and on-street ‘bureaux de change’ (mainly found in the most popular areas for tourists, such as London’s West End), so they remain a secure option.
You’ll simply have to change them into GBP/Pounds Sterling at your convenience when you’ve arrived in the UK.
(It’s probably a good idea to change some of your own currency into Pounds (cash) before you travel to Britain just to keep you going when you first get here).
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Visas for the UK
Q. “What are the entry requirements for visiting Britain?”
A. If you live in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil or Japan…
If you are a national of one of these countries, normally and legally living there and want to visit Britain, then no, you will not normally need a visa to come to the United Kingdom for a short visit.
If you live in Ireland or another country within the European Union…European Economic Area citizens and Swiss nationals have the right of free movement and residence in the UK.
If you live in China or India…
Yes, you will need a visa to come to the United Kingdom as a visitor.
If you live in a different country or you’d like further detailed information…
Please visit the official British Government website for visa services by clicking here
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Emergency Telephone Number
Q. “What’s the British equivalent to dialling 911?”
A. 999
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Bank Notes
Q. “How do I check if my banknote is genuine?”
A. On the side with the Queen’s head, check that the Bank of England lettering is raised. On the other side, you can see a metal line of dashes. This metallic strip should run all the way through the note so hold it up to light and check you can see a continuous line, not dashes.
In the middle of the note there is what initially appears to be a blank white oval but there is a watermark here so hold your note up to the light to see the Queen’s head.
On the side with the Queen’s head there is a silver holographic image on the left hand side.
(NB This relates specifically to the £20 note but can also be used as a guide for other notes)
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Sales Tax (VAT)
Q. “How much is UK sales tax and when is it added to my bill?”
A. Value Added Tax (VAT) is currently 20%, having gone up in January 2011. It’s applied to everything but food, books, medicine and children’s clothing, and is generally included on an item’s price tag.
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