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A Snapshot into.. Southampton

• January 04, 2021

Southampton is located on the South coast of England and it is one of Britain’s greenest cities with over fifty parks to enjoy. Living in Southampton, you will also have access to the famous National Park’s New Forest and the South Downs, all on your doorstep. The city has a population of 919,843 (2019) and it is extremely well connected to the rest of the UK. 

The NHS in Southampton

The University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust provides services to some 1.9 million people living in Southampton and south Hampshire, plus specialist services such as neurosciences, cardiac services and children's intensive care to more than 3.7 million people in central southern England and the Channel Islands.

The Trust is also a major centre for teaching and research in association with the University of Southampton and partners including the Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust.

Every year their 11,500 staff:

• treat around 150,000 inpatients and day patients, including about 50,000 emergency admissions;
• see over 624,000 people at outpatient appointments; and
• deal with around 135,000 cases in the Emergency Department

Top Reasons to Relocate to Southampton

1. Perfect location for families – Southampton is a working city, but it also provides an element of relaxation. Inland, you have the beautiful New Forest National Park and just 20 minutes away you can experience the happiest place to live in the UK, Winchester. Because of the high level of visitors to the city, the shopping is excellent and there are 100s of restaurants and entertainment to choose from.
2. The University – Thousands of students relocate from all over the UK to live and study at the University of Southampton. This gives the local economy an annual boost and ensures that Southampton provides a range of arts, music venues and a busy entertainment calendar. The University is also one of the city’s largest employers, drawing academics from around the globe to attend.
3. Offers a good work-life balance – Southampton provides excellent rail, road, air and sea connections, which makes it an excellent place to work if you live in the surrounding rural or countryside areas. Living in Southampton is affordable if you prefer, the average monthly mortgage figure of around £700pcm, which is far below the national average of £1900.

Cost of Living

Renting Accommodation

One-bedroom apartment in the City Centre	£702.72
One-bedroom apartment outside of the City Centre	£577.50
Three bedrooms in the City Centre	£1306.25
Three bedroom Outside of the Centre	£1041.67

Transportation

One litre of petrol	£1.24
Monthly public transport ticket	£46
Taxi trip on a business day, basic tariff, 5 miles	£13

Entertainment

Basic dinner out for two at a neighbourhood pub	£29
Two tickets to the cinema	£21
Two tickets to the theatre	£84
Cappuccino	£3.42
One-month gym membership in the business district	£26

Where to live in Southampton?

If you are looking for a new and modern property, you ought to live in the up and coming Cultural Quarter which is situated close to arts venues and Southampton Solent University. You can choose from townhouses to luxury apartments with views across the River Itchen and the marina.

If you want to live in a more family-oriented area, you have the option of Hedge End, which provides good schools, shops and parks. Alternatively, there is Southampton Common which is just a short walk away from Southampton Central Train Station.

Travelling to other UK cities from Southampton via Train

On average, there are 113 trains each day between Southampton and London Waterloo, with the journey time taking just 1 hour and 20 minutes. Southampton also has its own airport providing flights to both UK destinations and Europe. There are also regular daily ferry crossings to France.

London Waterloo – 1 hour 19 minutes

Birmingham – 2 hours 31 minutes

Manchester – 3 hours 57 minutes

Bristol – 1 hour 37 minutes

Cardiff – 2 hours 36 minutes

Leeds – 4 hours 21 minutes

Edinburgh – 6 hours 19 minutes

Education in Southampton

There are 42 schools and colleges rated “Outstanding” by OFSTED within a 10-mile radius of Southampton.

You can find a list of these schools here.

In addition to some amazing schools, the City is also home to Southampton University, a research-intensive university and a founding member of the Russell Group. It is a Global top 100 University with around 22,000 enrolled students, including around 14,400 undergraduates and 7,600 postgraduates.

Top things to in Southampton

1. Visit the boats – Attend Britain’s biggest boat show, which is held in the city centre every September. There will be entertainment and hundreds of world’s leading sailboats and powerboats to take the water.
2. Go skiing – The Alpine Snowsports Centre will allow you to improve your skills all year round. You can try snowboarding, skiing or have fun on the inflatables and spin down the slopes.
3. Learn to Dive – The Quays is one of the only four High Performance Centres for diving in the UK and several of Team GB’s Olympic divers train here.
4. Visit the Theatre – The Mayflower was built in the 1920’s and it is the South of England’s biggest theatre. You can see a range of performances from West End Musicals, dance performances and operas.
5. Visit St. Michael’s Square – Home to the amazing Tudor House that was built in the late 15^th Century for a wealthy merchant family. The house is now a museum that exhibits from the Victorian and Edwardian eras, encompassing more than 900 years of local history.
6. Visit the Sea City Museum – Based in the heart of the city, the Museum tells the story of the people of the city, their lives and the historic connections with the Titanic and the Sea.

Relocating to Southampton

If you are an international doctor who plans to join the NHS and relocate to Southampton, email your CV to [email protected] and we will be happy to support you throughout your relocation journey.

IMG Advisor

Are you a member of our Facebook Group IMG Advisor? Here, you will have access to frequent relocation blog posts, the opportunity to ask questions and receive professional guidance and the chance to meet other IMGs.

References

Schepens | UK & European Removals Specialist | FREE Quote. (2019). Relocating to Southampton | Home & Business Moving to Southampton | Schepens. [online] Available at: https://www.schepens.co.uk/relocating-to-southampton/ 

Safestore. (2019). Why Southampton is great for job hunters. online] Available at: https://www.safestore.co.uk/blog/2018/02/why-southampton-is-great-for-job-hunters/ 

Schepens | UK & European Removals Specialist | FREE Quote. (2019). Relocating to Southampton | Home & Business Moving to Southampton | Schepens. online] Available at: https://www.schepens.co.uk/relocating-to-southampton/ 

Expatistan, cost of living comparisons. (2019). Cost of Living in Southampton, United Kingdom. May 2019 prices in Southampton.. online] Available at: https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/southampton

Lastminute.com. (2019). 21 things to do in Southampton - Blog - lastminute.com. online] Available at: https://www.lastminute.com/blog/things-to-do-in-southampton 

Southampton.ac.uk. 2021. Global Top 100 University | University Of Southampton. [online] Available at: <https://www.southampton.ac.uk/> [Accessed 4 January 2021].

Uhs.nhs.uk. 2021. About The Trust. [online] Available at: <https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/AboutTheTrust/AboutTheTrust.aspx> [Accessed 4 January 2021].