Moving to South Africa from the UK: the practical guide

South Africa at a glance

Start with the visa

South Africa’s immigration system is in the middle of reform, and applications can take months. Apply under the rules in force today, not proposals you may read about, and use a registered immigration practitioner.

Source: Visa Immigration SA, August 2026. Check the current rules with the Department of Home Affairs or VFS Global, which handles applications in the UK.

Changes on the way

A government white paper published in March 2026 proposes merging the work visas, setting a minimum age of 55 for retirement visas with a higher income test, and making permanent residence merit-based with an annual quota. None of this is law yet; the government aims to table a bill by March 2027. If you are close to qualifying under today’s rules, it may be worth applying sooner rather than later.

Rules to know

• Visitors cannot work. You can visit to look at areas and schools, but check before you travel whether you need South Africa’s new electronic travel authorisation, launched in August 2026.
• Your partner may need their own visa to work. Check this before you commit.
• Bring unabridged birth certificates for children, and legalise key documents in the UK before you go.

Cost of living

Day-to-day costs are much lower than in the UK. The average rent across South Africa was R9,715 a month (about £440) in mid-2026, rising to R12,561 (about £570) in the Western Cape, the most expensive province.

PayProp Rental Index for April to June 2026, via Property Professional, September 2026. These averages include all rented homes; family houses in sought-after areas such as Cape Town’s southern suburbs or Johannesburg’s northern suburbs cost several times as much. Sterling figures use R22 to the pound, the rate in early October 2026.

What works differently from the UK

• Security is part of the budget. Most homes have alarms, armed-response contracts and electric fencing, and many people live in secure estates or complexes. Factor this in when choosing where to live.
• Power cuts. Scheduled power cuts (“load shedding”) have been much less frequent recently but can return. Many homes have inverters, batteries or solar panels; ask about backup power before you rent.
• VAT is 15% and is included in shop prices.
• Domestic help is affordable and common, but you are an employer with legal duties, including a minimum wage and registration for unemployment insurance.
• Imported goods and cars are expensive, while local food, wine and eating out are good value.
• Bank early. Opening an account can take time as a newcomer; bring proof of address and your visa.

Buying a home

Foreigners can buy property in South Africa on the same terms as citizens, and many Britons do. Buyers pay transfer duty on homes over a set threshold, plus conveyancing fees. Non-residents can usually borrow only up to half the price from South African banks, and money you bring in should be recorded properly with your bank so you can take it out again later. Rent first while you get to know the area.

Tax

South Africa taxes residents on their worldwide income at rates from 18% to 45%. The tax year runs from 1 March to the end of February, and most employees pay through PAYE, as in the UK.

Source: SARS, for 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2027. A rebate of R17,820 means people under 65 pay no tax on income up to R99,000.

Points that catch UK arrivals out

• You become resident by living there or by time spent. You are tax resident if South Africa becomes your ordinary home, or under a test based on days spent there over several years. Residents are taxed on worldwide income.
• UK income must be declared. UK rent, interest, dividends and pensions go on your South African return, with credit for UK tax under the UK–South Africa double taxation agreement.
• Get a tax number. Register with SARS once you start work or have income to declare.
• Capital gains and estate duty apply. South Africa taxes capital gains and charges estate duty on death, so plan your estate with advice in both countries.
• Moving money in and out is regulated. Exchange controls apply, so record funds you bring in with your bank to make it easier to take them out later.

Leaving the UK tax system

Tell HMRC you are going. Most people do this with form P85, which can also trigger a refund for the year you leave. You will still pay UK tax on UK income such as rent from a property you keep. Take advice from an accountant who handles both countries before you move, not after.

Healthcare

South Africa has two health systems. The public system is free or cheap but overstretched; the private system is excellent, comparable to good private care in the UK, and is where most expats are treated. To use it you join a medical scheme, known locally as “medical aid”.

How cover works

• Medical schemes are the main route. Plans range from hospital-only cover to comprehensive plans that include day-to-day GP visits and medicines. Schemes must accept you, but may impose waiting periods, especially for existing conditions.
• Prices rise every year, above inflation. Discovery, the largest scheme, raised contributions by an average of 7.2% in April 2026, and other big schemes by 6.8% to 8.8% (BusinessTech).
• Add gap cover. Specialists often charge more than schemes pay, and gap cover insurance pays the difference for hospital treatment. It is inexpensive and widely recommended.
• Check what your visa needs. Some visas require proof of medical cover, and some schemes only accept people with certain visas, so arrange cover as part of your visa application.
• Employers may contribute. Many employers pay part of the scheme contribution, so ask what is included in your package.

There is no reciprocal health agreement between the UK and South Africa. Arrange international or travel cover from the day you land until your medical scheme cover starts. Some UK medicines need a permit or a doctor’s letter, so carry prescriptions.

Schools and the school year

The South African school year follows the calendar year, from January to December, in four terms. A child moving from the UK in summer will usually join part-way through a South African school year, so talk to schools about the right grade.

Source: South African Government. Independent schools set their own dates, which are similar.

Choosing a school

• Many expats use fee-paying public schools. Former “Model C” state schools in good areas are well resourced and charge fees, but give priority to children living in their catchment area.
• Independent schools offer the most choice, and many follow the South African curriculum with the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) matric. Some offer Cambridge IGCSEs and A-levels or the IB.
• Top schools are expensive by local standards. In 2026 the leading day schools charged R200,000 to R275,000 a year (about £9,100 to £12,500), and leading boarding schools R360,000 to R450,000 (about £16,400 to £20,500) (BusinessTech, January 2026). Many good independent schools cost much less.
• Grades and language. Grade R is the reception year, followed by Grades 1 to 12. Most schools teach in English, but many require a second South African language, usually Afrikaans or isiXhosa or isiZulu; exemptions are often available for children arriving from abroad.
• Children need study permits. Foreign children need the right visa to attend school, usually linked to a parent’s visa, so arrange this alongside your own.
• Apply early. Popular schools fill up a year or more ahead.

Driving

South Africa drives on the left, as in the UK, and right-hand-drive cars are normal. A car is essential in most places, as public transport is limited. Roads between cities are good, but driving standards vary, so drive defensively.

Your licence

• A UK photocard licence is valid for driving in South Africa while it remains valid, because it is in English and carries a photo. Carry your passport too.
• Temporary residents cannot usually convert a UK licence. Most people on work visas keep driving on their UK licence, so keep it valid and renew it with the DVLA as needed.
• Permanent residents must convert within a year of getting permanent residence, at a driving licence testing centre. You need your UK licence, a letter confirming it is valid, an eye test, photos and a fee of about R250, and you surrender your UK licence.

Source: IBN, September 2026.

Road rules worth knowing before your first drive

• Four-way stops are common at junctions; cars go in the order they arrived.
• Traffic lights are called “robots” and often fail during power cuts. Treat a dead traffic light as a four-way stop.
• Minibus taxis stop suddenly and often, so leave room.
• Security matters. Keep doors locked and valuables out of sight, and take local advice on routes, particularly at night.
• Speeds are in kilometres per hour, and limits are enforced with cameras and roadblocks.
• Insurance is not compulsory, but essential. A letter confirming your UK no-claims record may reduce the premium.

Should you ship your car?

Usually not. Importing a used car needs an import permit, which is generally available only to returning South Africans and permanent residents, for one vehicle per family that has been owned and used abroad. Temporary residents usually buy locally. Our vehicle shipping guide sets out what is involved.

Pensions

South Africa has no social security agreement with the UK, and its state old-age grant is means-tested and aimed at South Africans. For most UK movers, retirement income will come from UK pensions and their own savings.

Your UK State Pension

• It is paid in South Africa, but frozen. You cannot get annual increases there; the rate you first receive is the rate you keep. See State Pension if you retire abroad.
• You need 35 qualifying years for the full amount and at least 10 to get anything. Check your forecast before you leave.
• Topping up from abroad became harder and dearer on 6 April 2026. Cheap Class 2 voluntary contributions are no longer available for time abroad. You can pay Class 3 only if you lived in the UK for 10 years in a row or paid 10 years of contributions. See voluntary National Insurance if you live abroad.

Your UK workplace and private pensions

• They can stay in the UK and be paid to you in South Africa, where they are generally taxed as income. The double taxation agreement decides which country taxes which pension, and UK government service pensions are usually treated differently.
• Pensions can fund a retirement visa. A UK pension paying at least R37,000 a month can meet the retired person visa income test.
• Transfers are rarely worth it. A 25% overseas transfer charge applies unless you live in the same country as the receiving scheme. Read GOV.UK on transferring to an overseas pension scheme first, and use an adviser regulated in both countries.

Saving in South Africa

If you work in South Africa, your employer may offer a pension or provident fund, and you can save tax-efficiently in a retirement annuity. Contributions attract tax relief up to set limits, but rules on when you can withdraw them, especially if you leave South Africa, are strict. Take advice before committing.

Shipping your home

Used household goods can enter South Africa free of duty and VAT when you move there, but only with the right registration and declaration lodged before your goods arrive. Port congestion at Durban and Cape Town is the biggest variable in timing.

Customs

• Register with SARS as an importer first. This is needed before your goods can be entered, and we start it around ten weeks before your move.
• Declare your goods before they arrive. Used personal effects coming with a change of residence are entered on a declaration (form P1.160) with a specific, valued inventory, which we prepare with you.
• Goods must have been owned and used, generally for at least six months. New, unused items and anything for resale can be charged duty and VAT.
• Your status matters. Permanent residents, returning South Africans and people on temporary work visas are treated differently, and there are limits on selling goods after import. We confirm which rules apply before you sail.
• Some things need permits. Firearms need permits arranged well in advance and never travel in the household container. Food, plants and animal products are restricted, and wooden crates must meet treatment standards.

Sea freight

Sea freight takes 6 to 8 weeks door to door to Cape Town or Durban in a sole-use container, and 7 to 10 weeks shared. Johannesburg and Pretoria take a little longer, as containers clear at Durban and travel inland by road. Air freight takes 5 to 8 days. Power cuts can affect lifts, gates and security systems on delivery day. Our South Africa shipping guide has the detail.

Pets

Cats and dogs from the UK can enter South Africa without quarantine if their papers are in order.

• Get a veterinary import permit from South Africa’s Department of Agriculture before you travel. It can be issued in a few days and is valid for six months.
• Microchip with an ISO-standard chip.
• Rabies vaccination is not required for pets from the UK but is strongly recommended, as rabies is present in South Africa. If given, it must be at least 30 days and no more than 12 months before arrival.
• Dogs may need blood tests for several diseases within 30 days of travel, unless the UK is accepted as free of them. Ask your vet to check the current permit conditions.
• Pets travel as cargo, with an official health certificate completed by your vet within 10 days of the flight.

Source: PBS Pet Travel. Confirm the current rules on your import permit before you book.

Useful links

These are the official sources we point clients to. Rules change, so check them close to your move date.

This guide is general information for people planning a move, correct to the best of our knowledge in October 2026. It is not tax, pension, legal or immigration advice. Rules and figures change, so check the official sources linked above and take professional advice on your own circumstances.