Working Holiday in England Outside London
Key takeaways
- Your UK working holiday visa covers all of England, so you can live and work well beyond London.
- Live-in pub jobs in Bath and Newquay need no experience; country house hotels want 6 months in a quality hotel or restaurant.
- Live-in jobs come with staff housing, so rent is far lower than in London.
- Most people start in London, sort their admin, then move to a live-in job.
London gets the headlines, but some of the best jobs in England are outside the capital: pubs in Bath and Newquay, country house hotels in the Home Counties, and seaside hotels in Devon. Most come with staff housing, so you spend far less on rent and see a side of England most visitors miss. Here's where the work is, what it involves and how to get there.
Why work outside London?
- Lower living costs. Live-in jobs include staff housing, often with meals, so rent takes a much smaller bite out of your pay.
- The coast and the countryside. Think Cornish beaches, Georgian Bath and historic estates instead of the Tube.
- Faster savings. With fewer costs, more of your wages go towards travel.
- A tight-knit team. You live with your workmates, which makes settling in easy.
Do you need a different visa?
No. Your UK Youth Mobility visa covers all of England, as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can move between jobs and regions as often as you like. The Channel Islands are the exception: they're not part of the UK and set their own rules (more on that below).
Your options at a glance
| Option | Where | Housing | Minimum stay | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live-in pubs | Bath, Newquay | Shared staff dorm, £105.70 a fortnight | 4 months | Not needed |
| Country house hotels | South East, Midlands, Cheshire, Yorkshire | Own room, 3 meals a day, £48–£87 a week | 6 months (3 at some sites) | 6 months in a quality hotel or restaurant |
| Seaside hotels | Sidmouth, Devon | Staff housing with meals | 3 months | Hotel or restaurant experience |
| Channel Islands resorts | Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney | Own room, 3 meals a day | Full May–September season | Hotel or restaurant experience |
Live-in pub jobs in Bath and Newquay No experience needed
Our pub partner has two venues outside London in England, both with on-site staff housing:
- Bath: a bar and diner on the doorstep of the city's most famous sights, showing live sport and serving burgers, local ales and ciders
- Newquay: a beachside sports bar with a cliff-top terrace over the ocean, live music and Cornish beers and ciders
Roles include bar crew, kitchen crew and hostel reception. No experience is needed, as training is given on the job. Staff live in shared dorms with bills and wifi included for £105.70 a fortnight, get a staff meal on shift and 50% off food and drink across the group. You commit to at least 4 months, and interviews are on Zoom. See live-in pub jobs.
Country house hotel jobs From £48 a week, 3 meals a day
Our hotel partner runs award-winning country house and spa hotels across England, from listed buildings with historic features to estates set in parkland. They're spread across the South East (Surrey, East Sussex, Kent and Hampshire), the Midlands (Warwickshire and Northamptonshire), Cheshire and Yorkshire.
You get your own room and three meals a day for £48–£87 a week, depending on the hotel, plus staff discounts and use of hotel facilities at some sites. Roles are in housekeeping, bar, food service, reception and retail.
These hotels want at least 6 months' experience in a quality hotel or restaurant, and most ask for 6 months or more. They're generally remote, so they suit people who love the outdoors more than nightlife. See live-in hotel jobs.
Seaside Devon: hotel jobs in Sidmouth 3-month commitment
Want the English coast? We work with hotels in Sidmouth, a seaside town in Devon, including a resort and spa and a boutique seaside hotel. Roles include front of house, bar, waiting, barista, portering and housekeeping, with staff housing and meals included at the boutique hotel. Devon roles usually ask for a 3-month commitment, shorter than most mainland hotels.
The Channel Islands summer season £500 season bonus
The Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney) aren't technically England, or even part of the UK, but they're the closest summer-season option. Our hotel partner runs beachfront resort hotels there, with roles in housekeeping, bar, food service and retail.
- Season: you commit to the full season, May to September.
- Bonus: staff get a £500 bonus for finishing the season.
- Housing: your own room with three meals a day.
- Rules: the islands set their own immigration and employment rules, including their own minimum wage. The hotel group confirms what you need before you start.
Start in London, move later
Most people don't go straight to a live-in job. They start on Jumpstart London, set up their bank account, SIM and National Insurance number, and get some UK work experience. Then they switch to a live-in job, at any point during their visa, with our team setting up the interview.
If a live-in role lines up with your arrival date, you can also interview on Zoom before you fly. Live-in pubs fill early, so apply around 6 months ahead. Read how live-in jobs work in the UK for the full breakdown of rent, pay and contracts.
FAQ
Can I work outside London on a UK working holiday visa?
Yes. The Youth Mobility visa covers the whole of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can work anywhere in the UK and change jobs or regions as often as you like.
Do I need experience for live-in hotel jobs in England?
Yes, usually. Country house hotels ask for at least 6 months in a quality hotel or restaurant. Live-in pub jobs in Bath and Newquay don't need experience, as training is given on the job.
Does my UK visa cover the Channel Islands?
Not automatically. Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney aren't part of the UK and set their own immigration and employment rules. Our hotel partner confirms what you need before you start a season there.
Ready to see more of England?
Tell us when you're arriving and the kind of place you'd like to live, and we'll match you with live-in roles.
Prefer the Highlands? Read about a working holiday in Scotland.
