How to Develop a Successful Phone App for the UK Expat Community

The App Store is full of apps that can entertain you and help you with your daily life. However, if you’ve recently moved to the UK or are planning to, you’ll find that you need to download a whole range of them to help you with your new life. Apps like Citymapper, Trainline, Zoopla, NHS and Klarna are all useful, but they don’t solve every problem. What’s missing is a single, all-in-one app for UK expats. An app that would combine many different uses and eliminate the need for multiple apps taking up space on your phone.

While creating such an app would be a challenge, it would be incredibly useful for anyone who is heading to the UK. So, if you’re looking for inspiration on what to include, here are some ideas for features that would benefit any expat moving to the UK.

Must-Have Features for UK Expat App

Maps

If an expat is new to the UK, they probably won’t be familiar with their surroundings, whether they’ve moved to a big city like London or a more rural area like Huddersfield. An in-app map feature could help them easily navigate their new neighbourhood. By providing directions from their current location to their destination, the app would greatly improve their experience and prevent them from getting lost in an area they’re not familiar with.

Google Maps is a great example of a highly successful navigation tool, used by millions of people worldwide. The ability to zoom in on any street, anywhere in the world, is incredibly powerful and demonstrates the value of a comprehensive mapping feature. They even have a feature that allows them to see real life imagery from the streets. While this can be difficult to implement into an all-in-one app, it would be very useful.

Public Transport Features

Navigating public transport can be a real headache. You often need multiple apps just to buy tickets, whether you’re traveling by train, bus or tram. Apps like Trainline, Bee Network and National Rail are great on their own, but they’re not an overall solution to transportation needs.

An all-in-one app for expats could solve this problem by integrating public transport tickets directly into the platform. Imagine being able to purchase all your passes and tickets in one place, stored digitally within the app. This would eliminate the hassle of juggling different applications and would ensure you can easily show your ticket to any inspector or driver. This single feature would simplify daily life and make the transition to a new country much smoother. You can even implement taxi app features into it.

Social Calendar / Diary

A social calendar can be tough to manage, especially as you adjust to your next life in a bustling city like London or Manchester. Arranging your activities for each day can be stressful, making a dedicated app feature a game-changer.

An ideal app for expats would include a smart calendar or diary feature that organises all your activities into an efficient schedule. This would not only help you manage your social life but also provide valuable insights into local events you might not be aware of, like British festivals and national holidays. This feature would essentially act as your personal assistant, helping you make the most of your new life in the UK without the stress of overplanning.

Money Management

Managing your money in a new country can be difficult, especially when you have to adapt to a new currency. While banking apps are useful, an all-in-one app for expats could make it much easier to track your finances. This feature would let you consolidate and monitor spending across multiple currencies. This gives you a clear picture of your habits in both your home country and the UK.

The app could provide live exchange rates, allowing you to easily compare conversion costs and find the best deals when transferring money to British pounds. This would help you make smarter financial decisions and avoid unnecessary fees, as they get used to using a different currency.

Learning Materials

You’ll need to learn a lot of new things when you move to the UK, so having educational features on your app will help you with adjusting to the culture. You can learn the English language using the app with inspiration from other apps like DuoLingo being a great example of what works well.

It’s normal for expats to have to undergo a British Citizenship test after they live in the UK for a long period of time and want to make their stay permanent. Having content on the application that can help them study for this test will give them a better opportunity of passing it.

Emergency and Essential Contacts

When you’re new to a country, knowing who to call in an emergency is critical. An essential feature for any expat app would be a built-in directory for local emergency services like the police, fire department and ambulance service. You could even have the option to add your own contacts to the app.

By including a list of non-emergency numbers for services like the NHS 111 hotline or local council offices, the app would act as a crucial safety net for new UK residents. This feature would give expats peace of mind, knowing they can quickly find the right help without having to search online or ask someone they don’t know for help.

Final Thoughts

Integrating essential tools for navigation, transport, finance and social life can help you build a platform that helps expats enjoy their new UK life. The expat journey is full of challenges and an app that acts as a reliable companion can become an invaluable asset, as it will be used daily. While creating the app will take a lot of time to plan and develop, it will be a worthwhile project as you will be helping thousands of people who come to the country each year.