Immigration from Pakistan to the UK is tough but rewarding. To make moving less painful, managing personal finances is a must. This article is for Pakistani expats who care about where their money goes. Are you among them? Then scroll for financial tips that work.
Banking
Some believe that they may survive on cash and a Pakistani card. This approach will give you nothing but headaches:
- Higher fees. You'll be charged a foreign transaction fee when you buy something, use ATMs to withdraw, convert GBP to PKR or vice versa. Why bother when opening a local account will solve most of the problems?
- Salaries. Most companies require a UK account to pay you. You might think opening one is illogical if you later need to convert GBP to PKR. But here’s the trick: your employer will use the bank’s exchange rate pounds to Pakistani rupees, which is often worse than what online services offer. In other words, you could end up losing money by not using a better exchange option.
- Credit history. In the future, when you decide to take a loan, mortgage or get a credit card, banks will check your previous credit history in the UK. They won’t care about your Pakistani account. So, the sooner you start building a history, the easier the immigration from Pakistan to the UK will be.
It’s only a short list, but already very convincing. Your first step towards financial stability in the UK must be opening a local bank account. We have some helpful articles related to it:
- Make it digital: UK banking apps for expats.
- For couples: Best banks for joint accounts in the UK.
- For travellers: Best credit card to use in Europe: Top 6 UK picks.
- For families: Best UK accounts for kids and teens.
- Explore options: Best credit cards in the UK - Fees, rates, rewards.
Compare fees, limits, and coverage to find the best bank for expats in the UK. It’ll help with managing finances.
Save money with comfort
Budgeting and saving money are usually perceived as restrictions, delayed happiness, and limitations. That's not true. Managing personal finances doesn't come with a slogan 'save now, live later'; it goes with 'save, live wisely, and have a secure future'. Below, you can find some tips for Pakistani expats.
Get rid of the excess
There are so many things you actually don’t need. Be it a forgotten subscription or another mug you want to buy because 10 of them hidden in the cupboard is not enough. So, to become more financially stable, remove these things from your life:
- Useless subscriptions;
- Any debt you can pay off, even partially;
- Impulse purchases that drain your budget;
- Items you no longer need or use — sell them;
- Premium services or memberships you rarely benefit from.
Keep track of all of your assets
It's hard to believe, but some people forget they have savings accounts with thousands of pounds on them. Maybe you're accidentally among them. Remember all the accounts you've ever opened, search for all the investments you've made, and check your favourite book or under the bed — maybe some cash is left there.
Only when you have a full understanding of your budget, you can start planning. Put the money you forgot about to the high-yield savings accounts, since you don’t need them to meet the basic needs.
Savings accounts
Many UK banks offer savings accounts, and it’s worth opening one — especially if you’re not ready to invest.
Some accounts give instant access to your money, so you can use it in an emergency. Others may have limited access but offer higher interest rates, helping your savings grow faster.
Adjust your daily habits
We're not telling you to shorten your grocery shopping list to water and bread, of course not. By simple changes, you can start saving more. We have detailed guides prepared for you:
- Save on utility bills without sacrificing comfort.
- Eat well and spend less on groceries.
- Cut your electricity bills.
In short, the key step is to fight the urge for overconsumption. Believe us, when you start eating less sweets and snacks, your body and wallet will feel much better.
Sending UK pounds to Pakistani rupees
Most Pakistani expats have to convert GBP to PKR. The first solution that comes to mind is bank transfers. However, using them won’t help you save funds. Banks’ GBP to PKR rates are often poorer than those of the online services. The reason is simple: the currency converter GBP to PKR is not the banks’ main income source, so they make it a bit more expensive.
There is a rule ‘If you criticise, then suggest an alternative’, and we are ready to present you the service with great GBP to PKR rates — Profee.
Why convert GBP to PKR with Profee
- Simple currency converter GBP to PKR
Profee’s currency converter GBP to PKR is as easy as 2+2. The interface guides you on every step, so it’s almost impossible to mess up the transfer details. Everything will be clear from start to finish.
- Unmatched GBP to PKR rate
Comparing 1 GBP to PKR offers is the golden rule of remittances. You can be sure that Profee’s offer will always be among the top ones.
On August 27th, 2025, 1 GBP to PKR rate is 385.22 PKR. Enjoy a special rate for the first transfer and send UK pounds to Pakistani rupees cost-effectively. Just like savvy expats do.
- Little to no fees
The 1 GBP to PKR rate is only a part of the final transfer cost. The second part is fees, often overlooked by expats. Your first UK pounds to Pakistani rupee transfer will be fee-free with Profee. For the following ones, we’ll keep the charges as low as possible.
Gift for our readers: a promo code READPROMO for a 0% fee transfer. Use it until September 30th, 2025.
- Honesty
Profee displays the current exchange rate pounds to Pakistani rupees and all the fees (if there are any) in advance, so you know how much to send. We don’t fool our customers with hidden charges and make UK pounds to Pakistani rupees fair transfers.
- Security
When you check the 1 GBP to PKR rate, fees and transfer methods, the last step is to verify how safe the service is. Answering beforehand, Profee has an official licence and follows strict international PCI DSS standards, so your data and funds are safeguarded. You can check how we keep remittances protected from fraud here.
Tips to convert GBP to PKR smartly
Let’s wrap it up with some remittance advice.
- Where to compare 1 GBP to PKR offers
To check which 1 GBP to PKR rates are there on the market, collect a list of 5-7 services that look trustworthy and check their websites. The exchange rate pounds to Pakistani rupees is usually displayed there.
If you want to see everything in one place, use aggregators like Monito and MoneyTransfers.
- How to monitor the GBP to PKR rate
Rate patterns are hints to when it’s best to send money. Read the news, consult with traders and check Profee’s rate history graph to spot the highs and lows and make forecasts.
- Stay updated
Profee sends hot rate alert notifications and promo codes. Keep an eye on what we share to not miss a sweet deal.
FAQ
How to save as an expat?
- Open a local bank account.
- Understand the local tax system.
- Know the laws to avoid fines.
- Learn how to save on utilities and groceries.
- Use Profee to beneficially send money home.
- Download apps that help with managing finances.
What is the 70/20/10 rule?
It’s an approach to forming your budget. 70% of total income goes to the basic needs and some wants, 20% — to saving, and 10% — to paying off debt/sharing with friends and family/donating to charity.
What is the 1 USD rule that can turn your life around?
A simple hack for smarter purchases. Use 1 USD — or 1 GBP in our case — as a benchmark. When you’re unsure about buying something, estimate how many times you’ll actually use it. Then divide the price by the number of uses. If the cost per use is 1 GBP or less, it’s probably a worthwhile purchase.
Example: A product costs £500, and you expect to use it 50 times. The cost per use is £10, far above the 1 GBP benchmark. According to this approach, it’s not a good buy.
Which Pakistani banks work in the UK?
- HBL Bank UK
- Habib Bank Zurich plc (HBZUK)
- United Bank Limited (UBL UK) and some others.
How to send money from the UK to Pakistan?
- Join Profee.
- Select currencies and countries.
- Enter the transfer amount.
- Choose a payment method.
- Insert the recipient details.
- Confirm.
