Svoi.uk
The practical first month in the UK, curated for Russian-speaking newcomers.
Svoi.uk is a hub of curated guides and partner deals for Russian-speaking migrants — banking that opens accounts without UK ID, SIM cards with unlimited WhatsApp, money transfer providers that handle Uzcard / Humo, and the dozen other small decisions that make the first month here easier or harder.
What's on Svoi.uk
- Banking — Revolut, Monzo, Wise, Starling — which open accounts for newcomers, with what ID, in how long
- Mobile — VOXI, smarty, giffgaff, Lebara — best plans for unlimited WhatsApp / Telegram in 2026
- Money transfer — Wise, Revolut, Paysend, TransferGo — what works for Uzcard, Humo, BelCard, Mir
- Documents — when you need certified translation (link to PRVD.LDN), how to get NINo, BRP collection
- Daily life — supermarkets with Russian/Eastern European products, community medical practices, schooling
How Svoi.uk works as a business
Svoi.uk earns affiliate revenue when readers sign up to partner services — banks, mobile networks, money-transfer providers — through tracked links. Editorial coverage is independent of affiliate status: we list what works for migrants, not what pays best. Where a service we recommend has no affiliate scheme, we still list it (Revolut, Wise, etc. routinely outperform some affiliated alternatives).
The cross-over with refugee work
Svoi.uk audience overlaps with — but isn't the same as — the StartNewLife audience. Svoi serves Russian-speaking economic migrants and skilled-worker visa holders; StartNewLife serves asylum seekers and refugees. Cross-references between the two are deliberate: a refugee with status often becomes a "newcomer" needing the same banking and mobile decisions.
How Svoi.uk revenue funds Mendee CIC
Svoi.uk is operated by Mendee Digital Ltd. All net profit cross-subsidises Mendee CIC's social programmes by company deed — same arrangement as our translation service. Reader → affiliate signup → revenue → refugee programme.
Legal entity
Svoi.uk is operated by Mendee Digital Ltd (Companies House 14071822), registered in England and Wales. Founded 2022. Office: Workspace Lock Studios, 7 Corsican Square, London E3 3YD.
For service providers
Want to reach Russian-speaking migrants in the UK?
We work with banks, mobile networks, fintech, and migration-services businesses through curated affiliate listings. Editorial standards are strict — we only list services that genuinely serve the audience well — but we're open to conversations.