I will be moving abroad to work later this year, can you recommend any good expat websites that will keep me in touch with life in Britain

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A. Most websites geared towards the British expatriate community will help you keep in touch with news and current affairs back home, put you in touch with fellow Brits abroad or send you food and drink that you just cannot live without.

Some of the best sites for British expatriates include the following:

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Brits Abroad

This is a really comprehensive site that helps you with emigration, finding a job abroad, overseas voter registration, nationality law, passports and it provides Consular Office locations around the world. On a lighter note it also helps you keep up to date with how your favourite football team is doing in the league (it also has golf, cricket, snooker, rugby etc).

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This site also acts as a portal for other useful UK sites that will help expats abroad - these include links to all British national newspapers online (some of the main ones include The Times: www.the-times.co.uk; The Sunday Times: www.sunday-times.co.uk; The Financial Times: www.ft.com; The Daily Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk; The Guardian: www.guardian.co.uk; The Independent: www.independent.co.uk; The Scotsman: www.scotsman.com), magazines, online shopping for British products, gift services and it will also tell you where to find the nearest Marks & Spencer's shop.

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In addition, you can probably find an expat group for the country you're staying in on this site too. And as if that wasn't enough to keep the home sick blues away, check out the Brits Abroad "Fun" section, it has numerous jokes on how you can tell when you've been away too long.

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Expat Boxes

Expat Boxes is a unique service that sends you packages of the favourite things you miss from the UK while you're living abroad. You can either buy themed boxes or your own personalised box of all the stuff you want. This is also a good service to send gifts to your expat family and friends at Christmas or for birthdays.

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Expat Boxes will send packages to anywhere in the world, you pay the shipping fee and a �5 shopping charge for every five items - or the fee designated for one of its themed boxes. Some of its more unique boxes include Curry in a box at �15.50 (this includes lots of Sharwoods sauces, popadoms and Uncle Ben's rice); Sauce box (HP Sauce, salad cream, Lea & Perrins, Colman's mustard, Branston pickle etc.)at �25.50; Teatime box (lots of McVitie's cake and biscuits e.g. Jamaica Ginger Cake, jam and PG tips teabags) at �15; and the Organic box (includes organic biscuits, tea, crisps, coffee, tomato ketchup, baked beans and chocolate) at �29.50.

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Brits worldwide

This site ships favourite brands of food and toiletries abroad at reasonable rates.

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Expat Essentials

You can buy over 2,700 British products here - which Expat Essentials claims to be the widest choice available online, plus news from back home, chat room, recipes, a message board. All prices are very competitive and include shipping and insurance.

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The British European Association

Although it has a slant towards British expats living in Denmark, this site is intended to serve and inform British citizens living elsewhere in Europe. It acts as an advisory body on such matters as education, employment, paying tax etc. and it has a monthly newsletter.

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British Mail Order

This site is a portal to over 850 websites selling British goods by mail order these include books, clothes, food, hampers, gifts, etc. Has a good links section to other expat-oriented sites.

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Global Network

This is a good expat site full of information on health, sports, education etc. It comes complete with country profiles and a magazine - Expat World - that features articles by expats full of tips on living abroad.

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Local Newspapers

If you want specific information on your hometown, not covered by the nationals, this site is for you as it includes online versions of local newspapers.

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British Magazines Direct

This is an online newsagent - you can even browse through them online - featuring 3500 British magazines. Issues can be posted to any destination.

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Expat Access

This site is for expats living in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Belgium (plus other nationalities living in Britain) and provides comprehensive and informed information on social clubs, settling in, schools, adult education programmes, entertainment etc.

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Active Abroad

This site is full of really helpful and practical information like how to import a car, find somewhere to live, import a pet etc. The site is really easy to navigate and is a real font of information.

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UK Directory

Vast collection of UK-related websites, listed by subject.

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Q. Are there similar sites for expats living in the UK

A. There are a lot of good sites covering relocation issues for expats living in the UK. Some of the best include the following:

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The UK Information Network

This site carries lots of information about living in the UK in a fact sheet format, it covers such issues as health care, driving licence regulations and quarantine laws.

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The Expat Agency

Full of information on housing, education etc. for foreign nationals living in the UK for the first time.

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Countryweb

This site is a favourite with expats in the UK as it is full of information on property, jobs, buying a car, and the all important weather reports.

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Schoolsnet

As education and finding a good school is a major concern when relocating to another country, this site is invaluable for expats living in the UK as it provides a good background to the bewildering array of types of British schools, as well guides to individual schools.

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By Karen Anderson