tea4too

Not sure if I've misunderstood your post, but there is no automatic right to a UK Retirement Pension. You need to pay NI contributions to qualify or alternatively have been awarded NI credits as a consequence of being in receipt of certain other state benefits. People who have no NI contributions or a very low amount can claim Pension Credit, but this is a means tested benefit and subject to the habitual residence tests as eligibility depends on living in the UK. T x

The Welsh have a word for what I sense many posters in this, and other threads in Moving Back to the UK, experience - Hiraeth. Hiraeth is almost poetical, much wider and deeper than missing somewhere, or nostalgia for another place. It's in and of the mountains, rocks and valleys, carries on the wind and the language, part of the culture and memory of generations gone and still to come. It's sometimes described as a deep and irrational bond with a time or era that touches the soul. It's what I think of when I read how much someone struggles with being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Big hugs for anyone who might need one just now. T x

For a relatively small island the weather in the UK can be surprisingly diverse and depend on location. A few years ago Very Stormy and I posted photos taken on the same day - his was of a very snowy street in Scotland, mine was our flowering cherry tree against a beautiful blue sky. It is partly that unpredictable element that triggers conversations, plus the fact that the seasons here are rarely four distinct blocks of weather. Freezing cold and icy conditions are no longer guaranteed each winter. I have photos of us sitting on a local beach on New Year's Day two years ago dressed in T shirts, and I remember thinking I should have put a bottle of suncream in my bag it was so warm and sunny. I guess the UK weather system will not suit everyone but if you are happy to take the weather as it comes, to plan for the unpredictable and go with the flow, chances are it will never be too hot, too cold or too windy for too long. And personally I do prefer that. T x

You did clarify that in your first post of the thread, together with the timescale you agreed as a family and how things have changed along the way. Fwiw I don't read your posts as a criticism of Aus, more an affirmation that you need to be somewhere else to feel complete. As you were honest from the outset it is sad that things have not worked out as planned but life, people and emotions can be incredibly hard to predict accurately. Take care BugF, especially of your mental health as you are managing a stressful time. Tx

I think it is more than an appreciation of tangible things. You can find a nice area to live, have a decent standard of living and enjoy what the local community has to offer in most first world countries. An extra dimension such as the weather will seal the deal for many and they never look back. For others an intangible element that feels like a piece of the jigsaw is missing, never goes away. The feeling may ebb and flow but is ever present, and over time can become a weight that throws a shadow over everything in life, even the good and positive aspects. It's not a choice thing. I started another thread recently about genetic memory and I do think there is a degree of merit in the theory that some people inherit a sense of belonging through their DNA. And if that's true no matter how hard an individual tries to settle, how many friends they make, how the rest of the family feels... they themselves will always be drawn and attached to somewhere else by invisible threads. T x

So exciting - a new chapter, a new adventure! I've been to Guernsey but not Jersey, however I think I could easily live in the Channel Islands which have their own history and culture, and also happen to be a really beautiful part of the world. T x

Timeless - from the architecture, to the arts, to the fields & hedgerows, to hearing a Welsh choir sing Calon lan. Tx

No-one can ever walk in another person's shoes, but people tend to make value judgements based on their own experience irrespective of whether it is actually relevant or valid. It's not always meant to be critical but can feel that way when no allowance is made for the fact that we are all different and see the world differently. Take a break if you need to Snoozy, but don't allow the opinions of others to silence your voice or stop you posting if/when you want to. Big hugs. T x

I wish there was an easy answer Snoozy, if only because you have struggled for such a long time. If you haven't already done so, maybe think about a chat with a doctor or counsellor as they may be able to point you in the direction of coping strategies or organisations that might lift a little of the sadness you feel. Either way use the forum to connect with others if you need to, you are not alone in how you feel and as a member of PIO you are still part of a community of sorts. Take care. T x

@Snoozy lived in South Wales though and if she grew up in the Valleys the type of community she is referring to is more than the friendly, supportive neighbours that most of us appreciate. To be fair very few places remain unchanged and the pit closures, unemployment and chronic ill health associated with working in the mines have had a big impact over many years, however the beating heart of the Valleys has always been the generations of people and families who live there. Many areas in England manage similar legacies but Welsh topography means these towns and villages are almost set apart, which perhaps reinforces the sense of living in a tight knit community. Sadly the Valleys are suffering some of the highest Covid-19 infection rates in the UK just now and it's been suggested the very closeness of friends and neighbours may be a contributory factor, but I read a quote recently along the lines of 'we need to be close and can't change a culture that's been in our DNA for centuries,' which sort of underlines a sense of community that would be difficult to replicate elsewhere. T x

If Australian tax, employment, immigration law is anything like the UK's, meeting the requirements of one area of legislation will not necessarily have any relevance to another. As such whether tax is liable on notional income is possibly separate to whether an activity violates visa restrictions relating to employment. Either way I'd guess that professional advice would probably depend on individual circumstances. T x

Payment in Kind is receipt of goods and services as payment instead of cash. Friends and relatives do it without thought but usually it is a favour and the recipient does not rely on the goods/service as part of their income. In theory someone housesitting 'free' is actually receiving in kind the equivalent of the cost to rent the place furnished, plus any additional services. I can see how that might raise issues, particularly as professional house sitters exist and will provide a similar service for a fee. T x

Oh Snoozy, that is a long time to struggle. I see from your earlier posts that 'home' is South Wales, and I wondered if you knew about the Welsh Society of WA that is based in Perth? If you can't go to Wales maybe a little bit of Wales can come to you. Take care, and though it's only a virtual one just wanted to send a big cwtch. T x https://wawelshsociety.org.au/page.php/aboutus

The fact that some immigrants have the means and determination to keep moving until they find a location to suit them is fine, but it's not obligatory nor is it necessarily the gold standard for how to go about things. Many issues can affect people's lives - finance, opportunity, personal relationships and mental health to name but a few and if life is a continuous struggle, the answer may not be to take a leap of faith and hope things will be better elsewhere. Fat and fire is possibly a huge factor in such circumstances, with a safe return to a familiar environment the better, or even the only, practical option for some. Maybe it's inevitable on a forum such as this that we read posts in the context of our own experience, but challenging others to be more like ourselves makes no sense. If it did, you would all follow my lead and save on the expense of migration by finding a lovely corner of the UK to call home and be happy! T x

In all honesty, I am not sure this is the best time to relocate to the UK. The country is not managing Covid-19 well (although the devolved nations do seem to be faring relatively better so far), the economy is shrinking with no obvious green shoots to suggest improvement in the foreseeable future, Education is struggling with a raft of issues including cancelled exams, remote learning and social distancing, there are concerns that the high number of Covid cases is putting such a strain on the NHS that other serious health needs are not being investigated or met. Unemployment is also climbing as business struggles to manage the lockdowns. Brexit is another factor as the UK ends it's relationship with the EU in January but has yet to finalise any type of deal so the uncertainty is a problem and, if nothing else, no-one can guarantee at this stage how trade will be affected in the early months of 2021. In short it is a period of intense change and while personally I am happy to live in the UK, we are sitting tight to some extent to see how things move or settle around us. I would worry for any family member returning and hoping to resettle quickly. T x

The 'failed' pom rhetoric is outdated MR, it adds nothing to the threads and only serves to promote the nastiness of the Aus versus UK slanging matches that used to take place on a regular basis. Many of us 'old timers', yourself included perhaps, found ourselves caught up in the crossfire but I for one was glad to see the back of such posts. T x

We visited my brother and his family soon after their immigration to Aus, excited to see first hand everything they loved about their new life. It was a happy trip and we have been back several times, but even on that first visit we struggled a little to see the world through their eyes. To some extent their friends were even more challenging as a fair few assumed we were on a recce and looking to emigrate ourselves. Trying to explain that Aus was great but home was in beautiful Wales and no, the weather wasn't a deal breaker, no we didn't hibernate for six months of the year, yes we do have a nice home in a nice area and enjoy our lifestyle... all seemed to fall on stoney ground. It made for some awkward moments and I'm sure at least one woman thought I was criticising her new life by seemingly rejecting it for my own family. The tumbleweed was huge and fast moving. But in answer to your question bug family, I knew from the get-go that I don't need to move to Aus to find what we already have, but it took a few years more and reading lots of PIO threads to realise there is no simple answer to what people need in order to feel that they belong. Most of us only know when we have lost or found whatever 'it' is. T x

There can be lots of reasons why people stay in a home or area where they are unhappy. Sometimes even when a move is possible in a practical sense other pressures mean that upping sticks and relocating more than a short distance is not possible, as it simply replaces one set of problems for another. When we feel trapped the most trivial of negatives can feel a huge and heavy weight. Not necessarily saying any of that applies to anyone on this thread, but that's the point really, we know very little about other people's lives or what they are dealing with. T x

Not quite Jon... Wales is still keeping a warm Welcome in the Hillside, but asking those living in high Covid-19 areas within the UK to just postpone any visits for now. Tx

Lovely photo Bunbury, and not too far from us. Never mind the weather I think Wales is massively underrated (but happy for that to remain a well kept secret in many ways ). T x

I don't have to put up with this, I accept the UK climate for what it is and get on with life. Today is beautiful warm sunshine and I've just spent two hours in the garden gathering up autumnal leaves, wondering why the cherry tree is trying to bloom for the second time this year. Next week it might be wet and windy but I'll be just as happy walking along the beach wrapped up to stay warm and dry. October to March the daylight hours are shorter, but life doesn't have to stop because it's cold or dark outside - I've some great memories of sitting in the summerhouse in winter, rugged up and sharing a nice bottle of red with friends. There's a lot to be said for the temperate nature of the UK climate and, while it may not suit everyone, personally I do think it's under rated. T x

Sean I live in the UK, but not where I was born and raised. We moved and found a very different lifestyle to the one left behind, living on the coast in a larger property because money goes further here. The weather is what it is, but we don't hibernate for months on end and usually have a Plan B for days that scupper original plans. Life is busy, full and very different to what it was before. My point is this - the culture and lifestyle in London is very different to that of Manchester or Birmingham, is different again in a market town, or a coastal village, in Scotland or in Wales. If you decide to return to the UK you don't have to return to your old life if you don't want to, there are options for forging a new one elsewhere as part of a new chapter and adventure. In weighing your options and choices, maybe factor that into the process? Good luck, I know it's not easy when there is a tussle between head and heart. T x

It's definitely worth considering however, depending how many years you are from state pension age, there is no guarantee that current rules will apply by the time you come to claim it. Women born in the 1950s expected to receive a state pension when they turned 60 but, despite in many cases paying more than 40 years NI, discovered they have to wait a further six years. Retirement pensions are a huge portion of government expenditure and various think tanks have looked at ways to balance the increasing dilemma of more people living longer while the working age population decreases. What that means in the longer term is anybody's guess, but something else to factor into any decisions maybe. T x

Sorry Jimmy I can't help with your practical questions but other members including @Marisawright will hopefully be along to advise on some of the financial implications of relocating back to the UK. @VERYSTORMY and @LKC also moved back to Scotland in recent years and have both settled very happily. Good luck with the adventure! As you know, you are returning to a beautiful part of the UK . T x

It's a gamble and for many the risk would be worth it, but I guess much depends on your priorities and focus. Does what you might gain outweigh what you might lose? If you move and things don't work out, which would you regret more - the end of the Australian dream or sacrificing the life you once had in Cornwall? There's no right or wrong answer, only a difficult decision made more pressing by the timescales you are working with. Good luck Tappers, weighing heart and head is never easy. T x