Chortlepuss

Citizen. There is a form on HRMC site to apply to have UK income paid gross where a full time tax resident of Australia. I asked the ATO about it and they said they weren’t aware of it (even though the form states it goes to the ATO). I get my UK property earnings paid gross so wondered if I could get my UK pension paid gross in UK and taxed only in Australia. Mind you the people answering my call weren’t aware of how the UK pension tax free sum was taxed in Australia (they told me on the whole sum and not just the growth component). It’ll get very complicated to apportion tax already paid on UK income across tax years so I wondered if there was a simpler way of doing it.

Is there an option to apply to HRMC to get all income from UK (pensions and rental) paid gross in UK and just pay the tax in Australia? I currently pay no UK tax on my UK rental (under tax threshold but have also completed form to get all income gross) but my upcoming pension income will put me over the UK tax threshold. At the moment I have UK and Australian tax returns so would be easier just to declare tax in Australia - Will UK get first dibs? Makes it tricky to calculate given non aligned tax reporting periods.

If you are commuting to the city then be sure to choose a place in walking distance of the train or the busway - travelling by car in Brisbane is gruelling in rush hour. I have lived south side and am now west - Sherwood is my favourite suburb, very close to the city but quite vibrant with a primary school one of the best in Brisbane but it’s not a cheap suburb to rent or buy and a lot of it floods. Your chosen suburbs are nice enough but not sure about commuting to city from Bardon. A friend lives in Red Hill/Paddington which is lovely if you like proximity to the city, restaurants and bars - it even has a ‘proper’ pub which is rare in Brisbane! The hardest part for me coming from a UK village was finding somewhere that felt like a ‘real’ place with a community. It’s mostly suburbia and sprawl here - for many not so important but it’s something I’ve struggled with.

I doubt that the OP is boring - just hasn’t found their tribe or relevant interests yet! Whilst we don’t know the OP’s Myers Briggs score, as an introvert I do struggle to relate to extroverts as I prefer people who are more quiet, contemplative and analytical who can talk about subjects in depth. The senior leaders and managers I most admire tend to be introverts - I enjoy their confidence, inner strength and self reliance! I hate small talk and loud banal conversation for the sake of hearing your own voice. I have found there is a general suspicion of introverts in Australia - with many mistakenly labelled as ‘shy’

I do sympathise. I’m so glad I spent my 20’s and 30’s in the UK, with family, friends and shared activities - from hiking with the ramblers to travelling with friends, art classes, and surrounded by interesting and stimulating people. I came here in my mid 40’s 15 years ago, worked in IT since and the only real new friends I have made have been during secondments back to the UK working for an ex employer. I have some social stimulation from volunteering and U3A but I have tried and failed to make friends here. Australians are busy with families, church, building their careers, renovations - they are friendly enough but happy with small talk and superficial relationships. I go to the gym here too - great gyms but you don’t make friends there, no friendly pubs or real community focus. The things in life I value are simply not here in Brisbane but that’s not Brisbane’s fault - I am simply a poor fit and if free to do so, I would go home tomorrow! I suspect Sydney is even more cut-throat - have never lived there but visited for work. It’s a difficult time but is there a British club there you could join? One possible thing too if you are planning to have a family you may find friendships with other new parents - but of course then you may get ‘stuck’ here in Australia!

I was lucky enough to have lived in St Albans a lifetime ago. It was, and remains my favourite place in the UK (despite growing up near Brighton). I try to visit when I can. It has the combination of vibrancy, great shopping, market, beautiful countryside on your doorstep, fabulous pubs whilst being a short journey into London for your city needs. If I could turn back time, I would have bought a house there in the 1990’s. One of the more expensive places to live in the UK now though.

There sure are (although in Brisbane I can only think of one pub that could match my UK village local for atmosphere). Interestingly the owners modelled it on a ‘proper’ British pub and it’s really busy all the time so I’m surprised more businesses don’t catch on to this idea. Most pubs in my area have blaring multiple big screens, pokies and a restricted beer selection (we are seeing some improvement though with local breweries). I simply miss having my close friends with me to share social experiences. Fully capable of going to the cinema on my own but it’s not as fun. While there are a lot of opportunities to meet up with Corporate colleagues for ‘coffee catch up’ to discuss business, in the UK I always enjoyed friends calling & popping in for a chat and a cuppa. No one really has time for that here. I get it - people have busy lives. I’m yet to find a crisp winter walk in Qld (Tassie is the nearest I’ve got to). I’ll be waiting a long time for that I think.

Ah! That is hard - I have a daughter who is settling down and it would be a wrench to leave her but know she would be OK. I have a son with MH problems who we could not leave - he is too vulnerable and I would worry too much. My husband loves it here too but he does not have the desire for close friends, family, countryside and community participation that I have. He could spend his days fishing and drinking beer and be happy. He loves the heat. This time of year is always difficult- just want to get through it - I miss the warm conviviality of the pub and parties - and crisp winter walks and sunsets.simple things like going to a movie with a friend or having someone pop over for a cuppa and a chat. Being trapped here in this strange land is a challenge especially at this time when escape routes are more constrained. I think one of the hardest thing for me is having no close girlfriends any more. I have met lots of pleasant Australians but Queenslanders seem like a race apart at times- culture gap is too huge for me to navigate! Enough to do in Brisbane - can’t say I’m bored, it’s just that the things I like to do (however simple) aren’t available here. I absolutely get your predicament @scousers though - you only get one life and as much as you want to live it to the full, how can you when you would worry so much about your child?

The last time I was in Melbourne (a mini break with my daughter pre-Covid), one of the many things I loved about it was the number of activities that we ‘happened upon’ just by strolling around - sure there was an element of planning but we found a gallery opening and end of year celebration, a lovely rooftop bar to enjoy the longer evenings, the free comedy performance where Arj Barker popped in! - the night market. We do have an arts scene in Brisbane which is improving but you need to rigorously plan - and be prepared for it to fade away in the early evening as Queensland bedtime rapidly advances! I’m not even a city person but loved the idea of a city buzzing away whilst we made our way back to the hotel - it reminded me of being in Brighton in the UK. I do wonder if I’d have been half as homesick if I’d have moved to Melbourne - No excuses, I was offered the choice and chose to go somewhere tropical and hot!

I would love to keep it as a holiday home and live there part of the year but in reality we would be better off selling it, paying off our small mortgage here and moving to a nicer suburb in Brisbane - or at least one that isn’t so busy and offers a bit of peace & quiet. Psychologically it will be a wrench as the idea of not being able to ‘go home’ ever would be daunting. But the money raised would pay for a lot of holidays and if we had a nicer house here in Brisbane then it may make us more attractive to house exchangers from Europe. My head says yes but my heart says no! I know what you mean about family homes though - we sold my mum’s home near Brighton a few years ago (before prices really boomed)! It was the house I grew up in with a view of the sea, nothing flash but years of memories- it broke my heart!

Thanks @proud preston for starting a very illuminating post. I had to check it wasn’t me posting - I share so many of your thoughts! I usually have 1-2 months per year ‘at home’ (one I went for a few weeks and stayed 6 months - sorry hubby). If I wasn’t ‘stuck’ here (grown up son with MH problems, daughter wanting children, hubby preferring here), I’d be on the plane tomorrow and probably never come back. I’ve been here 15 years, a lot of them good and have never properly settled. I’m nearly 60, still have a house in UK and haven’t sold it because I couldn’t bear not to have somewhere to ‘return to’. We live in a busy, congested area of Brisbane and I’m sick of the traffic noise, constant construction and noise! A huge difference from the Sussex Downs. I don’t think living in Brisbane can ever compare to the quality of life that I had in the UK. That’s because the things I value (architecture, country walks, decent pubs, community, close friendship and siblings) can’t be found here. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go home for good now and for some reason growing old in this strange place is terrifying. But I think we’ll sell the UK house, try to find somewhere nicer to live in Brisbane away from traffic and noise and concentrate on travel when we can. The reason for quoting Marisa was that I think she’s spot on - I need to stop whinging about all the irritating incidentals - corruption, climate change, lack of integrity, lack of building controls, concreting over green spaces, crappy telly, the fact that Australians shout all the time, bullying in the workplace, the dog poo etc! All these things are found everywhere. My misery stems from being away from the place that I belong and that’s all.

I need to sell it to afford a better property here and bring the £ over for inheritance tax reasons. We can’t raise a sensible rate mortgage on it and the conditions for landlords are getting tougher all the time - soon we’re going to have to install a heat pump, despite the property having a new boiler! I think the budget will really hammer small scale landlords. Plus it’s an asset which stops my hubbby being eligible for Aged Pension - so could upgrade our current humble abode to something nice!

Hi all - Hubby and I bought our UK property in 2017. I lived in the property initially for 3 months. It has been let ever since. My husband has never lived in the property, although it is joint owned. It has increased in value since we bought it - the gain will probably be about £40K after expenses. We retire next year and it makes financial sense to sell it (sadly as I’d hoped to keep it as a bolt hole!) I suspect that I’d get a little private residents relief - but my husband would get none. Would he be entitled to this if we moved back in to the property before selling? (we may have to do this anyway to refurbish it prior to sale). Has anyone done anything similar and in a position to offer advice? Of course this would be dependent on us being able to travel freely by next July Thanks!

I got a depreciation report on my UK property from Washington Brown. My property was built in 2015. The difference is has made to my Australian tax return has been incredible. This year it was worth $6k against tax. If you have a newer property it is much better. You could also offset the loss of mortgage payment and expenses v rental income against your income here. So any way you could disclose your UK income from your property to the Aus tax office would work in your favour if you earn here. Many Australians make a loss on their rental properties here and the system seems set up to support that.

Is there no way to engage a broker to see if you can remortgage to an investment mortgage? Aus tax give very generous concessions (including depreciation if applicable) and if you make a loss as it sounds like you might then this can be offset against tax

You said it - you need to get on with life. If there’s no route to PR, then enjoy the time you have left here and go ahead with your plans. Life is too short to do a job you hate if (by the sounds of it) you know what you would enjoy. Good luck!

I’m sorry to read this. Doesn’t help that you come from such a beautiful place in the UK. Did you work for the NHS there? They have quite a decent defined benefits pension. Are you staying in Aus because of kids? I don’t want to leave my grown up kids - and my husband loves it here but all I can think of is retiring in the UK.

We have a local market (Rocklea) in Brisbane which has fabulous fruit & veg. Meat from organic butcher, fish - I do struggle to find good quality fish here and miss quality of mussels, prawns (weirdly enough), and undyed smoked fish (but suspect that’s available down south). 14 years ago when we came there were no vegetarian options for my daughter locally - now there’s a real improvement. I am like a kid in a sweet shop when back in UK supermarkets though - especially Waitrose & M&S - I feel there’s no equivalent here. And the price difference is pretty shocking - I did hate the amount of plastic wrapped veg in the UK but if I moved back would get an organic local delivery box. It all comes down to demographics, demand and knowing where to look - I’m actually really impressed with how much progress has been made here tbh.

I came over in 2007 too on a 457 visa intending to stay 2 years - the two drifted into four then came residency and citizenship just in case’ By then kids and husband established. I went back to work a couple of times and was even offered me old job back when my replacement left. I desperately miss Sussex but the UK in general (sister lives down your way Pendragon - so I can see how Cornwall would get stuck in your soul!). My age and sentiment is almost identical but I cannot leave my family - once borders open though, I will visit for long periods to get my hit. We still have a house in the UK - financially it doesn’t make sense to keep it but I dream of keeping it as a bolt hole instead of tenanted

It’s so mixed isn’t it? My son suffers from MH issues and has had excellent support - a lot of luck, but suspect he would have been abandoned in the UK. I am getting older now (nearly 60) and find my anxiety very hard to manage. I am a different person in the UK - I get a lot of strength from being outside, by the beach, walking with friends, popping in to a friendly pub for a half of local bitter. In 14 years I have not really made any friends close enough to go walking with. I don’t like drinking to excess or eating to excess which is the social life on offer in Brisbane. I do go to excellent gym classes but so fed up with being inside. In my suburb nearly every beautiful piece of green is being concreted over to build expensive houses. I have to drive every day on busy roads and that stresses me. The concrete banality of Brisbane stresses me. Sometimes I struggle to keep it all together when I get a serious panic attack. Anti-depressants make me woozy so my only escape is sleep. Hubby sleeps when home from work, then we eat then bed by 9pm. It’s a pretty diminished life really and I’m not getting any younger but my family love it here and I can’t leave them.

If your wife works in aged care as a nurse she may be able to salary sacrifice around $18k (this can be used to pay mortgage etc) My daughter has two part time jobs as a nurse - she gets approx $18k each job tax free in addition to her tax free allowance so she is quids in!

I could have written this - my mum passed away in 2019 and I was so pleased I got to spend time with her. I miss the town I grew up in desperately - but with mum going I have no ‘reason’ to return and the place wouldn’t make sense without her. I’ve started the process of moving financial interests to Australia and at some stage will need to sell our house there and move the money back here - I used to kid myself that we could keep that house as a bolt hole but the World has changed and it’s so hard to run things financially across two countries. It all seems so counter-intuitive - if I was on my own, I’d be on the first plane home - even allowing for Covid! I am going to have to console myself with long trips home when possible to keep me sane - I think so many of us have managed so far by getting our UK ‘fix’ For me it’s like filling up a petrol tank with laughter, friendship, outdoor activity, social interaction and stimulation, conversation - I am a much nicer and more confident person there. So many of us running on empty at the moment. I need to stop fantasising about the life I could have lived and try to make the best of this diminished one.

Ah Fergie! No sensible advice to give apart from the say you are not alone in your thoughts and concerns. My story is very similar - I came to Brisbane 13 years ago - and I was the one that instigated the move - felt like an adventure which it was. I was on a temp visa and my mistake was not making firm plans to return to UK. My daughter and hubby love it here. A bit of fishing and the odd beach trip suits my husband. He has no need for close relationships outside family. My son hates the weather but gets great mental health support here - so will stay but maybe move down South. I did a police check the other day and had to re-read my diaries to work out where I lived when (we’ve shifted rentals a lot). The difference between the entries in QLD and those made on my regular trips to UK is shocking. And that’s not just holiday mode - I went back for a work contract and rented a room for 6 months - happy as a pig in muck! I’m anxious, anti-social and depressed here and while a lot of that may just be me, it melts away when I’m back home. I like me so much better there! I know I should be grateful but I just feel stuck - has anyone found that counselling helps? I’ve been avoiding it as a) I’m worried it won’t work and b) I suppress these feelings most of the time and am scared to acknowledge them.

I came to Australia on a temporary visa aged 43. My skills were on the demand list, so much so that my employer pushed for PR for me when I was too old - and I was lucky to get it. I had a great job and didn’t want to miss out on the chance to experience Australia. I understand why you would choose to come here if it is a ‘now or never’ option. In Australian terms, you’re cracking on a bit age-wise - I reckon I started experiencing age related discrimination by my late 40’s and it’s been a struggle in my 50’s (IT) to get work. I was offered my old job back in UK twice & did pop back for contracts! Rented in Brisbane for 10 years and found the process grim with many enforced moves due to ridiculous rent hikes or owners moving back in. Every rental we were in pushed the rent up at renewal. It was a struggle to get maintenance for urgent jobs (dangerous wiring, non closing windows etc) and minor repairs my hubby had to do. We now own a modest house and that has been life changing. It is fabulous not to constantly be moving. I brought my family out here and it’s been great for them - teaching, nursing I think a little easier here. If you have a solid retirement strategy and projected income then maybe it could work. But please factor in that you may not be super employable for ever because things can and might change. Australia is a very expensive country to live in if you’re not working or relying on UK income (e.g state pension). I am stuck here now but pleased that my family have benefited from the move. If I was on my own I’d be heading home, despite Covid & BREXIT. Life is too short!