Marisawright

We've been using an old Chromecast on our not-very-smart smart TV and it's time to replace it. I'm looking at an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, and something occurred to me. I seem to recall that someone (was it you, @Lavers?) brought their Firestick from the UK and just used it on their Aussie TV without changing the region settings, and that meant they were able to continue watching all the British TV channels (which are usually blocked in Oz). Am I right? If so, what model was it? I don't care if it blocks Australian channels as I can always watch the free-to-air channels on the TV channels instead of through the Stick. Most of the shows I watch on there are British anyway!

Bear in mind that the population of the entire state of WA is only 2.5 million people, most of whom live in Perth. That's the market you'll be working in. That's why all the big corporates (except the mining companies) have their offices in the Eastern states, where most Australians live. Housing is hard to find, however being "far out" probably isn't that big a deal in Perth. Of course people complain about traffic jams, but with such a low population density compared to British cities, they're probably not anywhere near as bad as you're imagining!

The sad thing is that so many people stay on in Australia for years, focussing on the financial benefits of staying and thinking, "I'll go home when the time is right" or "I'll go home when I retire", only to find they can't afford to make the move in older age -- and then they're trapped in Australia for the rest of their born days. For that reason, I encourage anyone who's decided Australia isn't for them, to get on a plane home as soon as they can manage it, even if it does mean losing money. Staying only damages your mental health. The sooner you get back, the sooner you can start building your life again. I'm very lucky that I felt at home in Australia from the moment I landed, but then I was never very attached to my home country in the first place.

I managed by using my old UK address, too. I just needed my UK passport and the address. However I just had a peek at the instructions and it looks like you need more proofs of identity now.

True, but when a professional migration agent posts to confirm the advice, as Paul Hand has on this thread and Westly Russell did on another post recently, I'd be inclined to take it seriously. Rules change all the time and just because some people managed it in the recent past, doesn't mean it's still possible.

Have you tried logging on to the HMRC website? You can see a lot for yourself there.

I used to work in the corporate sector so I've heard about this difference in salaries before, however I didn't realise it was that big!

I think that has a lot to do with it. When you're living in your home country, you're not (usually) thinking too much about the price of things, you just pay what it costs. Then you move to Australia and you're checking the price of everything you buy, and it always feels like it's more than you expected. I can't say what the comparison is like now, but when we moved to the UK for a year in 2015, we found our expenses stayed about the same. There were swings and roundabouts (some things were cheaper and some things more expensive) but it all evened out, approximately. Housing is the big difference and that varies hugely in both countries, depending which city you're in. That is true for a lot of occupations, however it's worth noting that "Australians earn more money" is as much a myth as "Australia is more expensive". It depends what you do for a living. Medical professions, teachers and tradies are all paid better, for instance. However we've had members report that corporate jobs (other than IT) are lower paid, at least initially. So doing your research is critical.

@ELR, applications from the UK are usually on the faster end of the range. Not long ago, they were being processed in 3-4 months but it changes all the time, so don't bank on that. They are not done in date order. They don't share exactly how they work, but it appears that if an application is complicated or needs extra examination, it can be put aside while they process the straightforward applications.

I would still get busy with making preparations, though, because you don't want to get to 60 and realise you're still unsure. I really recommend looking into the NI contributions. I paid about 9 years' worth of back payments and even though I'm still in Australia, I'm now receiving a British pension. Even at the reduced rate payable in Oz, the extra payments were well worthwhile and I will easily recoup the money I paid in.

It depends what you mean by "something missing". Sure, there are people who migrate to Australia, then years later find themselves thinking, "Is that all there is?" and looking back at their homeland through rose-coloured glasses. They probably won't be happy if they move back. But there are many people, like @Quoll, @bug family, @Nemesis who simply never feel they belong, no matter how good their life in Oz is. I've never felt that feeling, but I can see that it eats away at a person's mental health. For those people, moving back is the cure, even if they're financiall worse off, or if the UK isn't what they remembered. They don't care because they're home. @Britinozz, I think you need to decide which one you are. Are you just dissatisfied with life, or have you had a hole in your heart most of the time you've lived here? If I may make a suggestion: If I were you, I would stay in Australia until I'd turned 60. In the meantime, I'd be 'decluttering' my home, paying as much in extra NI contributions as I'm allowed/can afford, and saving up for the big move. You don't have to make a final decision about whether you'll move, until nearer the time. Then once you're 60, if you still want to go, you can claim your super, get your UK passport, and off you go.

@hop, I agree 100% with what Jimmy says above. Even if Australia was a paradise, if you feel you don't belong, it will feel like hell. I don't see Australia like you do, but it would be rude and unfair to criticise you for not liking it. In your shoes I'd be moving heaven and earth to get home, even if you'll be financially worse off doing so.

https://www.homely.com.au/dunsborough-busselton-south-west-western-australia

Surprisingly, there is no social security agreement between Australia and the UK so there's no reciprocal credit.

On the face of it, no. But we've been astonished at some of the applications that have been approved in recent years. No harm in trying.