Marisawright

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.

Good for you. Feeling the way you do, moving back sounds like the right decision for you. That "something missing" feeling will never go away, otherwise. First things first, renew your British passport. Legally, you need it to enter the UK to settle (though they will let you in with your Aussie one). Once you're in the UK, you'll find you need it as a form of ID for various things. Next thing to do is contact HMRC, get a State Pension Forecast, and find out about back-paying NI (National Insurance) contributions for some of the years you've been in Australia. As long as you worked at least 10 years before you left the UK, you should be able to backpay some of those missing years, and then you'll be able to claim a higher UK pension. The more you pay in, the more you'll get back as a pension (up to a certain limit). And that matters, because you won't be able to claim the Australian govt pension, ever, (unless the rules change in the future). https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension You can't withdraw your super until you reach 'preservation age', even if you're leaving Australian permanently. I think your preservation age will be 60. So if you absolutely must have the lump sum, you'll have to delay your move until you're 60, AND then make sure you claim the money and get it safely in your bank account before you leave Australia. I say that because if you leave Australia now, then claim your lump sum from the UK when you're 60, the British taxman will grab a massive chunk in tax. So remember, if you want a lump sum, you have to take it and put it in the bank before you leave. If you really want to leave now, then the answer is to convert your superannuation to a pension ('income stream') when you reach retirement, instead of taking the lump sum. As you won't have the Aussie state pension, that sounds like the wisest move anyway. You will pay UK tax on your income stream, but as it will be your only income and you'll have a tax-free threshold, it won't be nearly so high. All you have to do is keep your superannuation company up to date with your address and they'll help you arrange it when the time comes.

Is there no way you could get up and go home?

...and this is why so many Brits want to migrate to Australia. They have an unrealistic view of it.