britsabroad2013

We are moving back to the UK and have booked a large move cube for our belongings. I am looking at shipping one large packing box via airfreight with the personal belongings for my son. He has jumper thing he loves to bounce in and it's an absolute lifesaver when I need to get stuff round the house. I've had a look into buying this again in the uk and it's pretty expensive. I'm thinking of shipping it in a large box and also taking some more of his toys back as the cube won't arrive for three months. Can anyone recommend a cheap company that can ship just one box? Seven seas have a two box minimum and it's $1,500 which is pricy. Any recommendations and costs that you might know of would be muchly appreciated! Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Shame I didn't see this thread earlier as we have been in Cronulla the last two years and it's a true gem in Sydney IMO. We pay $500 for a big two bed apartment, right on the train line a minute from the beach. We are moving back to the UK for family reasons but if your looking for value for money in Sydney look at Cronulla. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

You'll be lucky to get a 3 bed apartment in Engadine for that price now. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

That's a bugger. Maybe over time centres will be able to cope with the extra hours people are wanting. I really do believe in nurserys and think it's important for children to go and learn new skills. There seems to be such a strain on centre bother here in oz and more so in the U.K. Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

I'm pretty much taking it as we won't get anything and if we get a few quid here a there it'll be a bonus. I never really had thought too much about women and their careers and the salary pay gap between men and women until these past few days. You can see why it does happen....there really isn't too much incentive to go back to work full time if at all when potentially for some people it could even end up costing them to go to work. It would be so much better for the economy if women could return to the workforce and contribute to workplace and pay their taxes. Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

It's a difficult choice isn't it? Thanks for those links. I find the whole system rather confusing and have tried to understand what you can get and what you don't. It didn't look like you get much. I've just seen the 15 hours from 3 is being increased to 30 hours which is fantastic for families. Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Hi all, We are due to return to the UK in August. My baby will then be 10 months old and I plan to return to the workforce, for a break! Ha! I'm finding it really difficult to work out childcare rebates if any at all in the UK. So in OZ you get $7,500 a year towards childcare costs. Is there something similar in the UK? It is means tested? The cost of childcare is high in both counties by the looks of it but even with a decent wage it looks like your not left with too much after you pay for childcare? Does anyone have any advice? I'm trying to work out a what I may need or earn to make it worth while going to work. Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

Hi all, We are moving back to the UK, flights booked for August and are just trying to finalise shipments etc. With help from family we have managed to buy a car that will be ready to go when we land in the UK. My question is in regards to car insurance. I have looked briefly on compare the market and the quotes I'm receiving are very high. I guess my questions are: - is it just because car insurance is expensive in the UK or do insurance companies just not like to insure expats who have not driven in the uk for a while (7 years in our case) - can anyone recommend any companies that are cheaper than others for people in this situation? Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

Thank you so much for your advice and help! These areas look like what we are looking for! I'm not sure our mere £330k will go too far though? It does seem we'll have to live a fair distance away from Bristol. Here's to hoping we might get jobs outside of Bristol [emoji849] We're originally from South East so used to high house prices but Bristol is pricy! I can see why, it's a great part of the world. Getting the train to work might be an option. I feel the sensible option is to rent. See where our jobs end up being and then hopefully buy as close by as possible. Thanks so much again for your help, it was wonderful. I will be sure to PM you if I think of anymore questions of the area. Are you still living in the area or in Aus now? Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

My husband and I are relocating back to the UK after 8 years in Australia. We are looking to move to Somerset. We are not originally from the area but absolutely love that part of the world. It's stunning! We don't have jobs yet (eeek!) but we are guessing our job will be most likely be in the Bristol area. We will rent first and then look to buy once we are more settled. Two questions I have are: Where is a good 'central location to rent a two bedroom house' Ideally would like a village or end of town location close to Bristol and secondly where are some good villages,l or small towns to live long term? We would be looking for a 4 bedroom house for around £330 ish mark. Looking for a 'family' area close to some nice walks. Easy access to the coast, good local pubs. Does anyone know much about Shepton Mallet? Any advice would be muchly appreciated! Also how's the job market in Bristol? Does anyone know? Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

My husband and I are planning on moving back to the UK. We are both British and our son is Australia born. We have been away from the UK for 8 years. Upon return do we automatically qualify for family benefits such as childcare? I have no other what other benefits are available? My guessing you will need to be in the country for a while before you can claim? Is this also the same for NHS cover? It doesn't seem right that we havent paid any NI for so long and we could just walk back into the country and automatically get free health care? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Hello all, Ive tried googling this but I'm not getting a clear answer and was hoping someone may have been through something similar. My husband and I have property in the UK and savings in OZ. We want to get a will written but not too sure how it works when you have assets in different countries? Online it seems to say we would need two different wills for each country but I'm not too sure how that would work? Has anyone got any advice they could share? Thanks for for any help!

It has 116,000 in the detailed description, no wonder it's not selling!

Found it, you left a digit off the mileage, thought that was cheap! :wink:

Got any links?

Cheers Bristolman, what kind of mileage have these ones done that are 3k?

Thanks for the replies, I have posted on the other thread to see what the expert thinks! As its a Hyundai I30 I'm pretty sure it won't be worth it - seems a shame as owned since new and relatively low km's

Hi, similar to the poster above I would love your opinion. We have a Hyundai i30, 1.6 manual, 50,000km. New it is $20k, rough value now, $9,500 to $11,000. we too are moving from Aus to the UK. Also, read a bit about the tests that have to be done when the car gets to the uk and know that at a minimum we will need a rear fog light installed. Wonder if you could shed any more light on these test and any other modifications the car may need? Thank you,

Hi, We have decided to make the move back to the UK and I am trying to figure out if it is worth shipping back our car. Any advise or costs from people who have done this would be greatly appreciated. From limited internet research I have come up with the below costs, how far off the mark am I with these? I also realise that to pass the IVA test I will need a rear fog light fitted as well as the speedometer changing to MPH: Shipping (ROR, including port fees): $1,961 Shipping insurance: $200 IVA Test: $400 MOT: $100 Customs Fees: $100 DVLA Registration Fees: $110 Total: $2,871 Another question is how would I get the car from the port in the UK to the garage to fit the fog light & then the testing centre, as I imagine I will be unable to insure an Australian car in the UK? Thanks for any help you can give.

Hello all, I have Australian Citizenship and will be leaving country around August. I've read that once I have Australian Citizenship my Perm Resident Visa which is linked to my British Passport in 'cancelled' When I leave the country and they check my British Passport technically I wont have a visa linked to that as it's been 'cancelled' so my question is will I have trouble at the airport traveling on my British Passport? Has anyone had an experience with this in the past? Many thanks for any input.

Hi Kanga, Can I ask what TV it was that you shipped back? I am looking to take my Samsung smart TV back with to the UK this year and I read a few things online which lead me to believe it would work back in the UK? Thanks for your help!

Thanks for your input so far everyone. I should add looking at the Central Coast it looks like we too could be mortgage free there hence why we are thinking of going up there. good advice from Naomi re the child thing. For the first few years it might be ok living on the Central Coast as I won't be commuting too much as will be in Mat leave and then more than likely I will be part time. Apart from family and the wonderful countryside there isn't too much else drawing us back to the UK. We have major fear that we won't get decent jobs in the UK. We are not degree qualified and we have just been lucky in gaining many years of experience here in oz in our fields of work. Has anyone got any input on the community up on the Central Coast? We won't have any friends up there..hope you are all a friendly bunch!

We have been living in Sydney for the past 6 years and the for the past year we have been back and forth in deciding what to do long term? We never actually moved to OZ with the intention to stay, we came as backpackers and an opportunity arose and we decided to make a go of it! Up until recently we had decided to move back to England but recently we have started to doubt our decision....we had a visit from family recently from the UK and even they thought we were mad leaving Oz when we both have great jobs with very good money! One of of our main reasons for wanting to leave Sydney was the ridiculous house prices! I'm sure this same issue comes up again and again so it will be interesting to see what other people have decided. We also do miss family and friends but in all honestly it's the cost of housing is really getting to us! We can afford to go back to the UK mortgage free but if we chose to stay in Sydney we would have to take out a mortgage! we have looked at the Central Coast in the past but decided the travel would be too much but we have started to re-think things.....my husband would work N.sydney so the travel wouldn't be too bad for him but for me it would be tough. My job is in Mascot! Would I be absolutely crazy to move to the Central Coast and work in Mascot? I really don't want to change jobs as I really do enjoy my job and I'm paid very well. Does anyone have a similar journey to work? Is it really too much? We don't have children at the moment but plan to in the next year or so? my thoughts are OZ is such a great place to bring up our kids, it would be a same to move back to the UK just because the cost of the housing. any input would be greatly received! Thanks all!

Hi Amy, Good luck with the move! You will love it here! January will be a food time for you to arrive and get settled. The school year starts back at the end of Jan so you have time to get ready. I'm not a teacher. It from I understand it may be worth while registering with a few teacher agencies to get you going and get out there. Hope all goes well.

Hey all, just saw this post had be commented on again recently! I would love to tag along to any girly meet ups if they are any happening soon? I live in in the inner west of Sydney, I'm 29 and keen to hang out with a few fellow Brits (Aussie welcome too! Ha!) let me know, would be great to meet some new friendly faces in Sydney! X