manuel labor

never mind the nothing to your name. we can all be resourceful. sometimes it is material possessions that bring out the worst in us. whatever happens - chin up, have a bold and ambitious plan, have goals and actions to realise them...and make sure you stop to notice small but wonderful things every day. you will be right. it might seem cloudy now...but that all lifts and one of many possible futures will open up...and you'll be right as rain.

Hello Di - some things you might want to ponder...do you have good friends in Oz? DO you make friends easily (not everyone does)? Where do you most enjoy being? Would returning to the UK feel like a 'regression' to you...as in a retreat....or do you think you have more opportunities back home in the UK? And given your new circumstances and your brave new world....if you could define a best case situation for where you now wish to be....does it involve work and life in Aus, or work and life and family in the UK? Certainly....if you prefer horrible food that almost cannot be described as such....then pack those bags back to Heathrow

Hi there - for those of you who moved to Aus, bought a car and registered it, you would be aware that not only do costs (and cost factors) vary between Aus states, but they look a bit like this.... In addition to your purchase price, you pay a) Stamp Duty (generally about 4%) 2) Transfer fees (about $50) 3) A certificate of roadworthiness (about $200) 4) Minor admin fees (about $200) plus your registration (about $900) So your first year of ownership on a $20000 car would be about $2200 - moving down to $900 each year thereafter. My question - what are the costs in the UK? My understanding is that you do not have this loathesome stamp duty that we have - you simply have an annual tax disc about, and an annual MOT fee...and that is it? So if I buy a car from someone on Jan 2nd, who just taxed and MOT'd his or her car on Jan 1st - do I have any costs at all to pay? Or is it just drive away until Jan 1st next year, at which time the tax and MOT is due again? Does this also mean it costs about the same to register a 100,000 pound car as it does a car worth 50 quid? In Australia, because you pay a stamp duty on the claimed cost of the car, there is an incentive to claim a lower purchase price, so many buyers try to 'downplay' the purchase price. I presume this is not a consideration or an issue in the UK?

OK...so the subject line lead you to think I had pearls of wisdom, rather than questions.......sorry! Am an aussie pondering the mechanics of UK tax on company and personal income. Can anyone enlighten me given the following assumptions; * I consult to an organisation in the UK via my own PLC - generating 50K for the year * My partner does likewise - she is not a director but an employee of the PLC - also generating 50K Of the 100K generated by the company, can it disburse 40K to each of us - my understanding is that the first 11,500 is tax free, the remaining 28,500 is taxed at 20% - hence 5,750 in total - for each of us to pay in tax? Do we also pay NHS over and above this, or is this paid by my company on the basis of these wages? Is there a conventional wisdom as to how one would split / disburse income between a company (directors dividends) and wages for these sorts of low numbers?

I vaguely recall looking into this 2 years ago. I think you can take 4ltrs of wine as personal consumption. Meaning you can take 5 bottles. but not 6.unless there are two of you flying. hence 10 bottles. I'd imagine your customs (HMRC?) would let you off for the sixth, but they did not put that in writing. Applies to wine, not spirits. In having said this - I found I could buy a nice Aussie red almost the same price in London anyway...as I could in Australia, despite the crazy VAT amount. Plus you have lots of good French reds that make a lot of Aussie plonk taste second rate.

Hi there - my partner and I are looking to move to the UK around June. We're Aussies - and have spent a couple of months in the UK before - preferred Bristol / Bath, as well as Cardiff - may even look at Somerset / Glamorgan. One thing I am having a hard time wrapping my head around are the on-costs for renting houses and apartments. Here in Aus I have always found it pretty simple - normally a monthly rental fee....you pay 4 weeks bond at the beginning (which you invariably get back at the end), and then only running costs such as electricity, gas, water and internet. In the UK, I am aware of a few differences - such as; * Agency fees (sure, we have them in Aus too - but the rent is agency fee inclusive, and normally they charge 7-8%. In the UK, it sounds like they charge 20-25% above the rent) * Application fee - this is the one I find strange - you can pay 50 or 100 quid, without even being confident you'll get the place? How much do agencies make just from applications?!? * Council rates - in Bristol and Cardiff this seems to range from about 30 to 70 quid a week. In other words, if I see an apartment in Melbourne Australia for $800 a week...that is exactly what it costs me. But if I see an apartment in Cardiff for 500 quid a week (about $800 AUD) - I then need to add a few hundred more for agency fees and council rates. Not to mention some of the other little things I never factored in - such as a TV licence fee? Can anyone help me with some sort of ready reckoner on the costs of renting...in other words....if I see an apartment at 500...what is it really likely to cost. Moreover and more importantly - I would have thought that avoiding an agency (due to the fairly heinous fees they charge) is in the interests of both parties - are there any websites which are better than others...for finding landlords directly? I have great references from decent establishments and would likely just pay 3-6 months in advance - but want to find a really nice FF apartment somewhere - and hoping not to pay massive $$$ to an agent for shuffling paper back and forth.

Hello All, I am new to the forum and in the process of learning what I need in order to facilitate my impending move to the UK. This entails a few challenges, namely work, VISA, location and moving personal effects. I would like to clarify a matter with regards to the importation of motor vehicles into the UK. My reason for posting this question here, rather than an autos section, is that it is likely to be quite relevant to those who are looking to return to the UK from Australia, and wish to take their cars back home with them. Many of you will already have familiarised yourself with the PIS (Personal Import Scheme) under which you may have brought your cars to Australia...this is essentially the reverse (except where it may be necessary to import a car under a different arrangement than a personal import). I do appreciate the principle that it is largely uneconomic to bring a car from Australia to the UK (and not the converse) - but please bear with me. So here goes; My girlfriend, my cousin and I are moving to the UK next year (such is our hope). We will be entering the UK as follows; Tier 2 Visa Tier 5 Visa Tier 1 (Investor or Entrepreneur category - YTBD) Amongst the 3 of us, we own the following cars; A 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser 4WD - we have owned only 2 months A 1984 Ferrari Mondial – this is an ex UK car, brought into Australia only 11 months ago - we have owned the whole time A 1964 Jaguar We would like to bring our vehicles with us to the UK, but need to clarify matters such as; Eligibility rules – can we bring these cars with us to the UK? My understanding is that we can import the Toyota as it is under 10 years old, but we must make it EEC compliant? My understanding is that we can import the Ferrari either as an ex UK car, or as a personal import? My understanding is that we can import the Jaguar either under a 50-year classification rule, or as a personal import? The costs associated with this process – assuming that these we can bring these cars with us, and leaving aside the cost of shipping, what are the taxes, duties and other fees and charges we are likely to incur? My understanding is that VAT and duty is payable on the Toyota as we have not owned it for 6 months, hence it is not a personal import? My understanding is that VAT and duty is not payable on the Ferrari as it is a personal import? My understanding is that VAT and duty is not payable on the Jaguar as it is both a personal import and more than 50 years of age? Is this correct? If so - what VAT and duty would be payable on the Toyota? What are the likely 'engineering' costs of getting each car 'on the road'? Much thanks, Manuel