Moving back to the UK ten years later????

[Korina Ivatt]

My husband and I lived in the UK for ten years and LOVED it. Due to some issues we moved back to Oz when our daughter was one. She is now 11 (with three younger brothers) and we still miss the UK and want to return.

 

The salary's there though worry me as my husband would go from over $70000 to about $43000 as a teacher, how do people live on that as a family? Over here in Oz there are things like Family Assistance but you don't appear to get that in the UK?

Are things like food and utilities cheaper to make up for the lower wages? When we lived over there we both worked and had good jobs and to much money so I can't honestly remember what things cost!

 

Our hearts are in England but my husband and I do not want to move our children half way round the world only to discover we can't afford to actually live there.

 

Any advice from those in the know would be wonderful.

 

Thank you

[xxlornaxx]

Where would you be going to live? will you be working too?

[Rupert]

My husband and I lived in the UK for ten years and LOVED it. Due to some issues we moved back to Oz when our daughter was one. She is now 11 (with three younger brothers) and we still miss the UK and want to return.

 

The salary's there though worry me as my husband would go from over $70000 to about $43000 as a teacher, how do people live on that as a family? Over here in Oz there are things like Family Assistance but you don't appear to get that in the UK?

Are things like food and utilities cheaper to make up for the lower wages? When we lived over there we both worked and had good jobs and to much money so I can't honestly remember what things cost!

 

Our hearts are in England but my husband and I do not want to move our children half way round the world only to discover we can't afford to actually there.

 

Any advice from those in the know would be wonderful.

 

Thank you

 

What do you mean you will go to $43000? You won't be paid $ in UK, think pounds.

 

I thought teachers were paid about GBP30k, which sounds entirely in line with $70k in Australia. There are tax credits for low income families and I think child benefits are still universal.

[Gbye grey sky]

My husband and I lived in the UK for ten years and LOVED it. Due to some issues we moved back to Oz when our daughter was one. She is now 11 (with three younger brothers) and we still miss the UK and want to return.

 

The salary's there though worry me as my husband would go from over $70000 to about $43000 as a teacher, how do people live on that as a family? Over here in Oz there are things like Family Assistance but you don't appear to get that in the UK?

Are things like food and utilities cheaper to make up for the lower wages? When we lived over there we both worked and had good jobs and to much money so I can't honestly remember what things cost!

 

Our hearts are in England but my husband and I do not want to move our children half way round the world only to discover we can't afford to actually there.

 

Any advice from those in the know would be wonderful.

 

Thank you

 

I think there are plenty of teachers managing to live in the UK.

[caramac]

Have you looked at things like child benefit, tax credits etc?

 

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-rates

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/payments-entitlement/entitlement/question-how-much.htm

 

I don't know if there's anything else you can get, but the things we don't pay for here are health and dental insurance. Dental treatment for children is free, as are prescriptions and glasses (to a certain price level). Adult dental treatment is on a scale, but for a basic check, clean and polish it's £18 if you use an NHS dentist (these seem to be easier to find in some areas than others- we have four in our market town)

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/dentists/Pages/nhs-dental-charges.aspx

We just had a quote for our youngest's ortho treatment £1,800 which is much less that the $7k we were quoted in Sydney.

 

My oh earns about half what he earned in Aus and we have a very similar standard of living as we had there, but I think it would make a difference where you're moving to/from. For instance, if you go from Adelaide to London you'd find life here very expensive, but from Sydney to most places outside the SE you'd find it cheaper. We pay half in rent than we did there, our cars, apart from petrol are cheaper to run and our food bill is about half too, even buying the same quality (mostly from the producers) produce.

I can't think of anything else atm and must run to take my daughter to work...

 

Good luck with your decision. :smile:

[Del70]

My husband and I lived in the UK for ten years and LOVED it. Due to some issues we moved back to Oz when our daughter was one. She is now 11 (with three younger brothers) and we still miss the UK and want to return.

 

The salary's there though worry me as my husband would go from over $70000 to about $43000 as a teacher, how do people live on that as a family? Over here in Oz there are things like Family Assistance but you don't appear to get that in the UK?

Are things like food and utilities cheaper to make up for the lower wages? When we lived over there we both worked and had good jobs and to much money so I can't honestly remember what things cost!

 

Our hearts are in England but my husband and I do not want to move our children half way round the world only to discover we can't afford to actually there.

 

Any advice from those in the know would be wonderful.

 

Thank you

What does your husband teach? Will you be working too?

[Chortlepuss]

Hubby is a teacher, I work as an ICT contractor. Salaries in Brisbane when I can find work substantially higher in Oz. Quality of life substantially higher in UK (South East). Kids are expensive anywhere but I've paid a fortune on out of pocket health expenses here. Holidays completely unaffordable for us here, apart from camping! The major driving force behind our desired move back to the UK is affordability and quality of life on relatively low earnings. I think you'll be fine, especially if moving outside the SE.

[Korina Ivatt]

Where would you be going to live? will you be working too?

 

We did live in London last time but would like to live elsewhere now we have children, very open to ideas on where to live though ideally would like to be in day trip distance of London.

No I won't be working as we homeschool our four children.

[Korina Ivatt]

What do you mean you will go to $43000? You won't be paid $ in UK, think pounds.

 

I thought teachers were paid about GBP30k, which sounds entirely in line with $70k in Australia. There are tax credits for low income families and I think child benefits are still universal.

 

But it is impossible not to just convert the currency to one that you understand. Pounds has no meaning when you don't live in the country.

Yes about GPB30K is a teacher salary which is very low compared to Australian teachers.

I've checked out the government assistance over there and it is nowhere near in line with Australia.

I suppose I'm trying to get an idea of the cost of living to compare as the large difference in salary won't matter if the cost of living is a lot cheaper over there.

[caramac]

Lots of places are within day trip distance of London. We live in the NE and can do London in a day by train. :smile:

[Korina Ivatt]

I think there are plenty of teachers managing to live in the UK.

 

The problem is though I don't just want to just "manage" to live, obviously I want a good life for my family. Financially we are pretty well off in Australia but we pine for English life so trying to work out if the move would be the right thing to do is difficult.

[Korina Ivatt]

Have you looked at things like child benefit, tax credits etc?

 

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-rates

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/payments-entitlement/entitlement/question-how-much.htm

 

I don't know if there's anything else you can get, but the things we don't pay for here are health and dental insurance. Dental treatment for children is free, as are prescriptions and glasses (to a certain price level). Adult dental treatment is on a scale, but for a basic check, clean and polish it's £18 if you use an NHS dentist (these seem to be easier to find in some areas than others- we have four in our market town)

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/dentists/Pages/nhs-dental-charges.aspx

We just had a quote for our youngest's ortho treatment £1,800 which is much less that the $7k we were quoted in Sydney.

 

My oh earns about half what he earned in Aus and we have a very similar standard of living as we had there, but I think it would make a difference where you're moving to/from. For instance, if you go from Adelaide to London you'd find life here very expensive, but from Sydney to most places outside the SE you'd find it cheaper. We pay half in rent than we did there, our cars, apart from petrol are cheaper to run and our food bill is about half too, even buying the same quality (mostly from the producers) produce.

I can't think of anything else atm and must run to take my daughter to work...

 

Good luck with your decision. :smile:

 

Thanks

I was looking at the child benefits last night and they really aren't much but I had forgotten about tax credits so will check them out too, thank you.

Yes re dentistry, braces here are soooo expensive but on the NHS affordable. Good to remember as dentistry is expensive here all round.

 

That is so helpful to be told rent, running a car (except petrol) and food are much cheaper in the UK, I have heard that before but nice to have it confirmed.

 

Thanks for the links too.

[Korina Ivatt]

What does your husband teach? Will you be working too?

 

He is an Industrial Arts high school teacher and no I won't be working as I homeschool our four kids.

[Korina Ivatt]

Hubby is a teacher, I work as an ICT contractor. Salaries in Brisbane when I can find work substantially higher in Oz. Quality of life substantially higher in UK (South East). Kids are expensive anywhere but I've paid a fortune on out of pocket health expenses here. Holidays completely unaffordable for us here, apart from camping! The major driving force behind our desired move back to the UK is affordability and quality of life on relatively low earnings. I think you'll be fine, especially if moving outside the SE.

 

Could you live just on your husbands salary in the UK? I suppose that is a tricky question though as you both work here in Oz so I should ask could you live on your husbands salary alone here too!

 

Ha ha, yes camping is the only holiday we can afford right now but I figured it the UK it would be the same, can't see us affording resort holidays on a teachers salary.... or could we, how exciting would that be.

 

Thanks, it really helps to hear about the quality of live/affordability over there, because when we lived there we had no kids and two incomes it is impossible to compare to our life now.

[Korina Ivatt]

Lots of places are within day trip distance of London. We live in the NE and can do London in a day by train. :smile:

 

Thanks

[Wellers and Whitehead]

How much in pounds would your husband be on in the UK? If he is on $70k in oz, he would need to be on about £30k for the equivalent lifestyle in the UK.

[Korina Ivatt]

How much in pounds would your husband be on in the UK?

 

Hard to say exactly but somewhere between GBP30K and GBP34K.

[Wellers and Whitehead]

Hard to say exactly but somewhere between GBP30K and GBP34K.

 

You should be slightly better off in the UK I would say?! Depends where u live? London expensive..yorkshire much cheaper...

[Korina Ivatt]

Have you looked at things like child benefit, tax credits etc?

 

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-rates

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/payments-entitlement/entitlement/question-how-much.htm

 

 

Thanks so much for the tax credits link as that is showing a good amount which makes me feel a lot better about things financially.

I actually feel like we could do this now. Thank you to everyone for taking the time to respond. Most people over here just think we are crazy wanting to go and live in the UK so it is very refreshing to speak with people who understand.

Thanks again.

[caramac]

Could you live just on your husbands salary in the UK? I suppose that is a tricky question though as you both work here in Oz so I should ask could you live on your husbands salary alone here too!

 

Ha ha, yes camping is the only holiday we can afford right now but I figured it the UK it would be the same, can't see us affording resort holidays on a teachers salary.... or could we, how exciting would that be.

 

Thanks, it really helps to here about the quality of live/affordability over there, because when we lived there we had no kids and two incomes it is impossible to compare to our life now.

 

 

Friends of ours have bought a camper van (my friend was diagnosed with MS a few years ago, so they want an easy holiday) and they head off to various parts of Europe in the school holidays with their three kids. They have a great time and not too expensive.

There's also eurocamp which we've done a couple of times. I also manage to get holidays - apartment/villa, flights and car hire, for five of us for around £1,500 in various parts of Europe. It doesn't have to be expensive.

[Wellers and Whitehead]

Have you looked at things like child benefit, tax credits etc?

 

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-rates

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/payments-entitlement/entitlement/question-how-much.htm

 

 

Thanks so much for the tax credits link as that is showing a good amount which makes me feel a lot better about things financially.

I actually feel like we could do this now. Thank you to everyone for taking the time to respond. Most people over here just think we are crazy wanting to go and live in the UK so it is very refreshing to speak with people who understand.

Thanks again.

 

 

Ive just moved back two months ago to the UK, after two years in oz. love it back 'home'...not missing Sydney at all..still early days but just happy to be back.

[Korina Ivatt]

Have you looked at things like child benefit, tax credits etc?

 

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-rates

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/payments-entitlement/entitlement/question-how-much.htm

 

I don't know if there's anything else you can get, but the things we don't pay for here are health and dental insurance. Dental treatment for children is free, as are prescriptions and glasses (to a certain price level). Adult dental treatment is on a scale, but for a basic check, clean and polish it's £18 if you use an NHS dentist (these seem to be easier to find in some areas than others- we have four in our market town)

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/dentists/Pages/nhs-dental-charges.aspx

We just had a quote for our youngest's ortho treatment £1,800 which is much less that the $7k we were quoted in Sydney.

 

My oh earns about half what he earned in Aus and we have a very similar standard of living as we had there, but I think it would make a difference where you're moving to/from. For instance, if you go from Adelaide to London you'd find life here very expensive, but from Sydney to most places outside the SE you'd find it cheaper. We pay half in rent than we did there, our cars, apart from petrol are cheaper to run and our food bill is about half too, even buying the same quality (mostly from the producers) produce.

I can't think of anything else atm and must run to take my daughter to work...

 

Good luck with your decision. :smile:

 

Friends of ours have bought a camper van (my friend was diagnosed with MS a few years ago, so they want an easy holiday) and they head off to various parts of Europe in the school holidays with their three kids. They have a great time and not too expensive.

There's also eurocamp which we've done a couple of times. I also manage to get holidays - apartment/villa, flights and car hire, for five of us for around £1,500 in various parts of Europe. It doesn't have to be expensive.

 

 

Both of those options sound awesome.

[Gilllian]

I went back to the UK after 30 years in Oz and realised it was just not for me. I came back to Oz and was instantly happy. I lost a lot of money going and coming back but personally I feel happiness is more important than money. From what you've written it sounds like you know you will be happier in the UK. Also, you could just go for a couple of years and try it out? Not sure how disruptive that would be for your children though. Hope this helps.

[Korina Ivatt]

I went back to the UK after 30 years in Oz and realised it was just not for me. I came back to Oz and was instantly happy. I lost a lot of money going and coming back but personally I feel happiness is more important than money. From what you've written it sounds like you know you will be happier in the UK. Also, you could just go for a couple of years and try it out? Not sure how disruptive that would be for your children though. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks Gillian, yes that does help and we are looking at doing an exchange to the UK through my husband work as that would give us a year in the UK without actually having to give anything up. The exchanges are a lot of work to organise and not guaranteed but we figure it is worth the effort to give it a shot and if it doesn't pan out we can look at just moving there for a couple of years.

[Gilllian]

Smart move! I wish I'd thought of that before I made the move. Life is short it's not worth living with regrets I reckon, better to give things a go. Best of luck with everything :biggrin: