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

[Rupert]

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.

 

Hard to say exactly but somewhere between GBP30K and GBP34K.

 

And that is why I questioned your $43k. Your expected GBP30-34k is absolutely nothing like $43k. Most of us on here can think in both currencies so that is why it is best to use the appropriate currency. Obviously $43k compares very unfavourably with $70k, but GBP30-34k compares very well.

 

 

I normally refrain from comments like this but I am pretty gob smacked by your comments on this thread. Your husband is a teacher, you work in IT, but you want to know what benefits you can get? And you also say you don't want to just manage but you want to have a nice life!

[Korina Ivatt]

And that is why I questioned your $43k. Your expected GBP30-34k is absolutely nothing like $43k. Most of us on here can think in both currencies so that is why it is best to use the appropriate currency. Obviously $43k compares very unfavourably with $70k, but GBP30-34k compares very well.

 

 

I normally refrain from comments like this but I am pretty gob smacked by your comments on this thread. Your husband is a teacher, you work in IT, but you want to know what benefits you can get? And you also say you don't want to just manage but you want to have a nice life! No benefits are there to help you manage, not have a nice life, if you want that, get off your backside and don't expect everyone else to pay for your nice life for you.

 

lol Rupert, perhaps you could actually read what I wrote correctly. I *do not* work at all as I m busy raising and homeschooling our children. My husband is the only earner in our family. A little less judgement and a little more empathy will get you a long way in life.

 

Wanting a nice life is perfectly acceptable and actually something I believe everyone strives for. In Australia we manage (& have a very nice life) perfectly well on my husbands salary along with Family Assistance from the government which everyone on low incomes (& not so low incomes) is entitled to. There is nothing wrong with utilising all at your disposal. My query about what is available in the UK is perfectly reasonable and I'm so sorry that your judgement and inability to read posts correctly means you leave such mean spirited attacks on a thread. I would appreciate it if you would please be kind enough to not post attacks towards me, I certainly wouldn't dream of doing the same to you and ask you return the courtesy.

Thank you.

[NicF]

Just so you are aware on an income of £30k you are likely to get just £430ish a year in tax credits, plus child benefit (not sure of the amount these days). There is a calculator on the HMRC site http://taxcredits.hmrc.gov.uk/Qualify/DIQHousehold.aspx

[Korina Ivatt]

Just so you are aware on an income of £30k you are likely to get just £430ish a year in tax credits, plus child benefit (not sure of the amount these days). There is a calculator on the HMRC site http://taxcredits.hmrc.gov.uk/Qualify/DIQHousehold.aspx

 

Thanks NicF, I was on that site ealier today and it actually gave me an estimate significantly higher than $430 a year.

[kkris]

I am not originally from UK but having lived 20 years, I call it as my home. I moved to Australia, initially to Sydney and now in Melbourne, from London 2 months ago. I have a job in my field which pays around $70K mark, roughly same as final UK pay so people here say I should be happy and concentrate on brining the family here as I came alone. However I am having a second thought. Yes weather is good compared to London though Melbourne weather is not that great, houses are bigger than London, places that I have visited are greener and cleaners but it stops here. I feel Melbourne and Sydney are very nice places for visits and quality life if you have enough savings. But for people like me who have 'outsiders' with minimum level of savings ,life can be very challenging when it comes to securing a job, managing finances and having a 'quality life' which I thought available for everyone. In the UK ,my £40K salary was enough to buy a decent house ,car ,bills and even to have budget holidays in Europe. Here it seems I need about $130K for these, it means my wife has to work full time which kills the main objective of moving to Australia.

 

I know I shouldn't rush but having left all my family and friends , I do not want to touch my little saving in the UK for my Aussie experiment. Please share your experience.

[ali]

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

 

Hi Korina,

 

Sorry I can't answer about the benefits, but you mentioned in your OP that you had lived in the UK for 10 years - Is the UK your country of origin - do you have to consider visa's to live in the UK? Don't know if this would affect your access to benefits if you're not a UK citizen

[NicF]

Thanks NicF, I was on that site ealier today and it actually gave me an estimate significantly higher than $430 a year.

 

Apologies for any duff info. The amount you get depends on the number and ages of your kids. I missed the fact you have four (should have read your OP properly) and I have no idea how old they are. I tried it with the ages of my 2 kids with an income of £30k and it only gave £430ish a year.

 

Ali has a good point, but I assumed after 10 years in the UK you would have become British citizens and that your kids have British citizenship because you are British, although I have no idea how this actually works. Sounds like you have got yourselves a plan to go and give living in the UK a try. Hope it all works out how you want it to.

[Korina Ivatt]

I am not originally from UK but having lived 20 years, I call it as my home. I moved to Australia, initially to Sydney and now in Melbourne, from London 2 months ago. I have a job in my field which pays around $70K mark, roughly same as final UK pay so people here say I should be happy and concentrate on brining the family here as I came alone. However I am having a second thought. Yes weather is good compared to London though Melbourne weather is not that great, houses are bigger than London, places that I have visited are greener and cleaners but it stops here. I feel Melbourne and Sydney are very nice places for visits and quality life if you have enough savings. But for people like me who have 'outsiders' with minimum level of savings ,life can be very challenging when it comes to securing a job, managing finances and having a 'quality life' which I thought available for everyone. In the UK ,my £40K salary was enough to buy a decent house ,car ,bills and even to have budget holidays in Europe. Here it seems I need about $130K for these, it means my wife has to work full time which kills the main objective of moving to Australia.

 

I know I shouldn't rush but having left all my family and friends , I do not want to touch my little saving in the UK for my Aussie experiment. Please share your experience.

 

Hi kkris,

So are your wife and kids still back in the UK? That must be really tough and personally I'd get them over to Oz before making any firm decisions.... and anyway, nothing in life is permanent.

 

Yes Melbourne weather is awful a lot of the time and Sydney and Melbourne are very expensive places and obviously your wife having to work full time is not the life change you were looking for.

 

Have you considered moving out of the city? On my husbands 70K salary we could never afford to live right in Sydney or Melbourne but instead choose to live about 1.5 hours from Sydney, first on the Central Coast and now in Wollongong so commuter distance if necessary though my husband never did as he always found local work. That way we could afford to live on one salary and to buy a house. Just an idea. Not sure of the equivalent areas in Melbourne but happy to ask my sisters if you like as they all live there?

 

Something I keep telling myself is that no matter what, no decision we make is final and we can change our minds and go back whenever we like. Being on your own would be tough though and having my family with me would be the first thing I would do personally as you need to see if it is a fit for you all. Good luck with your decision.

[Korina Ivatt]

Hi Korina,

 

Sorry I can't answer about the benefits, but you mentioned in your OP that you had lived in the UK for 10 years - Is the UK your country of origin - do you have to consider visa's to live in the UK? Don't know if this would affect your access to benefits if you're not a UK citizen

 

 

Hi Ali,

We are both British citizens as our parents are from the UK but immigrated over this way years ago.

[Rhian1]

If you think melbournes weather is awful then what do you think of uk weather?!

[Korina Ivatt]

If you think melbournes weather is awful then what do you think of uk weather?!

 

lol Rhian, the UK is set up for cold weather with central heating and double glazing, Melbourne is full of weatherboard houses with no heating in them. Doesn't compare.

And actually my dislike of Melbourne has little to do with the weather to be honest. I've always preferred cold weather so Australia has never suited on that level at least.

[Rhian1]

Fair enough! Good luck with it all!

Im a huge fan of Melbourne so am always going to stick up for it!

I also went back to the uk last year for 6 months so have experience life in both countries very recently

[Guest]

Anyone planning to return to the UK from Australia should be aware that you cannot simply turn up and claim benefits - not even benefits which are not means tested. Benefits are only available to those who are classed as 'habitually resident' in the EEA (European Economic Area) - citizenship, British or otherwise has no relevance. If you have lived away from the EEA for even a few months then you will need to prove you are indeed 'habitually resident' and not simply on long holiday. When I completed my Child Benefit application I had to state I had been resident for more than 185 days in the last 12 months.

 

All the details can be found here http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/benefits_e/benefits_coming_from_abroad_and_claiming_benefits_hrt.htm

 

Coming on an exchange for a year means the chances of proving you are 'habitually resident' would be slim - things like owning a house elsewhere, bank accounts elsewhere etc. and definitely a job to go back to would all go against you.

 

If you are planning a permanent move to the UK I would not expect to get any benefits for six months at least. If you get it sooner that's a bonus. I have recently been assessed as eligible for Child Benefit and returned in July - however in my favour was the fact my son was born here, we retained a house here and various bank accounts/credit cards - we sold our house in Australia and have maintained no links whatsoever there, my son is enrolled in school here and I am working. Child benefit is the only benefit I am claim

 

Each case is different though and I know a particular member here who have even spoke to the various agencies before leaving Australia and then on arrival (with no work lined up) found her and her family got nothing - she has left the UK as a child and her husband was Australian so I think that was probably relevant to her case.

[caramac]

Anyone planning to return to the UK from Australia should be aware that you cannot simply turn up and claim benefits - not even benefits which are not means tested. Benefits are only available to those who are classed as 'habitually resident' in the EEA (European Economic Area) - citizenship, British or otherwise has no relevance. If you have lived away from the EEA for even a few months then you will need to prove you are indeed 'habitually resident' and not simply on long holiday. When I completed my Child Benefit application I had to state I had been resident for more than 185 days in the last 12 months.

 

All the details can be found here http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/benefits_e/benefits_coming_from_abroad_and_claiming_benefits_hrt.htm

 

Coming on an exchange for a year means the chances of proving you are 'habitually resident' would be slim - things like owning a house elsewhere, bank accounts elsewhere etc. and definitely a job to go back to would all go against you.

 

If you are planning a permanent move to the UK I would not expect to get any benefits for six months at least. If you get it sooner that's a bonus. I have recently been assessed as eligible for Child Benefit and returned in July - however in my favour was the fact my son was born here, we retained a house here and various bank accounts/credit cards - we sold our house in Australia and have maintained no links whatsoever there, my son is enrolled in school here and I am working. Child benefit is the only benefit I am claim

 

Each case is different though and I know a particular member here who have even spoke to the various agencies before leaving Australia and then on arrival (with no work lined up) found her and her family got nothing - she has left the UK as a child and her husband was Australian so I think that was probably relevant to her case.

 

 

That's interesting. Both times we returned we claimed CB from the day we landed. Has it changed recently? We came back in 2003 and 2010. I can't even remember filling in a form, but probably did - I have the memory of a goldfish!

[Wellers and Whitehead]

That's interesting. Both times we returned we claimed CB from the day we landed. Has it changed recently? We came back in 2003 and 2010. I can't even remember filling in a form, but probably did - I have the memory of a goldfish!

 

 

Ive just returned after two years in oz, didn't have to prove anything about living here for good etc, I'm currently claiming benefits.

it may be different if claiming child benefit? Mine is sick benefit.

[caramac]

Ive just returned after two years in oz, didn't have to prove anything about living here for good etc, I'm currently claiming benefits.

it may be different if claiming child benefit? Mine is sick benefit.

 

Our's was child benefit. We don't claim anything else. Maybe the rules have changed since we came back? We were away five years the first time and a year second time.

[Guest]

I don't this is anything new although Child Benefit has been under a lot of scrutiny recently with people claiming for children not even resident in the UK! In the form I completed I had to state when I arrived in the UK and whether I had been resident for 185 days this year - I truthfully said 'No' and it didn't seem to make a difference as I got it anyway. We were already 'on the system' so I'm sure that would make a difference.

 

For someone returning after 20 years they probably wouldn't be and the person I am referring to who was denied benefits had never been a resident adult in the UK - although was a citizen. I can't say more as they could still be an active member!

 

If the move is reliant on benefits it is better to be aware there may be a 'qualifying period' and save up enough money to see you through - it you get it straight away then it's a bonus.

[Guest]

This is the crucial bit from the weblink I posted:

 

'If you're a British citizen you have an automatic right to reside in the UK, as well as in Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Islands. This is known as the common travel area and you will also be considered to be habitually resident in the UK if you've been living in any of these places.

However, if you have recently returned to the UK after a period living outside of the common travel area, you will still have to show that you intend to settle in the UK to pass the HRT.

The Department for Work and Pensions, your local authority or HMRC may decide you're habitually resident immediately, depending on how long you have been away, why you were abroad, and what ties you kept with the UK during this time.

For example, you'd be unlikely to lose your habitual residence status if you left the UK for a long holiday or gap year. In this case you would not have to take the HRT. But if you have spent many years away and no longer have property or close family ties in the UK, you may be asked to take the test.

If you're planning to move back to the UK and you think you will need benefits and housing straight away, think about how you would cope if you didn’t pass the test.'

[dxboz]

I know someone went back after 20 years two years ago and claimed unemployment from the day they arrived no problem.

[Dan1357]

I would say it is difficult to compare the £ for the $. The higher costs of living in Australia are refelected in the wages that they pay you. Here as a microbiologist I would be earning $70,000 for a Monday- Friday for a 32 hour week. Yet in the UK I was earning £35,000 for 4 4 on 4 off shift pattern. Which is equivalent to almost $42,000. However this goes in line with the increased prices of living costs in Australia and outgoings to take into account like health insurance. I have paid £1000/month rent for a nice 2 bed apartment in Manchester CBD which converts to $1692/month in Aus, yet we are paying $2120 for a 2 bed apartment 1.5 hours from the Sydney CBD, which is equivalent to £1,262. It is difficult to compare the $ to the £, especially since the change in the conversion rates. There are so many differences in the cost of living and I think it would really come down to where you would be happier as both countries have different things to offer.

 

Katie (Dans Parnter)

[Guest guest41161]

I came back after 9 years. Was initially earning $25k, which then went to £32k. Tax credits (child and working) due, were zero, nada, nil. The calculator is a bit of a false hope as it told me I would be entitled to around £3000 per year.

 

Child benefit is around £20 per week, and we get that for our daughter.

 

I moved up North, and spoke to dole office as in between jobs. Income support due, nothing, nada, zilch. Job Seekers Allowance due, zero, hee haw, nil. These benefits are based on what you paid into the system 2-3 years ago. If you were overseas, you will get nothing, family or no family to keep. Received some rent assistance, but this is limited to the number of bedrooms required, and not how many you have (we are in a 3 bed, but only need a 2 as 1 child, so rent assistance based on 2 bed, and we had to find the shortfall).

 

Salary is now below £20k, and I get about £80 per month child tax credit as I don't buy childcare vouchers through my employer. If I did, then these are not tax deductable, and I would not get the tax credit and the vouchers.

[Korina Ivatt]

Thanks everyone, so much to consider! This is why it has taken us years to get to this point as it is so complicated trying to move country.

We are saving like mad and will continue to do so as we want to be able to pay our way and not get in a mess no matter what we do.

[Chortlepuss]

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.

 

Living on a teacher's salary if you are based in one of the big Australian cities, or if you live in SE UK is a struggle as rent/mortgage will eat up most of your take home salary if you want to live somewhere decent, or close to the city. If you're rent or mortgage free that is another matter! Availability of work is better for me in the UK, so we are returning and I am hoping hubby can get a teaching job (science) back home that he likes as much as his one here. We were well off in the UK, so it is hard for me to compare, but the scary part of living on a low salary here for me is healthcare - we are not getting any younger and I do worry what would happen if anything serious happened. Also terrified of anything happening to the kids - for example my daughter's wisdom teeth extraction came to $1000 out of pocket. and with full healthcare cover I paid $3000 out of pocket for a minor operation. Told that both operations not available on the public system. I am yet to find any bulk billing GPs near me, so to be honest avoid going. At $80K income we are above the threshold for benefits here, but well below having what I would call a high quality of life. By that I mean that we're very careful about food bills, and can't afford eating out, holidays etc and things that we took for granted in the UK. The huge distances here and small market mean that flying anywhere is $$$ -

If you are not having to work, I'd be tempted to choose a job in a cheaper part of the UK

[Slean Wolfhead]

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.

 

You have to try these things. Since we've been here about 7 of our friends have gone back home for a visit after getting doubts and the odd bout of homesickness. All have returned to Oz happy to re-affirm their commitment after seeing what they'd be going back to. It can be therapeutic i guess.

[LJL]

So this is where my taxes go? Thread makes me fill a bit sick....If you cannot afford to do something without hand outs then don't do it! The system was never built to help everyone live lovely life styles. It was intended to help the people that actually NEED it (i'm not sure that people know what this means today).

 

Choosing not to work for what ever reason should not mean you get rewarded with government assistance.

 

I know many won't agree with the above statement but these will probably be the ones who take advantage of the system.