Moving back to UK after 48 years

[robyn1351]

Hello,

I came out to Oz in 1967 as a kid with my parents and apart from a few holidays overseas I have lived in Australia. I did work in the UK for a few months in 1977.

 

My wife (Australian) and I come up for retirement in three years and both love the UK and are keen to go there to live. (She did work in the UK for 2 years in the mid 1970's)

 

We did get official 'numbers' when we were working over there, but can't remember what they were called or what they were for. We had to have them to show employers as we recall.

 

We have been all over the internet trying to decipher what is required of us. We would be living on the Australian Aged Pension but would need access to the NHS.

 

I am not asking any specific questions as we are so confused now, the more we read the harder it is becoming.

 

Any info or links is going to be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Tony

[robfromdublin]

Hi Tony,

 

I don't have any experience of moving to the UK after such a long hiatus but here are my thoughts:

 

• Your wife needs a visa, so investigate a partner visa to the UK (costs, timelines, eligibility)
  
• Your income: can you still be paid the aged pension while abroad? can you survive if the exchange rate moves against you?
  
• NHS - I would imagine you will both have access to the NHS if your wife has an appropriate visa, but look into this.
  
• Future needs - what if either of you needs some form of social welfare? If you haven't worked and paid tax in the UK then you may not be eligible for a lot of payments. If you aren't living in Oz then you may get nothign from the Australian government.
  

 

 

I would think very carefully about this. As you will be living on income from one country but residing in another you are exposed to a lot of risk. The exchange rate might move against you as noted above, but also the government of the day might change policies. Australia has a big pension deficit and it is conceivable that they might restrict or remove the aged pension from people outside of the country.

 

I'm certainly no expert in either pensions or moving to the UK but those are things I'd be looking at in your situation.

 

Cheers,

Rob

[Gbye grey sky]

Hello,

I came out to Oz in 1967 as a kid with my parents and apart from a few holidays overseas I have lived in Australia. I did work in the UK for a few months in 1977.

 

My wife (Australian) and I come up for retirement in three years and both love the UK and are keen to go there to live. (She did work in the UK for 2 years in the mid 1970's)

 

We did get official 'numbers' when we were working over there, but can't remember what they were called or what they were for. We had to have them to show employers as we recall.

 

We have been all over the internet trying to decipher what is required of us. We would be living on the Australian Aged Pension but would need access to the NHS.

 

I am not asking any specific questions as we are so confused now, the more we read the harder it is becoming.

 

Any info or links is going to be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Tony

 

Hi Tony

There are others on this forum looking to retire and move to the UK so I am sure one or two will step up with some information.

 

You mention only the Australian Aged Pension but I assume that you both would also have a Super fund.

 

Even so I personally would not be contemplating a migration anywhere in retirement unless I had built up a sizeable nest egg to fall back on. You don't mention whether you own a home that you can rent or sell or if you have any savings. The UK is a fine place to retire to if you have money but can be very miserable without it with your prime focus in life from October to April just trying to stay warm and that alone can cost £0,000s. UK pensioners receive winter fuel allowances and other concessions which you may not.

[Cliffy43]

As far as Pension is concerned, it would be paid at the specified rate to all pensioners living overseas, http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/outside-australia-pension-rates-payable and you would have to satisfy the conditions for that. The legislation can change any time though, and you would have to be aware of that.

As far as a visa to live in UK, has your wife any possibility of an ancestry visa? If not, it appears to be very difficult to obtain a Spouse Visa for UK and normally you would have to have employment there for her to qualify.

You would be able to receive NHS care under the Emergency Treatment Reciprocal Agreement between UK and Australia.

[flag of convenience]

National Insurance numbers I take it you mean. Do take into consideration that the Australian dollar is in decline and I expect quite a bit further to fall yet against the $US. We are around the 50 pence mark at the moment, but factor in further gains by the GBP against the A$ and crunch the figures. A lot depends on whether you will purchase your own place over there or rent. I expect you may be entitled to some British benefits like transport and heating as well.

 

I would be concerned about your Australian wife though and even if she being non EU can reside there as the law stands. How you thought of other destinations, Malta for example which has a large Australian born contingent living there as well as Brits, that is cheaper than UK, has far better weather, and actually likes Aussies?

[Jacaranda]

And Brits don't like Aussies Flag?Most I know adore them here in the UK! As for paying £000000's in bills for heating,I pay £30 per month for my gas bill and I am in credit.Yes I do work,so am not sat around everyday,but even when I am home during the day,my house is never that cold where I have the heating on from the time I get up to the time I go to bed.To the OP,hope it all goes to plan for you.You've spent time here in the past,so you know what to expect.

[Gbye grey sky]

And Brits don't like Aussies Flag?Most I know adore them here in the UK! As for paying £000000's in bills for heating,I pay £30 per month for my gas bill and I am in credit.Yes I do work,so am not sat around everyday,but even when I am home during the day,my house is never that cold where I have the heating on from the time I get up to the time I go to bed.To the OP,hope it all goes to plan for you.You've spent time here in the past,so you know what to expect.

 

I recall that you set your thermostat at 18c which is cold for many older people imo. We work from home so have the heating on most of the time from October to April. Gas and electric for us is around £170 a month for a 3 bed semi and we are in credit in summer but it catches up in winter lol.

 

The OP spent a few months here in 1977 which may have coloured his view as it was the hottest! driest year in history.

[VERYSTORMY]

Hi Tony

There are others on this forum looking to retire and move to the UK so I am sure one or two will step up with some information.

 

You mention only the Australian Aged Pension but I assume that you both would also have a Super fund.

 

Even so I personally would not be contemplating a migration anywhere in retirement unless I had built up a sizeable nest egg to fall back on. You don't mention whether you own a home that you can rent or sell or if you have any savings. The UK is a fine place to retire to if you have money but can be very miserable without it with your prime focus in life from October to April just trying to stay warm and that alone can cost £0,000s. UK pensioners receive winter fuel allowances and other concessions which you may not.

 

Disagree with the bills. My father, is long retired and has a lot of health issues so the fire is on full all day, along with the central heating. His bill is about the same as mine - a gas hog and the shower.

[flag of convenience]

And Brits don't like Aussies Flag?Most I know adore them here in the UK! As for paying £000000's in bills for heating,I pay £30 per month for my gas bill and I am in credit.Yes I do work,so am not sat around everyday,but even when I am home during the day,my house is never that cold where I have the heating on from the time I get up to the time I go to bed.To the OP,hope it all goes to plan for you.You've spent time here in the past,so you know what to expect.

 

Well Londoners were I found to varying degrees, if indeed an opinion at all,a bit over Aussies the years I lived in that city. Not dislike exactly. They were very numerous to be exotic. Just a usual comment being aggressive and course. Drink a lot etc etc. I think with the explosion of Brit's to Australia as back packers etc, has changed perceptions as well as a different class of Australian turning up in London these days. Outside the big smoke a very different story I can imagine.

Anyway wasn't what I meant or really care about. Malta especially appears to like Aussies and the people say as much. There are deep connections through immigration and returnees making Aussie born the third highest foreign born on the islands. Rather easy place to be an Aussie in many ways.

[Jacaranda]

I recall that you set your thermostat at 18c which is cold for many older people imo. We work from home so have the heating on most of the time from October to April. Gas and electric for us is around £170 a month for a 3 bed semi and we are in credit in summer but it catches up in winter lol.

 

The OP spent a few months here in 1977 which may have coloured his view as it was the hottest! driest year in history.

Yes thermo set anywhere between 18c-20c depending on temp outside.My MIL has hers set the same and she is 86!I guess it depends on what sort of person you are.I also worked in aged care for 7 years,and they had their thermo's set in the retirement home at 18c-20c.

[Gbye grey sky]

There's a guy in our street who wears shorts, no socks, all year round when out and about and often only a tee shirt when the temperatures are well below 10C. He is carrying a few extra pounds so that may help but it does demonstrate the different tolerances we all have I suppose. I doubt he even uses heating lol.

[Jacaranda]

That's reminded me Grey Sky of a boy who used to go to my daughters primary school in Sth Aust.In winter it used to go sometimes below 5c,and he would wear shorts the whole year round!Everyone else would be wearing thick coats,scarfes and so on.Im of slim build,but people have always noticed I always have very warm hands.My sons the same.We're pretty active people though so I guess you also have to factor that in.

[bunbury61]

Hello,

I came out to Oz in 1967 as a kid with my parents and apart from a few holidays overseas I have lived in Australia. I did work in the UK for a few months in 1977.

 

My wife (Australian) and I come up for retirement in three years and both love the UK and are keen to go there to live. (She did work in the UK for 2 years in the mid 1970's)

 

We did get official 'numbers' when we were working over there, but can't remember what they were called or what they were for. We had to have them to show employers as we recall.

 

We have been all over the internet trying to decipher what is required of us. We would be living on the Australian Aged Pension but would need access to the NHS.

 

I am not asking any specific questions as we are so confused now, the more we read the harder it is becoming.

 

Any info or links is going to be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Tony

 

I cannot emphasis enough that you think and then re think where you are going to live .....choose right and you can have a very good life .....choose wrong and it could prove a costly mistake.

Iam in the thick of it ,day in day out .

Yesterday I was in Wolverhampton ....kingswinford.....and down to rural Worcestershire...then back to the black country.....

The differences within 30 MILES ARE MASSIVE...

I went to a black country guy living in rural wotcs...fantastic house ...great lifestyle ...village pub etc ....and what a nice bloke....

Then you can spend half hour in traffic in the black country .....

For me it would be rural pt semi rural.....motorways close but not too close

[Marisawright]

Hello,

I came out to Oz in 1967 as a kid with my parents and apart from a few holidays overseas I have lived in Australia. I did work in the UK for a few months in 1977.

 

My wife (Australian) and I come up for retirement in three years and both love the UK and are keen to go there to live. (She did work in the UK for 2 years in the mid 1970's)

 

We did get official 'numbers' when we were working over there, but can't remember what they were called or what they were for. ...We would be living on the Australian Aged Pension but would need access to the NHS.

 

 

It is a minefield, isn't it? My oh and I are about to head back and it sounds like we're similar ages.

 

The bad news is that if you go now, you won't be able to live on the Australian Aged Pension because you won't be able to claim it. Yes, I know that sounds unbelievable but that's the way it is. The only way you can get the Aussie pension in the UK is if you wait until you've reached retirement age, go into Centrelink to lodge your claim, and then you can leave and you'll be allowed to take it with you. Leave before you're eligible and you'll get nothing.

 

The numbers you had were National Insurance numbers. If you go to the UK now and work for a few years, you might be able to claim the British pension instead, by using your Australian work years to count towards it - but the British pension is only ten thousand pounds compared to the Australian $30,000 so it's a poor substitute.

 

The other obstacle will be getting a visa for your wife. You either need a job to go to - hard to get at our age - or you need a minimum of £62,500 in the bank for at least 12 months, easily accessible - your superannuation would suffice, though.

[Marisawright]

As far as Pension is concerned, it would be paid at the specified rate to all pensioners living overseas

 

You're wrong about the pension, Cliffy. You have to be in Australia to claim the pension, or in one of the countries with a reciprocal pension agreement. The UK is not one of those, so the OP would have to come back to Australia and remain resident for two years. Or wait until he's of pensionable age, claim and then he can leave the country.

 

I'm not sure about the reciprocal agreement with Medicare, either. Once the OP stops being a resident of Australia he's not a member of Medicare and therefore can't claim reciprocal treatment, as far as I can make out.

[ramot]

It is a minefield, isn't it? My oh and I are about to head back and it sounds like we're similar ages.

 

The bad news is that if you go now, you won't be able to live on the Australian Aged Pension because you won't be able to claim it. Yes, I know that sounds unbelievable but that's the way it is. The only way you can get the Aussie pension in the UK is if you wait until you've reached retirement age, go into Centrelink to lodge your claim, and then you can leave and you'll be allowed to take it with you. Leave before you're eligible and you'll get nothing.

 

The numbers you had were National Insurance numbers. If you go to the UK now and work for a few years, you might be able to claim the British pension instead, by using your Australian work years to count towards it - but the British pension is only ten thousand pounds compared to the Australian $30,000 so it's a poor substitute.

 

The other obstacle will be getting a visa for your wife. You either need a job to go to - hard to get at our age - or you need a minimum of £62,500 in the bank for at least 12 months, easily accessible - your superannuation would suffice, though.

 

Marisa, I assume when you quote 10.000 pounds per anum as the pension, you mean per married couple? as the individual amount at present is 5.881pds + 20p.

[dxboz]

Same as what Marisawright said - seems very wrong but sadly that is the way it is - you must be in Australia to claim your pension and be there living for two years before also

[winter1]

Hello,

I came out to Oz in 1967 as a kid with my parents and apart from a few holidays overseas I have lived in Australia. I did work in the UK for a few months in 1977.

 

My wife (Australian) and I come up for retirement in three years and both love the UK and are keen to go there to live. (She did work in the UK for 2 years in the mid 1970's)

 

We did get official 'numbers' when we were working over there, but can't remember what they were called or what they were for. We had to have them to show employers as we recall.

 

We have been all over the internet trying to decipher what is required of us. We would be living on the Australian Aged Pension but would need access to the NHS.

 

I am not asking any specific questions as we are so confused now, the more we read the harder it is becoming.

 

Any info or links is going to be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Tony

 

Your first problem is the Visa for your wife I have heard stories of Australian husbands and wives being refused entry other than a visitor visa for six months. Your UK born husband or wife has to earn a miinimum of £18600 pa in the UK under income rules. Or as Marisawright says a lump sum of £62000 plus see this link

http://www.marriagevisahelp.com/uk-home-office-minister-admits-that-income-threshold-rule-is-unfair/

 

I also agree with Marisawright on qualification for drawing the Australian pension in the UK.

 

It used to be a lot simpler for the visa but the new rules have been brought in due to the fears of mass migration probably fuelled by the inflow of EU citizens the rules bizarrely do not affect EU citizens.

 

Gbye grey sky is also right in saying heating costs can be high however if you look for an energy efficient home your costs can be greatly reduced. My sister lives in a very comfortable well insulated modern home with annual energy running costs of £700 pa combined for gas and electric . She never scrimps on the heater. All UK homes have to have an energy performance certificate when sold.

 

Do not be put off if it is what you want, Good Luck

[Cliffy43]

"You're wrong about the pension, Cliffy. You have to be in Australia to claim the pension, or in one of the countries with a reciprocal pension agreement. The UK is not one of those, so the OP would have to come back to Australia and remain resident for two years. Or wait until he's of pensionable age, claim and then he can leave the country."

 

Yes, as the OP said they would be living off the Australian Aged Pension, I did assume they would be claiming it as residents and were planning to then move to UK to live in their retirement.

 

It is a big move, and I would be unsure whether I would not retain a safety net here, just in case it didn't work out as they expected.

[Marisawright]

Yes thermo set anywhere between 18c-20c depending on temp outside.My MIL has hers set the same and she is 86!I guess it depends on what sort of person you are.I also worked in aged care for 7 years,and they had their thermo's set in the retirement home at 18c-20c.

 

That temp makes sense to me. In Australian offices, most air con is set at around 20c-21c. It should be set at 22c-23c because that would save thousands of dollars and avoid a heap of wasted electricity, and it would also be better for people because the lower the differential between the inside and outside air, the more comfortable it is to move between them, and the lower the chances of catching colds and other viruses.

 

In the UK the opposite would apply, I guess - of course you could heat your home to 21c or hotter, but then you'd feel the cold far more when you stepped outside. Better to wear warm clothing and keep the thermostat a bit lower.

[Marisawright]

Yes, as the OP said they would be living off the Australian Aged Pension, I did assume they would be claiming it as residents and were planning to then move to UK to live in their retirement.

 

You may be right, I read it that they wanted to move now, but that they wouldn't reach retirement age for another three years. If they're planning to wait until they're eligible and can claim their pension before they go, that's a different story.

[Marisawright]

Marisa, I assume when you quote 10.000 pounds per anum as the pension, you mean per married couple? as the individual amount at present is 5.881pds + 20p.

 

Oops, I had a figure of 10,000 in my mind, but that's because I had mentally converted it to dollars already! The new pension, which the OP would be eligible for age-wise, is about 7,000 pounds.

[Marisawright]

National Insurance numbers I take it you mean. Do take into consideration that the Australian dollar is in decline and I expect quite a bit further to fall yet against the $US. We are around the 50 pence mark at the moment, but factor in further gains by the GBP against the A$ and crunch the figures. A lot depends on whether you will purchase your own place over there or rent. I expect you may be entitled to some British benefits like transport and heating as well.

 

 

This is what's worrying us right now. I'm kicking myself (actually, kicking the oh) for dithering about this so long - we almost made the move two years ago, and would then have moved our money over at far better rates than now.

 

We're both reluctant to move our money to the UK due to the greater security of Australian banks and also, we'd like time to settle in and be sure we've made the right decision - but if the A$ is going to fall even further against the GBP, that's going to be a dangerous strategy.

[ramot]

This is what's worrying us right now. I'm kicking myself (actually, kicking the oh) for dithering about this so long - we almost made the move two years ago, and would then have moved our money over at far better rates than now.

 

We're both reluctant to move our money to the UK due to the greater security of Australian banks and also, we'd like time to settle in and be sure we've made the right decision - but if the A$ is going to fall even further against the GBP, that's going to be a dangerous strategy.

 

Well that's what happened to us in reverse, Oz dollar went from 3 to the pound downwards fast and we lost on the exchange, but that's life, sometimes you win sometimes you lose! That was 2003.

taken a while, but getting back to a better exchange rate for us though at last, best since 2009? but it hasn't affected us too badly as pensions for us usually from work and are index linked for life so I think very different from having a super fund?

If you are moving in retirement to another country that's the chance you have to take, and you have to factor in the worst possible scenario to see if you can afford it long term.

or go with the attitude let's give it a go, enjoy the experience, but be prepared to move back one day, as lots of us who have retired here do, although in our case we hope we never have to.

 

It's dodgy retiring to another country if right at the beginning you are worried that you might not have enough money if the exchange rate goes against you, it's a decision only the individual can make as everyone's circumstances are different.

 

I would suggest that you and us are in the minority Marisa, moving for ourselves rather than to be with children? but we came for the opportunity to enjoy another country, while we were still young enough and with the attitutude in our case of staying as long as we were happy here, but it might not be for ever. Still here 12 years later, plus 2 of our children have moved here, which is a bonus, even though unexpected at the time.

Good luck with everything

[Marisawright]

I would suggest that you and us are in the minority Marisa, moving for ourselves rather than to be with children? but we came for the opportunity to enjoy another country, while we were still young enough and with the attitutude in our case of staying as long as we were happy here, but it might not be for ever. Still here 12 years later, plus 2 of our children have moved here, which is a bonus, even though unexpected at the time.

Good luck with everything

 

Thanks! Yes I think we are in the minority. We're taking the view that even if we stay in Australia, my oh will want a few holidays in the UK/Europe during our retirement. Each time we've done that in the past the holiday has cost us around $20,000 - so for the price of one holiday, we can move over there and see everything we want for several years, if not forever! We'll be watching our money carefully and if it looks like we are running into financial difficulty, we'll either come back to Australia (but go to Hobart for a cheaper lifestyle), or move to somewhere in Europe where we can claim the Australian pension.

 

My only worry is that I'll never see my oh again, because he'll be in museums, stately homes, cathedrals and libraries all day every day!

 

Because we live in Sydney, no matter where we go in the UK (except London) our living costs will be lower so that's one thing in our favour.