JockinTas Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Yes, it's a bit tricky when one person wants to go back and the other doesn't. Ideally I would like to have retired to Scotland but hubby (Australian born and bred) looked horrified when I suggested it :laugh: As a compromise we retired here to Tasmania and I'm going back to Scotland for a holiday on the 1st May ............... on my own - which is fine by me because I won't be worrying whether he's bored visiting my old friends and the relatives I have left there. Ayrshire is a lovely county. Some great farming countryside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sustain Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Knew you would settle in fine, grand being back isn't it? :cute: 9 months for me and I still have the honeymoon vibe! Spring is just around the corner and it is going to be wonderful! Gee that went quick, seemed like only the other week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lismith25 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Glad your move back is working out for you. If you don't mind sharing how did you go about things like drivers licence, nhs etc. We are similarly 11years in and thinking ifa return, but we are in a position where we can be as organised as humanly possible should the opportunity arise. One of the things my husband is constantly looking for are comparisons between qld and the uk? So how do you find shopping, utilities, rent etc. How were the banks towards you? How is the job situation? I know it varies greatly between places, we live in Airlie beach and it is in no way the same as Brisbane but any information is added to the pot. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geordie girl Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Hi We are in the midst of considering making the move back home and are Geordies therefore would be moving back to Newcastle area or Northumberland.........would love to hear more from you about the area as far as finding jobs, banking, renting/buying etc etc etc - and wow if we did move it would be wonderful to meet up for a chat. I dont want to bother you too much but ANY info would be greatly appreciated. Hubby, myself and 2 daughters aged 13 and 15 would be making the move.....oh and our puppy too Thanks heaps Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Glad your move back is working out for you. If you don't mind sharing how did you go about things like drivers licence, nhs etc. We are similarly 11years in and thinking ifa return, but we are in a position where we can be as organised as humanly possible should the opportunity arise. One of the things my husband is constantly looking for are comparisons between qld and the uk? So how do you find shopping, utilities, rent etc. How were the banks towards you? How is the job situation? I know it varies greatly between places, we live in Airlie beach and it is in no way the same as Brisbane but any information is added to the pot.thanks Hi, I'll try and remember the order in which we did things! First thing we did was to get on the electoral roll, it's easily done online. Next we sorted out the bank. My DH we weren't married when we moved to Aus and he closed his UK bank account after a few years of inactivity. I'm SO glad I didn't! I kept my account with Lloyds open and they have been great. As soon as we got back we went into the branch in my parents' home town, explained our situation and that we were living with them until we found a rental etc. and there were no problems. I had my DH added to the account to make it a joint account (he had to show his passport) and we had a chat about our needs going forward. Now that we've been here a couple of months we have been able to upgrade our account to one with decent benefits like AA cover and can have an overdraft if we want one. They just need to see that a salary is being paid in there regularly. After that we bought a second-hand car with cash and got it insured and taxed. We had to pay for a year's worth of insurance upfront and it was expensive as we had no recent "no claims" history in the UK so that may be an expense to add to your budget. (I have heard some people were able to get around this by providing Australian no claims proof but none of the insurers we spoke to allowed this). Getting on the electoral roll, a bank account and car insurance meant we now had some useful "proof of address" letters which we needed for our driving license applications. We went on the DVLA website and requested the forms we needed to renew our UK driving licences. We still had our licences but they had expired during our time in Australia. All we needed was a new photo and a £20 payment. If you don't require a new photo I think it's free. We used my folks' address, even thogh we knew we'd be moving soon as DH just wanted some form of official ID so that he didn't have to show his passport all the time. You can legally drive on your Australian license for 12 months after moving to the UK so there is no hurry but we felt that sorting out stuff like driving licences all helped to add to our UK "footprint" if you know what I mean - it made us seem more established when we applied for rental houses. Re jobs: my DH secured a job before we left Brisbane but from what I can see there is a fair bit of work about in his field. I haven't tried to find work as I freelance but part-time jobs are like hen's teeth everywhere so I suspect it would be the same here. Plus we're in Northumberland so it's not brimming over with local work opportunities in my field. I could commute to Newcastle once the kids are a bit older so that's always an option. In terms of a comparison our experience has been that everything except petrol is more expensive in Brisbane. Oh and childcare because the government help (15 hours of free childcare) doesn't kick in until kids are three in the UK whereas the Australian government paid 50% of my kids' daycare in Aus and because they only went two days a week it was quite affordable. Our rent is half what it was in Brisbane though we have to pay council tax and water here which was covered by our rent in Australia. Our "Foxtel", landline and internet is laughably cheaper here, as are our mobile phone plans - I pay the equivalent of $20 a month here for the same package which cost me $60 a month in Aus. We chose to go with Eco energy for our electricity and gas and pay a set amount each month based on our estimated usage so we'll either be in credit or have a bit extra to pay at the end of 12 months which I'm happy with. Check out www.comparethemarket.com to look at different providers. My son hasn't started daycare yet but the one we have chosen is absolutely lovely, same goes for our daughter's nursery school. I certainly don't feel we have taken a step down in that respect. I loved our local community in Brisbane and it looks like the local community is great here too - my neighbour has already invited me over to meet some other nursery Mums which is very kind. We have swapped the seaside for the countryside and I do miss the sea but I can visit vast expanses of coastline which castles thrown in for free - I might just need an extra layer! TBH I don't find comparisons that useful (though we drew up pros and cons lists A LOT before we moved!) Life is in some ways very different here - the landscape, the accents, the history. And in some ways just the same - the childcare run, working, making dinner, getting out and about at weekends. I loved Australia and I love England. But for your husband I would say that financially the UK wins hands-down for us. And as for shopping - at the risk of sounding incredibly shallow - it's heaven here!! I almost passed out with excitement in Tesco when we first, partly because of how cheap everything was and partly because of the variety. DH was beside himself in Waitrose as he gets a free coffee every day with our clubcard LOL. Good luck with your decision. I know how torturous it can be trying to make the "right" one but honestly, you can't go wrong really with two such lovely countries. ` Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Hi @Sharon Bland you can probably find some answers in my essay above (sorry folks, got carried away!) but please ask me anything, it's honestly no bother at all and it would be lovely to meet for a cup of tea if you do come back. We are renting until we know exactly where we want to live and also until we save for a deposit as the move wiped out most of our savings. One Estate Agent was a bit thrown by our circumstances but the rest have been fine. Having a guarantor in place really helped and though we never actually needed to provide his name or details, the agents seemed reassured by his existence. We also offered to pay an extra deposit because we had pets and this pleased the agents although again it wasn't necessary in the house we got. One tip would be that even if a rental ad says "no pets" always check and offer the extra deposit because the house we have no was officially no pets but the owner likes cats so he changed his stance for us. Also, get on the agents lists, don't just rely on www.rightmove.co.uk we saw a couple of places before they hit the market thjanks to good relationships with agents - calling them to let them know how viewings went etc. Do you think you will make the move soon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 In terms of a comparison our experience has been that everything except petrol is more expensive in Brisbane. Oh and childcare because the government help (15 hours of free childcare) doesn't kick in until kids are three in the UK whereas the Australian government paid 50% of my kids' daycare in Aus and because they only went two days a week it was quite affordable. Have you looked into childcare vouchers with your husband's employer? It works like a salary sacrifice scheme with monthly limits. Most nurseries accept them and most employers have a scheme. It helps a little because at least you get some tax relief on the childcare costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Thanks Gbye grey sky, I'll look into that! I haven't heard of childcare vouchers - good tip that one. I should mention as well that there is 15 hours a week of free childcare for two year olds if you qualify - I think it might be based on whether you are receiving other benefits and/or income. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Sorry @lismith25, meant to tag you in my reply above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Thanks Gbye grey sky, I'll look into that! I haven't heard of childcare vouchers - good tip that one. I should mention as well that there is 15 hours a week of free childcare for two year olds if you qualify - I think it might be based on whether you are receiving other benefits and/or income. See this link http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/childcare-vouchers I also recommend this site. Well worth signing up to and good for browsing. Can save you a lot of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcorners Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Well worth applying for child benefit straight away too. Even if as a family you earn over the threshold, if one of you isn't working you'll get national insurance credits. I've just sent off our application, was fairly straightforward and should hear back soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Thanks @Gbye grey sky, it looks like a great site. I've heard a lot of people talking about "Martin's Money Tips" since I've been back - I think this website is the same guy? @fourcorners I did apply for child benefit about a month after we got back (could/should have probably done it sooner!) It's taking them a very long time to sort out but they do backdate it if you're eligible, so if we are we won't lose out. I'm looking into the NI credits as it would help to put my mind at ease (a little!) about retirement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Thanks @Gbye grey sky, it looks like a great site. I've heard a lot of people talking about "Martin's Money Tips" since I've been back - I think this website is the same guy Yes, that is the guy they are referring to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geordie girl Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Hi and thanks soooooo much for replying to me and also for the lovely detailed essay. OK Well it looks very much like we will be making the move. We have had the house here valued, and have got a shipping company coming out soon to quote us on shipping our belongings over. I also got a quote on shipping the puppy too.....OMG that was more than we expected Whereabouts in northumberland are you at the moment? We have looked on the internet and a few areas and a few family and friends have also recommended a few areas too but i guess until we get there we wont really know. We have organised to stay with hubby's brother until we are settled. What work does your husband do - just wondering as you were able to organise it here in aus.....well done you. If you dont mind, im happy to give you my email address so we can chat and compare more.......but understand if you dont want to. I appreciate your advice and assistance. Take care and enjoy the countryside Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Thanks @Gbye grey sky, it looks like a great site. I've heard a lot of people talking about "Martin's Money Tips" since I've been back - I think this website is the same guy? @fourcorners I did apply for child benefit about a month after we got back (could/should have probably done it sooner!) It's taking them a very long time to sort out but they do backdate it if you're eligible, so if we are we won't lose out. I'm looking into the NI credits as it would help to put my mind at ease (a little!) about retirement. Yes, we got child benefit straight away - although we had it before we migrated which makes it easier - bear in mind if either of you earn over £80k you are not entitled to it. Since my income is variable I claimed it but I think for the last tax year I'll have to pay it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 I'll send you a PM with my email address Sharon. My DH is a business analyst, specialising in information management. There's a fair bit of contract work in his field so we felt comfortable knowing that if he didn't get a job or if the job didn't work out he wouldn't be unemployed for long. What work do you/your husband do? Thanks @Lady Rainicorn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lismith25 Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Fabulous information AA thank you for the detail. I have been in contact with the Education department about getting my qualifications and work recognised, all takes time but seems to be a straightforward process, we will see. I have contacted a teaching agency who seems to be optimistic about work, obviously it will depend on availability at the time, but it might give me a more secure way in. The plan is looking like I will secure the job first and my dh will sort his qualifications out when we are back. We are also going back for a reccy over the christmas period to look at potential areas to move too, in the cold and wintery light. All things considered we seem to be moving forward. We will definitely move from here, before my daughter is old enough for high school so it will just be a question of where. It's a bit exciting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 You're very welcome Lis, I know I was always keen to know how people actually made the move in practical terms so thought I'd share the detail.You have an exciting journey ahead! Lots of luck though I'm sure you won't need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 Small correction: we are with Good Energy, not Eco. They are an eco provider which is where my memory confused me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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