No-man's land

[Hamsterwheel]

I have been reading post's from a diverse range of people, from all walks of life, for many years now on other forums as well as this one and finally decided to register and post for myself. Maybe it may help someone in the same position to not make the same mistakes.

I emigrated to Australia in 1997 with my young children and then husband and returned to UK thirteen years later with nothing to my name except a suitcase and 4K and even left behind my independent adult children (though just 19 and 21) who wished to stay in Oz and my husband (now ex) who adored Australia and would never have moved back to the UK.

I was homesick for the UK from the first month onwards after moving to Oz and wasted so many opportunities and years spent 'pining' and 'depressed' for my homeland and the people I left behind. I look back on this now with deep regret and sadness and know I can't turn the clock back or undo my situation but I can encourage others in similar situations to ride it through and move forward.

I am now considering moving back to Australia in true pingpong fashion, to do what I know may be a 'wrong reason' but one I feel is also a very valid reason, which is to be near to my two children who I know now will never leave Oz.

My dilemma is I still have nothing to my name, but have managed to give myself a roof over my head and a reasonable lifestyle and managed to get myself on my feet since moving to the UK.

Most of the posts I read seem to be from people who have a very good lifestyle and a lot of capital accumulated in their later life (50+) but I have not and I am not likely to have in the future, so is there anyone out there who is in a similar situation? How have you managed and is it worth the emotional cost?

[Marisawright]

I do feel for you! It's one thing people don't consider when they migrate - that there's the chance it can break a family apart if one partner loves it and the other can't settle. Until you leave your home country, you often have very little idea how attached you are to it. I'm lucky, I left the UK without a backward glance - but now I'm back in the UK after 30 years in Oz, I'm surprised how much of a pull Australia has on my emotions, so I finally have some idea how that feels.

 

I'm assuming you are either a citizen, or have a valid RRV.

 

You certainly won't be the first to come to Australia to be near family. Where are they living? That could make a big difference to whether you can afford it. Check out prices on domain.com.au and realestate.com.au for the relevant area - prices do vary enormously from state to state and city to city.

 

The good news is pensions. I assume you've still got 10 years till you reach retirement age: in that case, if you move now, you'll be able to work for 10 years and qualify for a full Australian government pension. You'll also be able to claim a part pension from the British government. So you shouldn't be worse off for income.

[Hamsterwheel]

Thanks for quick response Marisawright. Yes I have citizenship which is huge advantage and will be looking to settle in Victoria on return.

Good news about the pension and very encouraged by that. No property assets so will have to rent accommodation for remainder of time and know city rentals can be expensive so will most likely not be too near the city.

 

Are you heading back to Oz in the future? Sounds like that it where your heart is. It is a great country to live and have been back a few times to visit my sons, though not as often as I would have liked. On reflection (isn't that always the way of it!) I am so very pleased they have grown up there and been given so many different opportunities.

[Quoll]

You may be eligible for the Centrelink age benefit but it's means tested and the assets test may well have changed by then so work hard to get a half decent super pot before you finally stop work. It's not an entitlement but a benefit

[Marisawright]

Are you heading back to Oz in the future? Sounds like that it where your heart is. It is a great country to live and have been back a few times to visit my sons, though not as often as I would have liked. On reflection (isn't that always the way of it!) I am so very pleased they have grown up there and been given so many different opportunities.

 

I wish I knew where we'd end up! My oh has developed a sun allergy and unfortunately, the UV index in Australia - even in Tassie - is too high in summer for him. TBH he said he was happy to just stay indoors during the day, but I saw my retirement dreams falling apart - our main hobbies are dancing and taking long country walks, and obviously we could never do any country walks ever again! So we decided we'd try moving to the UK (I'm British and all my sisters still live here). Trouble is, after 30 years in Oz, I feel like a complete alien. Plus of course, the exchange rate collapsed just before we moved, and now England seems awfully expensive.

 

I would like to try moving to Italy or northern Spain (because, amazingly, the UV index is still lower than Australia!), but my oh is too worried about the language barrier as he never learned any foreign languages - I am getting very frustrated with him right now! So we may well end up back in Oz and I'll just have to leave him in the house and get out and about myself. Not quite what I had planned!

[ramot]

I wish I knew where we'd end up! My oh has developed a sun allergy and unfortunately, the UV index in Australia - even in Tassie - is too high in summer for him. TBH he said he was happy to just stay indoors during the day, but I saw my retirement dreams falling apart - our main hobbies are dancing and taking long country walks, and obviously we could never do any country walks ever again! So we decided we'd try moving to the UK (I'm British and all my sisters still live here). Trouble is, after 30 years in Oz, I feel like a complete alien. Plus of course, the exchange rate collapsed just before we moved, and now England seems awfully expensive.

 

I would like to try moving to Italy or northern Spain (because, amazingly, the UV index is still lower than Australia!), but my oh is too worried about the language barrier as he never learned any foreign languages - I am getting very frustrated with him right now! So we may well end up back in Oz and I'll just have to leave him in the house and get out and about myself. Not quite what I had planned!

 

Marisa I've been wondering for a while how to reply to your dilemma, having been retired 12 years now.

I think about ours and our friends life styles here on the Sunshine Coast, only to give you an idea.

We have every club activity you can think of here, most don't involve "being outside"

U3A a full daily program of you name it they run it.

There is both an active over 50 and over 60's group on the coast with again a full program with almost something for everyone, we don't us it but couldn't believe what is on offer.

I sadly play far too much bridge, love it. Learnt to play in my old age!

Belong to a book group. go to the gym, all indoors.

As in other places people are out anytime from 5am, walking swimming, sorry don't know if the UV index is still too high then? but perhaps not all year.

None of our friends sun bathe, we are to busy.

There are lots of dance classes!!! including belly dancing groups, line dancing club.

Choirs for all sorts of singing.

We belong to 3 different lunch groups, one for others on our visa, most of us with African/expat backgrounds, so very diverse, and led different lives.

If we have friends round eg for lunch, we would be eating in the shade, or early evening meal so no sun.

My husband plays golf which would be a no go for your husband, but has got very involved in Probus.

There is a very active Men's Shed.

You can walk up on the ridge in the rain forest in the shade?

 

So perhaps consider somewhere YOU will be happy with plenty of options for your husband to get involved in things that he doesn't have to be outdoors, learn new hobbies etc. that's what he has to do, was worried how my husband would cope with retirement, they can be a bit difficult when out of their comfort level, strangely enough (ok it took a while!!) he has such a good time, never in, plays bridge with 3 other men every wed. night, you should hear what fun they have, ok the wine/beer and snacks help, enjoys his golf, Probus. We have made good friends, people seem to support each other here. Several friends have lost partners recently, but are still included in everything, and help given if needed. I do have young friends as well.

 

Hope you find somewhere that suits you, you could always consider house swapping to a cooler climate for the summer months if you buy in Oz again, there are lots of offers on our house swap site, from people wanting to be here for several months of summer sunshine, which keeps costs down.

Good luck.

 

ps. We did retire and move to Oz a new country for us with no family or friends here so had to start from scratch, so it might not be easy at times, but for us worth it, but we had to work at it.

[jumpingjellybean]

Most of the posts I read seem to be from people who have a very good lifestyle and a lot of capital accumulated in their later life

 

I have a very good lifestyle here.

But compared to others I probably live below the poverty line.

I am not materialistic and live a relatively simple life.

You cannot take it with you when you die - so live for the moment and enjoy your life now

At least your children will probably pay for your nursing home!

[Marisawright]

Yes I have citizenship which is huge advantage and will be looking to settle in Victoria on return. Good news about the pension and very encouraged by that. No property assets so will have to rent accommodation for remainder of time and know city rentals can be expensive so will most likely not be too near the city.

 

 

I guess my message is, depending what the "+" is in 50+, don't delay the move as you must get those 10 years residency in before you hit pensionable age (worth checking when that will be for you, it varies depending on what age you are now).

 

As Quoll said, the Australian (Centrelink) pension is means tested, but as you don't have many assets then that's not likely to be a problem. They will insist you claim your UK government pension first, and will take that into account.

 

You can get some idea what you'll get from this:

 

http://yourpension.com.au/APCalc/index.html

 

As for the UK pension, you can claim that as soon as you reach retirement age, no means testing, but it will stay at that level (living overseas, you get none of the increases). Still, since you can collect it from day 1, it's worth having. I suggest getting a pension forecast once you've arrived in Australia and know your address, that way the forecast will take into account your overseas residence:

 

http://www.which.co.uk/money/retirement/guides/whats-happening-with-the-state-pension-in-2016/how-much-will-i-get-under-the-new-state-pension/

 

It may not be worth you paying extra NI contributions (they will offer you that option) - because of course the higher your UK pension, the lower your Aussie one will be. It is worth it for me, because (a) I start getting my UK pension a full year before I can claim the Aussie one and (b) thanks to my assets, I won't get the Centrelink pension even then, I'll have to wait a few years. So the UK pension will be a useful stop-gap, and during that time I'll get back more money than I paid in extra contributions. The pension forecast will set it all out for you so you can do your sums!