Moving back to the UK

[Jennie Louise Wright]

Hi everyone, I'd love some advice about moving back to the UK after living in Australia for 27yrs yet am still home sick. I have 2 daughters aged 6 and 14 and I realise that I have to get permission from their father to attain passports for them as i'm a single mum.

What I'm needing to know is how long do you have to be living in the UK before your allowed any help from the UK government treat you like a British citizen again and allowe you to access all government help etc ....

Also , i realise that I'll have to get myself a job asap, but does it cost anything for me to put my girls in school or to see a doctor when sick ? Is it possible for me to move back

With my girls comfortably or not ... its quite a scary thought but something that I've been thinking about for years now. Any help or advice please ... i was hoping to move to the UK for Christmas 2016 but need to make sure me and my 2 girls will be ok. Thankyou for reading...

[Patphillips47]

Were your children born in Australia you would need UK passports for a statt

How old were you when you emigrated ,did you ever work in the UK as if you did you would have a national insurance number

I dont know about benefits I know there are some you can not get for 3 years but not sure which benefits apply with children

Schooling is free as is the NHS you would need to obtain a NHS number and register with a GP

Do you have family and friends for support in the UK and the same in Oz it's a hard call if you have no one as its a big move

Where would you move to is another pointer so much to consider but I think you will get a lot of help from members

[Ypudding]

No doubt alot will have changed in the UK Jennie in 27yrs!!! I don't have answers to your specific questions, and the ones I did know have just been posted in the previous message. What I do know is during my holidays in Oz I try to chat to as many people as possible about their emigration experience. And I've lost count as to how many craved a return to the UK only to be dissapointed when they actually did return on holiday. It made them realise what they actually have in Australia compared to the UK. My sister living in Perth has done exactly that just 3 months ago, she really wanted to return after spending 4-5 yrs in Oz. After spending a months holiday here in December she noted, her children were full of flu type symptoms & were miserable because they were stuck indoors due to the weather. Other defining observations that made reminded her what they now have in Oz and how it will provide a better life for her children were: Industry in the north closing down (pits,powerstations steel works etc etc) all affecting her husbands profession in the rail freight business. Final salary pensions gone, European policies, the cleanliness of town centres and public places,the doom & gloom from her mates, the way they have all stagnated since she left. Traffic congestion & poundlands!!! Theses are just a few I can remember. What I'm saying is the grass is not always greener on the other side, it will no doubt be a difficult move and decision for you to take especially with two children involved ( if their dad allows!) But good luck anyway which ever way you decide to go. I live around the Leeds area in Yorkshire so if I can assist you in anyway just send me a pm.

[Marisawright]

It's achievable but there are lots of complications to consider.

 

We returned about nine months ago and had no trouble getting immediate free treatment from the doctor. As Patphillips said, if you have got a National Insurance number it will make life easier, you quote that when you register. There is now also a NHS number which you won't have, but once you've registered with the doctor they will assign you one.

 

Benefits are another story. You have to pass the "habitually resident" test to get benefits. This is a good link which explains it well.:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/coming-from-abroad-and-claiming-benefits-the-habitual-residence-test/british-and-irish-citizens-claiming-benefits/

 

You can increase your chances of passing the test by waiting to apply until you've done the following:

 

- got on the electoral roll (you can do this as soon as you've got a UK address);

- opened a UK bank account and brought all your money with you (i.e. don't keep any money or property in Australia);

- signed a lease or bought a house.

 

I'd say a call to the Citizens Advice Bureau would be a good idea.

 

Another thing - if you haven't got Australian citizenship, get it now, for two reasons:

 

One, you have Australian children. If they both decide to go back to Australia when they grow up, what will you do? If you don't have Aussie citizenship, you'll have no choice - you'll have lost all rights to return to Australia to live, and the best you'll be able to do is visit them for occasional holidays (if you can afford it). Whereas if you have citizenship, you'll be able to move back to Oz with them. I'm sure it's something you don't like the idea of, but but if it's a choice between being separated from your children or being separated from your country...it's a decision several of our members have had to make. So make sure you HAVE the choice.

 

Two, if you leave Australia, you won't be able to claim the Australian pension in your old age - and as you've been away from the UK for so long, you may not get much British pension either. Again, it's something you wouldn't want to do, but it's good to have it as a safety net.

[Guest]

Before you even consider a move you should be sure your childrens father will allow it. Otherwise all the planning, finding out what is available and hoping it's possible will be for nothing. If he says no you won't be going.

[starlight7]

I would echo that- unless you want to go alone minus the children. I would think very, very hard. It is a big step and you need to think and plan very carefully.

[VERYSTORMY]

First, do think about why you want to return and check your reasons are valid.

 

However, I will add some reply to a post above.

 

We are finding work much more plentiful than WA. I am earning the same as I was for fly in fly out in Oz and am home every night by 5pm.

 

The weather has actually been wonderful with the only real wet time this weekend. But even with that we have been out and have just returned from a walk round a big park - lots of families there as well (not having to worry if there giving their kids skin cancer). Tomorrow the forecast is fairly heavy rain, so might go to Windsor Castle.

 

Not seen any "doom and gloom". All my friends are doing very well - including those in the North.

[Que Sera Sera]

As someone who has been sunburnt many times as a kid in the South of England I'd be very worried if parents weren't concerned about sunburn and cancer even on a cloudy day! Hopefully in 2016 we're all a bit better educated than that surely?

[Booma]

First, do think about why you want to return and check your reasons are valid.

 

However, I will add some reply to a post above.

 

We are finding work much more plentiful than WA. I am earning the same as I was for fly in fly out in Oz and am home every night by 5pm.

 

The weather has actually been wonderful with the only real wet time this weekend. But even with that we have been out and have just returned from a walk round a big park - lots of families there as well (not having to worry if there giving their kids skin cancer). Tomorrow the forecast is fairly heavy rain, so might go to Windsor Castle.

 

Not seen any "doom and gloom". All my friends are doing very well - including those in the North.

 

that a uninformed thing to say. the nhs disagrees & provides recommendation for protecting children.

 

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/safety-in-the-sun.aspx

[Johndoe]

Have you asked your kids how they feel about giving up all they have known? Irrespective of father's consent, do you realise that you're taking your kids to an alien place away from their schooling and friends? Do you feel the way you do simply because you're a single parent which infers that all hasn't gone well for you? Is there really something so bad about your life here that you have to escape? Or something so good/strong back in the UK that makes you think that the UK will be any better? Have you only been "homesick" since you became a single mum? Does their father see them regularly? You need to answer these questions to yourself honestly before you even consider uprooting your kids and taking them away from their father and the life that they are familiar with.

 

Good luck.

[AJ]

 

As someone who has been sunburnt many times as a kid in the South of England I'd be very worried if parents weren't concerned about sunburn and cancer even on a cloudy day! Hopefully in 2016 we're all a bit better educated than that surely?

Exactly, that is a strange thing to say! I have never worried about giving my daughter skin cancer, I always ensure she is adequately dressed and wearing sunscreen and a hat for the high temperatures!

[Marisawright]

Exactly, that is a strange thing to say! I have never worried about giving my daughter skin cancer, I always ensure she is adequately dressed and wearing sunscreen and a hat for the high temperatures!

 

Actually it's not a strange thing to say. The risk of skin cancer has nothing whatsoever to do with temperature, it has everything to do with the UV Index.

 

In the UK, the UV index is below 8 even on the clearest, sunniest day. Whereas in Perth, for instance, it's above 8 (often way above) from October to April. When you get above 8, you're at risk of skin cancer even with sunscreen.

 

So I agree you should be aware of the skin cancer risk in both countries, but there are long periods of the year in the UK when you don't need protection at all, even on a sunny day. That's not something you can say in many parts of Australia.

 

[AJ]

Actually it's not a strange thing to say. The risk of skin cancer has nothing whatsoever to do with temperature, it has everything to do with the UV Index.

 

In the UK, the UV index is below 8 even on the clearest, sunniest day. Whereas in Perth, for instance, it's above 8 (often way above) from October to April. When you get above 8, you're at risk of skin cancer even with sunscreen.

 

So I agree you should be aware of the skin cancer risk in both countries, but there are long periods of the year in the UK when you don't need protection at all, even on a sunny day. That's not something you can say in many parts of Australia.

 

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and how many parents do you know that sit thinking Oh I cant take my kids to the park today incase they get skin cancer?

[VERYSTORMY]

and how many parents do you know that sit thinking Oh I cant take my kids to the park today incase they get skin cancer?

 

Sadly not enough in Oz.

[Guest]

People live longer on average in oz though. So if really stressed about health probably should move back :wink:

[tea4too]

Hi Jennie and welcome to the forum. If you haven’t found it already, maybe take a look at the following thread as it will give you a good idea of some of the issues to consider when contemplating a move back to the UK as a single parent.

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/news-chat-dilemmas/47091-children-what-happens-if-you-your-partner-decide-go-home.html

 

It’s not clear whether you would have any family support in the UK, or even if you have returned for visits during the 27 years you have lived away. However that isn’t automatically seen as a negative for people moving the other way, so if your OH is happy for you to leave with the children and you are determined to give it your best shot, I think it is doable.

 

Work, rates of pay, house prices, lifestyle…..all depend on which part of the UK you choose to call home. And it is worth doing a lot of research as for a small island lifestyles and quality of life can be very different. An hour’s journey in any direction may be a few miles in distance but much more in terms of finding a place that truly feels like home.

 

You should maybe also consider the impact of devolution on the different areas of the UK as there are some subtle, and not so subtle, differences depending where you live. For example - unless eligible for exemption people pay for NHS prescriptions in England while they are free in the rest of the UK, the school exam systems are different and university tuition fees depend on where you live/ study.

 

Good luck Jennie. There is a private members section of MBTTUK which you can apply to join if you want to avoid the Aus v UK comparisons. T x

[Johnny]

and how many parents do you know that sit thinking Oh I cant take my kids to the park today incase they get skin cancer?

 

But I bet there are plenty who wish they had stopped for "just a second" to think.

 

Even with sun screen, that sun in Australia is BRUTAL, you will soon end up looking like "Madge" from the TV show "Benidorm" in no time and there's no going back once you get the "leather look".

 

The chemicals in the sun screen lotion itself are damaging to your skin and just as bad for causing premature ageing even before you go out to fry your body under the sun.

 

Stuff that, I love my cool fresh weather, don't need to worry about all that nasty stuff anymore.

 

Even in summer where I am although we had it over 30 degrees for a few days back in 2014, it rarely goes above 20 degrees in general during summer, and that's about all I can cope with.

 

Call me a softy if you will, but I really don't like brutal sun like they have in Perth

[Petals]

I think you should have a holiday first before making a commitment to return. I married here in Aus and returned to the UK to live and I was so optimistic and looking forward to it as I have family etc there. Then when I got there and lived there I realised it was not for me, the things I remembered are no longer the same. So many more people. I know I live in Melbourne with four million but if I drive out I can get solitude etc that is in little supply in UK these days. I got homesick for Australia and I did not even realise it happened, my oh said to me you are homesick. I could not understand it as my large family in UK were around etc. Its just that I had been away so long and changed so it no longer felt like home to me. Its just as hard to make new friends in UK as it is hard to make them in Aus when you return after a long time. People have moved on and they have lives that we no longer fit in with. Its never greener on the other side of the hill. Good luck, being lonely is lonely whether its somewhere we call home or somewhere else where we are living.

[starlight7]

My mum never used sunscreen in her life and never left the UK until she came to visit us in Australia when she was 70. Yep. She got skin cancer on her eyelid from sunbathing with her head up to the sun in South East London. I got skin cancer myself ( cured now) on my leg. Used to wear some sunscreen on my face but didn't bother about legs as usually covered. Can't predict the sneaky c and you can't even tell what is cancer and what is not until you get a biopsy. Mine looked like a very small pimple, only mentioned it as an afterthought. 15 stitches later....

[bristolman]

People live longer on average in oz though. So if really stressed about health probably should move back :wink:

 

Yes I'm sure that extra 5 months or whatever it is must be really important.

[bristolman]

Hi everyone, I'd love some advice about moving back to the UK after living in Australia for 27yrs yet am still home sick. I have 2 daughters aged 6 and 14 and I realise that I have to get permission from their father to attain passports for them as i'm a single mum.

What I'm needing to know is how long do you have to be living in the UK before your allowed any help from the UK government treat you like a British citizen again and allowe you to access all government help etc ....

Also , i realise that I'll have to get myself a job asap, but does it cost anything for me to put my girls in school or to see a doctor when sick ? Is it possible for me to move back

With my girls comfortably or not ... its quite a scary thought but something that I've been thinking about for years now. Any help or advice please ... i was hoping to move to the UK for Christmas 2016 but need to make sure me and my 2 girls will be ok. Thankyou for reading...

 

Welcome to the forum Jennie. We came back to the UK 4 years ago and are still loving it. Our kids were 11 at the time and settled in very quickly and have a really nice circle of friends. We got them straight into the village school and signed up with the local GP. 4 years on the rarely speak about Australia and are very happy here. You can get NHS treatment from day one but can't comment on benefits I'm sorry.

As expected you will get very differing views on this forum. There is very little doom and gloom amongst people although obviously there are some sad buggers that wouldn't be happy anywhere.

The weather does not lock you inside for weeks at a time , there is always lots to do.

Yes the UK has obviously changed enormously in the 27 years you have been away, as has Australia. I would be much more surprised if it hadn't lol

Hope it all works out for you.

[Guest]

Yes I'm sure that extra 5 months or whatever it is must be really important.

 

The point was we aren't all dying of skin cancer here...as was suggested as Australia has one of highest life expediencies in the world

[bristolman]

The point was we aren't all dying of skin cancer here...as was suggested as Australia has one of highest life expediencies in the world

 

Of course not but let's face it you are more likely to get a skin cancer in Australia than in the UK. My father and 2 brothers had skin cancers removed. As for the life expectancy if it was 10 years difference it would be significant.

[Guest]

Of course not but let's face it you are more likely to get a skin cancer in Australia than in the UK. My father and 2 brothers had skin cancers removed. As for the life expectancy if it was 10 years difference it would be significant.

 

Well skin cancer may be more likely but you are going to die of something else in UK before you die of skin cancer in oz on average. Think it's only a year difference though. So in reality choosing one or other for health reasons seems a bit pointless.

[bristolman]

Well skin cancer may be more likely but you are going to die of something else in UK before you die of skin cancer in oz on average. Think it's only a year difference though. So in reality choosing one or other for health reasons seems a bit pointless.

 

I'm not sure it's all about dying though, skin cancer is a horrible thing to have. I myself have had a few suspect spots removed over the years. Yes the difference seems to vary depending on the source which in itself is ridiculous as it shouldn't be variable.