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Australian pensioner returning to the uk


pommysheila

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Hello everyone new to site but I am really being supplied so much info about returning to the UK I would like to here from the Pensioners 68 plus who have got back and what happened with the Aussy Pension and all the other stuff that you seem to have to get. I have just had a reply from a UK company called Age UK and after I had read it I got the impression they were trying to put me off. To-day I have had a reply from the assistant to the Prime Minister as I watched her on TV when she became Prime Minister and she came across very caring and although very kind of her to answer my letter it really doesn't make much cense.

I don't want to seem rude but a lot of info from people just doesn't add up compared to what I have officially been sent. As we are talking about a final move back I really have to be sure I am not going to end up on the streets. My late hubby and I went in 2007 to 2009 to look after my Dad and work and thing's have just changed so much.

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OK, if you are 68 then you're already getting the Australian pension so that's good. You'll continue to get the Australian pension when you move, but you need to go into Centrelink and let them know you're moving. However if you haven't lived in Australia for 35 years, then you will get less than you're getting now.They will tell you but it can get very confusing if you phone up, so the best thing to do is go into the office.

 

Don't, whatever you do, close your Australian bank account. You'll need it until you can get a bank account in the UK and that can take a few weeks. Go in and tell your Australian bank that you're moving. You can give them your family's address.

 

Do you get the British pension already? If not, then you should be, as I believe you said you worked for several years in the UK? Once you've got settled in the UK then you can apply to have some of your years in Australia recognised towards your NI contributions so your British pension will increase.

 

What other stuff do you want to know about.

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Sheila your Centrelink pension would be payable in th UK but would depend on your time in Oz ie you need 35 years between the age of 16 and retirement to be paid a full pension

depending on entitlement though you should still get part pension

When did you emigrate originally a lot depends on age at emigration

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Hi Marisa

I think we have been in touch before. Are you a pensioner living in the UK. I am on my own so nobody to back me up my hubby passed 2014. Just me and Chloe I do get the UK pension and have been in oz since 1989 born in 1948 so got my Australian Pension aged 65.

 

No I'm not in the UK. We did try going back last year but it didn't work out - however my situation is very different from yours as we are a bit younger and my hubby isn't eligible for a UK pension.

 

Unfortunately your pension will reduce, because you've only got 26 years residence (or possibly 24, depending how they regard a temporary absence). You only need 10 years' residence to get the full pension while you're living in Australia, but if you go overseas you need 35 years. The best thing to do is go into Centrelink, tell them what you're planning and see if they will tell you how much you'll lose.

 

The good news is that you'll be able to claim the years from 1989 to 2001 towards your British pension, so your British pension should go up. Whether it will make up for the reduction in the Aussie pension I don't know.

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The Centrelink pension workout is they multiply 35 years by months ie 420 months

 

Then they work out your entitlement by months ie if you had 10 years you would have 120 months

They then work that out as a percentage

Your U.K. pension might go up based on your years between 1989 to ? ( not sure when you went back last )

However if what you get from Centrelink added to what you get from the Uk now adds up to the current full U.K. Pension you won't get an increase from the uk

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Thank you Marisa

Trouble is since hubby passed my confidence is low and I get nervous if I have to go to places like Centrelink silly I no. This is such a big deal for me to do on my own but I thank you for your letter.

 

Do you have anyone who could go with you? I understand how you feel but unfortunately there is red tape to be dealt with.

 

If you're not worried about finding out how your pension will change, you can just wait until you've moved and got a British bank account set up, then write and tell them you've moved and what your new address and bank details are. They'll sort it out and pay whatever you're entitled to. I just thought you'd want to know what the reduction would be.

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Do you have anyone who could go with you? I understand how you feel but unfortunately there is red tape to be dealt with.

 

If you're not worried about finding out how your pension will change, you can just wait until you've moved and got a British bank account set up, then write and tell them you've moved and what your new address and bank details are. They'll sort it out and pay whatever you're entitled to. I just thought you'd want to know what the reduction would be.

Centrelink needs to be informed of any potential move before the lady moves Marisa and it's best to get information in writing prior to the move

centrelink do give appointments with a financial planner that might be the way to go

i am afraid I trust nothing said over the phone I always ask for whatever info in writing

I will pm pommysheila and give her my email I might be better able to advise that way

The thing is she will get conflicting information in the uk too because they don't know how the Aussie system works

I was told one time Fays paid us our pensions Fays is socials services !

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Thank you also for that, I just wouldn't up sticks without telling the Government but it is a very tricky subject and I do hope a pensioner from the UK will get back to all of us who want to no. xx

 

You can write to them before you leave if that makes you feel better, but wait until you've got your flight booked so you can tell them the date. Give them your family's address as your new address and ask them to keep paying your pension into your Australian bank account.

 

It just means you'll have to send them another letter once you're settled and have a UK bank account.

 

I just had a thought - do you have a home to sell?

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Centrelink needs to be informed of any potential move before the lady moves Marisa and it's best to get information in writing prior to the move

centrelink do give appointments with a financial planner that might be the way to go

 

 

I originally advised her to visit Centrelink to get their advice, I wouldn't trust anything they said on the phone either! An appointment with a financial planner would be the sensible thing to do.

 

I was just thinking that if she really can't face an interview, she could pretend she went for a short break initially to check things out, and has now decided to stay.

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No home and no family I am solo now.seen Not seen my son for a year I have had a couple of emails but his partner is the problem I don't have one.

 

Does your son know how helpless you feel and that you need help getting your finances sorted out?

 

The more I think about it, the more I think you need to phone Centrelink, get an appointment with a financial planner and go through all your finances with them. Do you have any superannuation? What about your husband's super?

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