Moving back to UK at age of 75 and single!

[Johndoe]

Very interesting thak you. I was also born in 1948, started work around 15, moved here in 1970 on the 10 Pound scheme and retired 3 years ago so If I am understanding this correctly I would be entitled to a full pension if I want

lback.

 

 

Don't know if I am misunderstanding your post but no, you wouldn't qualify for a full (UK) pension as you only contributed to it for 7yrs (that is if you paid stamps from the age of 15) you would qualify for 7/20ths or 7/30ths if they've moved the goal posts. You'd get an Aussie top up if you fulfilled their conditions though.

 

I see you were born in Fleetwood. Did you know the Leadbetter family? I crewed one of his charters for a while.

[Tina2]

Don't know if I am misunderstanding your post but no, you wouldn't qualify for a full (UK) pension as you only contributed to it for 7yrs (that is if you paid stamps from the age of 15) you would qualify for 7/20ths or 7/30ths if they've moved the goal posts. You'd get an Aussie top up if you fulfilled their conditions though.

 

I see you were born in Fleetwood. Did you know the Leadbetter family? I crewed one of his charters for a while.

Hi Johndoe, I must have miss understood the post I thought it was saying your work in Aus would be taken into consideration for a UK pension. I guess if the Aus pensions tops up the UK pension that would be OK as well. Also have a small military pension from the UK as well so might be able to manage.

 

We moved from Fleetwood when I was very young down to Whitfield , then due to family reasons I went to live in Wales, so no sorry dont know anyone in Fleetwood, in fact dont know any one in the UK these days.

[NickyNook]

.... I must have miss understood the post I thought it was saying your work in Aus would be taken into consideration for a UK pension.

 

It does - as long as you are living in the UK when you claim the UK pension - they will then include the Australian years prior to 2001. This is how the OP will get a full pension - because she is planning to return to the UK.

 

If you are living in Australia and claim a UK pension, then only those contributions made when you lived in the UK will count - they will not count the Australian years prior to 2001.

Edited December 18, 2016 by NickyNook

[bristolman]

Are in a position to have an extended holiday there? Go spend 6 months in the UK and see how it feels, I'm sure it will give you enough of an opportunity to decide. The cold dark winters will be a shock.

 

They weren't a shock to us, even our kids weren't bothered by then.

[Tina2]

It does - as long as you are living in the UK when you claim the UK pension - they will then include the Australian years prior to 2001. This is how the OP will get a full pension - because she is planning to return to the UK.

 

If you are living in Australia and claim a UK pension, then only those contributions made when you lived in the UK will count - they will not count the Australian years prior to 2001.

Thats fine , makes sense thank you

[jimmyinoz]

im interested to hear how your getting on with this as my partner and i are thinking about moving back home ..i cant do this if i cant pull my super out to buty a house though and wondering if you have had any luck with that 

 

[Dell]

Hi there

I have been stymied by the fact that I can't sell my house for the price I need!  I live in a country town and prices have not risen as they have in the cities and so that has stopped me.  Lots of city folk coming to buy houses up here, driven away from the cities by the exorbitant prices there, but they are wanting dirt cheap in order to renovate.  Sensible idea and I would do the same in their position but for the person wanting to sell, it's not good.   I am also getting older and this is beginning to weigh on my decision.  Re UK pensions, I would be eligible for full State pension ONLY if I went back to the UK and then applied for it after demonstrating I was going back to stay.  In that case, my full employment history working in Australia would be taken into account by the UK.  I have applied for it and this is what they've told me.  They have granted me a tiny, tiny pension in the meantime because they say I have only worked in the UK for nine years, not ten.  I have disputed that as I worked off and on for many companies temping apart from my permanent jobs and was told that not all temp agencies reported correctly.  That would have taken me over the ten year mark.  The Aussie pensions people are not helpful, either.  They seem to take it as a personal insult if you call up to enquire about moving back to the UK.  All they can say is that if you earn one single pound more than a certain amount, your Aussie pension will go down.  Now, I am well aware of all this but it' s the attitude I don't like.  So by all means enquire in order to get the best information you can but wait until you have installed yourself back in the UK and then apply for the UK pension.  The awkward thing about that is that you have to actually move countries, which is a big deal, before you have a definitive answer on either your Oz pension or your UK pension.  I've been told so many different things by both countries.  So I am waiting for something to give on the housing side of things in order to get a higher price for my house as that is a key thing for me.

[Toots]

3 hours ago, Dell said:

Hi there

I have been stymied by the fact that I can't sell my house for the price I need!  I live in a country town and prices have not risen as they have in the cities and so that has stopped me.  Lots of city folk coming to buy houses up here, driven away from the cities by the exorbitant prices there, but they are wanting dirt cheap in order to renovate.  Sensible idea and I would do the same in their position but for the person wanting to sell, it's not good.   I am also getting older and this is beginning to weigh on my decision.  Re UK pensions, I would be eligible for full State pension ONLY if I went back to the UK and then applied for it after demonstrating I was going back to stay.  In that case, my full employment history working in Australia would be taken into account by the UK.  I have applied for it and this is what they've told me.  They have granted me a tiny, tiny pension in the meantime because they say I have only worked in the UK for nine years, not ten.  I have disputed that as I worked off and on for many companies temping apart from my permanent jobs and was told that not all temp agencies reported correctly.  That would have taken me over the ten year mark.  The Aussie pensions people are not helpful, either.  They seem to take it as a personal insult if you call up to enquire about moving back to the UK.  All they can say is that if you earn one single pound more than a certain amount, your Aussie pension will go down.  Now, I am well aware of all this but it' s the attitude I don't like.  So by all means enquire in order to get the best information you can but wait until you have installed yourself back in the UK and then apply for the UK pension.  The awkward thing about that is that you have to actually move countries, which is a big deal, before you have a definitive answer on either your Oz pension or your UK pension.  I've been told so many different things by both countries.  So I am waiting for something to give on the housing side of things in order to get a higher price for my house as that is a key thing for me.

Really?   

[Dell]

Sorry, don't understand your reply!!

 

[Toots]

52 minutes ago, Dell said:

Sorry, don't understand your reply!!

 

Apologies Dell!  There was a knock at the door and instead of opting out I pressed the submit reply button.

I thought to receive the full British pension you had to have paid into it for 30 years but I may be wrong.  There will be a member who is far more up on things than me who could say I am totally wrong about that.

 

[NickyNook]

33 minutes ago, Toots said:

Apologies Dell!  There was a knock at the door and instead of opting out I pressed the submit reply button.

I thought to receive the full British pension you had to have paid into it for 30 years but I may be wrong.  There will be a member who is far more up on things than me who could say I am totally wrong about that.

 

If you are claiming your UK pension and living in the UK, you can count the years you worked in Australia (up to 2001 when the Social Security Agreement between the two countries was terminated) towards the total years.

I would imagine that Dell had accumulated 30 years working in both countries up till 2001. My OH is in the same situation - he worked 5 years in the UK, and then 33 years in Australia - all prior to 2001. If he was living in the UK he would therefore qualify for and collect the full UK pension. As he lives in Australia he collects only 5/30ths.  :-(

[Dell]

Hi Toots

Hi, yes, I have worked in Oz for over 33 years all up, plus nine recorded years in the UK (it was actually a couple of years more but I can't prove it).

NickyNook, The UK offered me a total of two pounds a month and a lump sum (due to me not applying for the UK pension for 15 years) of 450 pounds!  If I had qualified for the full ten years work in the UK, I would have been able to go over there and apply for hundreds, maybe thousands of pounds for the 15 years delay in applying!!!!). 

If I do manage to get over there, I will query all this and ask them to look into it again but since I can't sell my house here for a reasonable sum, I am a bit stuck!!!

 

[Marisawright]

On 12/9/2016 at 07:41, pommysheila said:

Hi Dell

 

Thank you for the update I am still is a muddle to go or not I don't understand how you can have a full pension for 8 years yet I have a part pension working from 15 to 42 and topping up we have done to it and it is still only about 60 pound. Even if I got a full pension it is only 143.00 as my age keeps me on the old way even if I was on the new way it is only 153.00. If it is either or no way can the UK pension match the Australian so on that point alone I don't see how it is affordable no matter how much we want to go home sooner or later the money will run out and if you were like me a bench in the park is all you can afford. You have a house to sell so that is great you can probably afford it Dell.

The thing is, if you are getting the Australian pension now, you will continue to get your Australian pension while you 're in the UK, so what's the problem?

[starlight7]

Oh Dell- are you sure you are doing the right thing going back?  It has changed over there and you will have, too.  Sorry if this offends you, not meant in any way!

[Marisawright]

14 hours ago, Dell said:

Hi there

I  Re UK pensions, I would be eligible for full State pension ONLY if I went back to the UK and then applied for it after demonstrating I was going back to stay.  In that case, my full employment history working in Australia would be taken into account by the UK.  I have applied for it and this is what they've told me.  They have granted me a tiny, tiny pension in the meantime because they say I have only worked in the UK for nine years, not ten.  I have disputed that as I worked off and on for many companies temping apart from my permanent jobs and was told that not all temp agencies reported correctly.  That would have taken me over the ten year mark.  The Aussie pensions people are not helpful, either.  They seem to take it as a personal insult if you call up to enquire about moving back to the UK.  All they can say is that if you earn one single pound more than a certain amount, your Aussie pension will go down.  Now, I am well aware of all this but it' s the attitude I don't like.  So by all means enquire in order to get the best information you can but wait until you have installed yourself back in the UK and then apply for the UK pension.  The awkward thing about that is that you have to actually move countries, which is a big deal, before you have a definitive answer on either your Oz pension or your UK pension.  I've been told so many different things by both countries.  So I am waiting for something to give on the housing side of things in order to get a higher price for my house as that is a key thing for me.

I'm pretty sure that your Aussie pension will go down ONLY by the amount you're getting from the UK pension, pound for pound, so you should end up the same as when you started.  so in your shoes, I'd be applying for and securing my British pension now, then you're already halfway there when you eventually get to the UK - you're already on the books, so all you need do is apply to have your Aussie work experience recognised.

What surprises me is that Centrelink hasn't insisted that you apply for the UK pension before they even gave you an Aussie pension - the law says they are supposed to make you claim any overseas pensions first, before they give you an Aussie one.

Edited February 5, 2018 by Marisawright

[Quoll]

I'm pretty sure that your Aussie pension will go down ONLY by the amount you're getting from the UK pension, pound for pound, so you should end up the same as when you started.  so in your shoes, I'd be applying for and securing my British pension now, then you're already halfway there when you eventually get to the UK - you're already on the books, so all you need do is apply to have your Aussie work experience recognised.
What surprises me is that Centrelink hasn't insisted that you apply for the UK pension before they even gave you an Aussie pension - the law says they are supposed to make you claim any overseas pensions first, before they give you an Aussie one.

I believe the Aus pension (which should already have included any U.K. pension provisions on application) is based on your working life in Aus if you take it overseas. That’s based on 35 years so if you worked for 25 yrs in Aus you would get 25/35 of your Centrelink pension.

[Melbpom]

9 hours ago, NickyNook said:

If you are claiming your UK pension and living in the UK, you can count the years you worked in Australia (up to 2001 when the Social Security Agreement between the two countries was terminated) towards the total years.

How do people prove years worked in Australia? is it just a self declaration thing or do they need records such as tax returns?

[Marisawright]

5 minutes ago, Melbpom said:

How do people prove years worked in Australia? is it just a self declaration thing or do they need records such as tax returns?

At the time I looked into it, they would accept things like references and statements of service from the employer, provided they showed the dates.   I have been told they'll also accept an old resume as evidence, though that sounds too good to be true...

[bristolman]

4 hours ago, starlight7 said:

Oh Dell- are you sure you are doing the right thing going back?  It has changed over there and you will have, too.  Sorry if this offends you, not meant in any way!

Not being funny but it's changed everywhere, my 'hometown' Geelong was like a different planet last time we visited. It's what happens. 

[Wishful]

Dell,

I think you are amazing and I say go for it how wonderful !! You have given me hope here I am at aged 49 thinking im leaving it too long to go back and live. I moved here with my parents who live in sydney, I have two kids aged 18 and 20 and its not the right time for me to move back although I would love to. I look forward to hearing all about your adventures... Im going back with hubby and kids for four weeks next year and am looking forward to that.... can I ask do you have any kids or relatives either here or in England ?, how do they feel ?

 

[Dell]

Thanks, Wishful, for your nice words!   My plans to go home at this ripe age (I won't put 'old' in there) have come to a grinding halt, unfortunately!  When I retired from full-time work in 2004, I set up a little home business which topped up my Oz pension to a certain extent and I was full of plans to go back to St Annes, which is in Lancs and continue my business for the same client.  I'm a member of a FB page on St Annes and so am more or less up to date with what's happening there.  There have been many changes since my last visit in the '90's and some not for the better but I still would be going if I win the lottery or something unknown happens!    My little home business was transcribing audio for a well known organisation in the UK and I used headphones for transcribing documents but lo and behold I have suddenly gone deaf in one ear!   It's put paid to my little business in no uncertain terms,  and I've had to close it after multiple tests, buying a stereo headset for one ear which didnt work and constantly trying different methods.  My work was transcribing court work within the Old Bailey in London which has very high ceilings, with  multiple microphones, so audio tends to echo around the room and  you need 100% hearing to be able to hear it all and accuracy was the key, of course.

So fate has taken a hand.  I now can't afford to go back as I would want to buy a house when I got there in order to feel secure and  unfortunately  now I don't feel financially secure enough.   So ... although I won't admit to giving up on my plan to go home, I've had to park the idea and think of something local instead until my luck changes again!

I don't have any children, more's the pity, but my husband passed away in 2006.  The rest of my family weren't a bit surprised to hear I was planning to go back because we've always  just gone off and done things.  We spent six years living in Virginia and working in DC and we  travelled back to UK, working each time, quite a lot, so the  plan to finish up back in Blighty didn't really faze me.  It just seemed the thing to do since I was now on my own.   I do have some family back there, several first cousins scattered around, two of which I am very fond of, so it was going to be such a good plan, I thought.

[Toots]

1 hour ago, Dell said:

Thanks, Wishful, for your nice words!   My plans to go home at this ripe age (I won't put 'old' in there) have come to a grinding halt, unfortunately!  When I retired from full-time work in 2004, I set up a little home business which topped up my Oz pension to a certain extent and I was full of plans to go back to St Annes, which is in Lancs and continue my business for the same client.  I'm a member of a FB page on St Annes and so am more or less up to date with what's happening there.  There have been many changes since my last visit in the '90's and some not for the better but I still would be going if I win the lottery or something unknown happens!    My little home business was transcribing audio for a well known organisation in the UK and I used headphones for transcribing documents but lo and behold I have suddenly gone deaf in one ear!   It's put paid to my little business in no uncertain terms,  and I've had to close it after multiple tests, buying a stereo headset for one ear which didnt work and constantly trying different methods.  My work was transcribing court work within the Old Bailey in London which has very high ceilings, with  multiple microphones, so audio tends to echo around the room and  you need 100% hearing to be able to hear it all and accuracy was the key, of course.

So fate has taken a hand.  I now can't afford to go back as I would want to buy a house when I got there in order to feel secure and  unfortunately  now I don't feel financially secure enough.   So ... although I won't admit to giving up on my plan to go home, I've had to park the idea and think of something local instead until my luck changes again!

I don't have any children, more's the pity, but my husband passed away in 2006.  The rest of my family weren't a bit surprised to hear I was planning to go back because we've always  just gone off and done things.  We spent six years living in Virginia and working in DC and we  travelled back to UK, working each time, quite a lot, so the  plan to finish up back in Blighty didn't really faze me.  It just seemed the thing to do since I was now on my own.   I do have some family back there, several first cousins scattered around, two of which I am very fond of, so it was going to be such a good plan, I thought.

I really like your attitude Dell.  

[Dell]

Thanks, Toots!  Now, I just need to win big on next Saturday's Lotto - $40,000,000!   That should just about do it!

 

[Guest The Pom Queen]

3 hours ago, Dell said:

Thanks, Wishful, for your nice words!   My plans to go home at this ripe age (I won't put 'old' in there) have come to a grinding halt, unfortunately!  When I retired from full-time work in 2004, I set up a little home business which topped up my Oz pension to a certain extent and I was full of plans to go back to St Annes, which is in Lancs and continue my business for the same client.  I'm a member of a FB page on St Annes and so am more or less up to date with what's happening there.  There have been many changes since my last visit in the '90's and some not for the better but I still would be going if I win the lottery or something unknown happens!    My little home business was transcribing audio for a well known organisation in the UK and I used headphones for transcribing documents but lo and behold I have suddenly gone deaf in one ear!   It's put paid to my little business in no uncertain terms,  and I've had to close it after multiple tests, buying a stereo headset for one ear which didnt work and constantly trying different methods.  My work was transcribing court work within the Old Bailey in London which has very high ceilings, with  multiple microphones, so audio tends to echo around the room and  you need 100% hearing to be able to hear it all and accuracy was the key, of course.

So fate has taken a hand.  I now can't afford to go back as I would want to buy a house when I got there in order to feel secure and  unfortunately  now I don't feel financially secure enough.   So ... although I won't admit to giving up on my plan to go home, I've had to park the idea and think of something local instead until my luck changes again!

I don't have any children, more's the pity, but my husband passed away in 2006.  The rest of my family weren't a bit surprised to hear I was planning to go back because we've always  just gone off and done things.  We spent six years living in Virginia and working in DC and we  travelled back to UK, working each time, quite a lot, so the  plan to finish up back in Blighty didn't really faze me.  It just seemed the thing to do since I was now on my own.   I do have some family back there, several first cousins scattered around, two of which I am very fond of, so it was going to be such a good plan, I thought.

Oh @Dell I am so sorry to read your news. Have you thought of other work you could do to help top up your income if you returned? Have you any hobbies.

If you have a chat with @Andrew from Vista Financial Or @Alan Collett they may be able to advise what you would be entitled to when you return. 

Huge hugs x

 

[Dell]

Hi there,   Yes, it's been a big blow!  I have been trying to sell my house in this rural town I live in but it was a struggle due to many people coming up from Sydney to buy a cheaper house due to the ridiculous prices they are now charging down there.  However, these good people are wanting cheap cheap so that they can renovate which makes sense to me but mine is already renovated and I really want a decent but realistic price for it and so they're tending to go past my house to the really old places that are just crying out for renovation.  I don't blame them - I would do the same in their shoes.  So I have to wait for that one buyer who likes my house.  However, once I sell it which I will do eventually, I plan to go over to St Annes for a holiday, get a definite answer to my British pension, although they have told me I will be eligible for the full State pension.  Somebody said earlier that I would lose my Aussie pension which is supposedly higher than the State pension.  I do know that I would have to lose most if not all of my Aussie pension if I accepted the British one.  The good thing about the Brit one, though, is that I would then be eligible for all the little extras so a person really needs to sit down with Pensions, pen in hand, and work it out correctly.  Then I'd check out the house prices.  I would need a garden.  I used to flat yonks ago when I was single and used to hate not having a garden!  I'll never do that again.  

So, as you see, the idea is not dead because things can change in one's life so quickly sometimes   Gardening is one of my hobbies but I doubt I could make any money out of that.  I remember in the 80's, we couldnt afford to buy a house for love nor money in Sydney due to the recession - then suddenly the bottom dropped out of the market and we were back in the housing market again!  So never say never is my motto!!

Thanks for the hug.  Here's one back!!!