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Urgent Move Back to UK Likely


Franklin05

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On 05/09/2019 at 12:24, Vickie78 said:

I shall look into HSBC I know Lloyd's have a returning to U.K bank account too, which I also need to look deeper into as well. Thank you 😄 

eta: Am I reading that right? There are ZERO fees for using HSBC card overseas? Says $0.00 for cash withdrawal and 0% of the total value amount of each such transaction for purchases? 
 

Yes, you read it right.   ING Bank offers the same deal.   

By the way, Lloyds do not have a "returning to the UK bank account".    All they do is take your name and tell you to present at a branch when you arrive, but that does nothing to speed up your application - that would be illegal.  This Transferwise article explains it well:  you can't open a bank account until you have proof of residency

https://transferwise.com/gb/blog/how-to-open-a-bank-account-in-uk

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On 07/09/2019 at 09:21, Marisawright said:

Yes, you read it right.   ING Bank offers the same deal.   

By the way, Lloyds do not have a "returning to the UK bank account".    All they do is take your name and tell you to present at a branch when you arrive, but that does nothing to speed up your application - that would be illegal.  This Transferwise article explains it well:  you can't open a bank account until you have proof of residency

https://transferwise.com/gb/blog/how-to-open-a-bank-account-in-uk

Yes I know, I just meant you can open an account online, but yes still have to do the whole prove who you are/where you live thing 😉 

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On 06/09/2019 at 23:33, LKC said:

I don't have an awful lot of advice to offer, but we moved back two years ago yesterday, and it has by far been the best thing we've ever done! There is some uncertainty about the whole Brexit thing, but day to day so far it isn't really affecting our lives. Sadly my husband and I have parted ways since we moved back, but even though we moved to a different area of the UK than we were from, I have found it incredibly easy to build up a good network of friends, who have been absolutely my rock over the past year or so.

Just a quick note on the passports - If you have Australian passports, you can travel on those (i.e. show them to the airline at check in), but you can enter the UK on expired British passports, because that is exactly what we did. Our children were 1 and 2 when they had their passport photos taken, and were 9 and 11 when we moved back, and aside from the passport control man making a joke about how they didn't look like their photos any more, the only other thing he said was 'Welcome home!'. There is no obligation to hold a passport, and the fact that you have one, expired or not, proves citizenship to enter.

Sorry to hear about your separation. Good to see another happy to be back story though, Brexit is also in the back of my mind as I plan and start organising stuff to move back(uncertainty doesn't sit well with me) , but it is what it is and we are still coming home regardless.  I also was not aware that you could use an expired PP, You live and learn hey. 

Any tips for making new Friends etc when we get back? I have some old Friends over there of course but they are spread far and wide as is family so hmm going to be lonely for a bit I Imagine  🙂  

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17 hours ago, Vickie78 said:

Sorry to hear about your separation. Good to see another happy to be back story though, Brexit is also in the back of my mind as I plan and start organising stuff to move back(uncertainty doesn't sit well with me) , but it is what it is and we are still coming home regardless.  I also was not aware that you could use an expired PP, You live and learn hey. 

Any tips for making new Friends etc when we get back? I have some old Friends over there of course but they are spread far and wide as is family so hmm going to be lonely for a bit I Imagine  🙂  

We went to Sydney from Suffolk, but moved back to Scotland where we'd never lived before (ex was offered a job here). The kids and I have had absolutely no trouble making friends at all. Not sure about ex, I don't really have much to do with him now. Obviously it was easy for the kids at school, but I had to get out and about. I joined the school PTA (and am now treasurer) and the village hall committee (and am treasurer for that too - I retrained as a bookkeeper/tax agent since I got back, so it's not as weird as it sounds!), so I've made friends there, plus some at the school gates, and also have some great neighbours. I didn't say no to any offer of coffee or a drink, and just made sure that I got out and about and joined in. I found it quite difficult to make friends in Aus, despite trying the same things, but here I've found it easy. I've probably got better friends here than I've ever had, and I couldn't have got through my separation without them. My closest family is about a 4 hour drive away, and the rest are 6+ hours, so I have no family close either.

My separation was on the cards long before we moved back to the UK. I'm just thankful that we were home before it actually happened. Life is much better now, the kids and I are happy and settled, and the future looks very rosy indeed 🙂

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4 hours ago, LKC said:

We went to Sydney from Suffolk, but moved back to Scotland where we'd never lived before (ex was offered a job here). The kids and I have had absolutely no trouble making friends at all. Not sure about ex, I don't really have much to do with him now. Obviously it was easy for the kids at school, but I had to get out and about. I joined the school PTA (and am now treasurer) and the village hall committee (and am treasurer for that too - I retrained as a bookkeeper/tax agent since I got back, so it's not as weird as it sounds!), so I've made friends there, plus some at the school gates, and also have some great neighbours. I didn't say no to any offer of coffee or a drink, and just made sure that I got out and about and joined in. I found it quite difficult to make friends in Aus, despite trying the same things, but here I've found it easy. I've probably got better friends here than I've ever had, and I couldn't have got through my separation without them. My closest family is about a 4 hour drive away, and the rest are 6+ hours, so I have no family close either.

My separation was on the cards long before we moved back to the UK. I'm just thankful that we were home before it actually happened. Life is much better now, the kids and I are happy and settled, and the future looks very rosy indeed 🙂

So glad you are happy and have made friends easily LKC.  It was definitely a good move for you and your girls.  Most Scots are a very friendly bunch of folk.  😀

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6 hours ago, LKC said:

We went to Sydney from Suffolk, but moved back to Scotland where we'd never lived before (ex was offered a job here). The kids and I have had absolutely no trouble making friends at all. Not sure about ex, I don't really have much to do with him now. Obviously it was easy for the kids at school, but I had to get out and about. I joined the school PTA (and am now treasurer) and the village hall committee (and am treasurer for that too - I retrained as a bookkeeper/tax agent since I got back, so it's not as weird as it sounds!), so I've made friends there, plus some at the school gates, and also have some great neighbours. I didn't say no to any offer of coffee or a drink, and just made sure that I got out and about and joined in. I found it quite difficult to make friends in Aus, despite trying the same things, but here I've found it easy. I've probably got better friends here than I've ever had, and I couldn't have got through my separation without them. My closest family is about a 4 hour drive away, and the rest are 6+ hours, so I have no family close either.

My separation was on the cards long before we moved back to the UK. I'm just thankful that we were home before it actually happened. Life is much better now, the kids and I are happy and settled, and the future looks very rosy indeed 🙂

My ex and I Seperated just over a year ago. Part of the reason for deciding to move back, no friends here same so hard to do it seems? Plus that internal yearning to go home that I had for years, literally only stayed here because I met said ex and we had kids. He's happy for us to go, so that was that. One of my Uncles live above Scotland in Orkney where I was actually Born, they are indeed a friendly bunch. 

I'm so happy it had worked out for you, and I look forward to hopefully posting a similar happy story in the future ❤️ 

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6 hours ago, Vickie78 said:

My ex and I Seperated just over a year ago. Part of the reason for deciding to move back, no friends here same so hard to do it seems? Plus that internal yearning to go home that I had for years, literally only stayed here because I met said ex and we had kids. He's happy for us to go, so that was that. One of my Uncles live above Scotland in Orkney where I was actually Born, they are indeed a friendly bunch. 

I'm so happy it had worked out for you, and I look forward to hopefully posting a similar happy story in the future ❤️ 

And you will!

We look forward to hearing it!

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  • 1 month later...

 we have lived in Queensland since 2011 it was a big decision move  at that time , we always knew we would have to return to UK at some  point , although through circumstances happening with family we have been back for  annual visit  every since we got here , ( not a cheap option ) my grandson was born with an acquired brain injury at birth  and I now feel I must go home to help my son and his wife with the daily management of his physio etc

 but where to start  I am at a loss at what to do first  anyone got any pointers/ ideas . we are preparing the house for selling , and have been  on the internet to the uk tax office don't know if it is just me but that seems more complicated than it used to be , I have enjoyed living here in Australia and I am sure I will adapt back to UK living once I finally decide on a date, Brexit is another concern

jenny

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2 hours ago, jenny garland said:

 we have lived in Queensland since 2011 it was a big decision move  at that time , we always knew we would have to return to UK at some  point , although through circumstances happening with family we have been back for  annual visit  every since we got here , ( not a cheap option ) my grandson was born with an acquired brain injury at birth  and I now feel I must go home to help my son and his wife with the daily management of his physio etc

 but where to start  I am at a loss at what to do first  anyone got any pointers/ ideas . we are preparing the house for selling , and have been  on the internet to the uk tax office don't know if it is just me but that seems more complicated than it used to be , I have enjoyed living here in Australia and I am sure I will adapt back to UK living once I finally decide on a date, Brexit is another concern

jenny

Are you citizens?  If not you should get an RRV or citizenship before you leave so you are able to return to Australia if you wish. Many people regret not doing this as down the line they are unable to reside in Australia again. You never know.....

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6 hours ago, jenny garland said:

 we have lived in Queensland since 2011 it was a big decision move  at that time , we always knew we would have to return to UK at some  point , although through circumstances happening with family we have been back for  annual visit  every since we got here , ( not a cheap option ) my grandson was born with an acquired brain injury at birth  and I now feel I must go home to help my son and his wife with the daily management of his physio etc

 but where to start  I am at a loss at what to do first  anyone got any pointers/ ideas . we are preparing the house for selling , and have been  on the internet to the uk tax office don't know if it is just me but that seems more complicated than it used to be , I have enjoyed living here in Australia and I am sure I will adapt back to UK living once I finally decide on a date, Brexit is another concern

jenny

Hi Jenny, I can empathise with you on this, we've done some serious "ping ponging" in the last 18 months ! I'd like to suggest a few things to help if I can and please don't close any door's on Australia, not just yet. Regard the move as a "long period of living abroad for a while", your circumstances could change and you may want to return to lovely Queensland.

You've been there some time now, have you got an Australian Passport ? if not, I'd suggest getting one before you leave. It is so much easier to get this whilst in Australia, as once in the UK you will have to visit an Australian consulate / mission to get one.

If you have private health insurance, just suspend it, do NOT cancel it. You can suspend these polices for two years, sometimes a bit longer depending on which fund you are with.

Do some serious de cluttering before you leave, have a garage sale. We shipped majority of our furniture over here, only to find a lot of it would not fit in the cottage ! we ended up selling nearly all of it really cheap just to get rid of it.

You mention the UK tax office, I find dealing with any big organisation over here VERY difficult indeed. When we first arrived back here, I thought the UK was quite progressive, but after two episodes of living here, I now think the opposite. 

As for Brexit , well, ........................

Hope your house sale goes well, feel free to ask me anything else, as I said ,we've ping ponged a bit so got plenty of recent experience with moving between two countries - unfortunately.

 

 

 

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On 04/09/2019 at 11:48, Franklin05 said:

Husband and I moved out to OZ 10 years ago, in that time we've moved to 4 states looking for work, got a dog and had two kids and finally after securing permanent work built and bought a house, with the view to returning to the UK in about 3 to 5 years time (missing culture and family - who are now getting on and in need of extra support).

Husband has had a few difficulties with work, new management, change in direction of the organisation and he along with another staff member have become the fall guys and management are looking to remove them and I guess start afresh, not necessarily an easy process and HR and unions are involved. Husband has been essentially been given 2 months, until precisely what they wont clarify but from the way things are at the moment we're expecting him to be leaving the organisation one way or another. 

So the move to the UK we had planned in a few years will now be in the next few months. It's a lot to take in, remaining or moving (yet again) in Australia is not really a possibility due to costs (our last interstate move cost about $10,000 for furniture removal, vehicle transport costs and our flights), securing work and that fact that we have already done that more times than I care to remember, practically it makes sense to return to the UK sooner. Mine and my daughters UK passports are expired, we haven't even gotten around to getting our sons. We are located remotely, there are limited jobs, and a down turn in the property market so we can't sell and will have to rent the house out. We have very little money, most of that went into the house and my parents will be supporting us finically to return and to get set up there.

I feel so overwhelmed, especially with all the uncertainty going on with Brexit and the austerity measures, our daughter requires a specific medication, and several therapies and occasional in class support - we had been hoping to get most of these these therapies out of the way before returning and I am so worried about the affect this will have on her. I know once resident we will be entitled to NHS and school etc, but with therapy under way here there will be a gap in services and starting out on waiting lists again and a system I've not used in a decade. 

What do we need to consider in the move back? 

If you are planning on selling the property at a later date be carefull of the Capital Gains changes for non residents which come into effect From July 2020.  Suggest you get some advice on implications of this.

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  • 1 month later...
On 02/11/2019 at 15:00, CJT said:

If you are planning on selling the property at a later date be carefull of the Capital Gains changes for non residents which come into effect From July 2020.  Suggest you get some advice on implications of this.

Thanks, not heard anything about them so something to look into. There'll come a point where we will have to sell, just hope that the market picks back up at some point. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Following on from CJT comment, the link below helps to explain the basics of the new Capital Gains Tax rules being introduced this year, which are set to apply to Australian property owners living overseas and also 'foreign nationals who buy a home in Australia to live in while working here, which they then sell after returning to their home country'

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-02/australian-expats-face-tax-slug-cgt-main-residence-exemption/11836094

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