Carrieh

Having lived in Australia for nearly 20 years - my family are making the difficult decision to move back to UK or not. Timing is right with children's ages and also house prices in Australia if we sell, and the desire to be near close friends and family is strong.

Keen to hear from people who have made the big decision move back to the UK - specifically from Australia and their thoughts on how they have settled in - and pros and cons of moving - we have two children that will be in secondary school and also keen to move to the UK.

Thanks

Pulaski

Why are your children keen to move to the UK? Typically teenagers and pre-teens value their friends and would not willingly give up those relationships at what is, emotionally a turbulent time for them.

HKG3

A number of points -

1) Get Australian citizenship before returning to the UK if you not already done so.

2) If you don't have an up-to-date British passport, apply for one using the link below -

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

3) Also get your kids their British passports ready if they are British Citizens, using the link above.

4) You can open an UK bank account in Australia - HSBC offers this service.

https://www.hsbc.com.au/1/2/personal...tional/move-os

Carrieh

They are really well adjusted and make friends easily so they don't see that as an issue - they are also very sporty - we have checked out that there would be plenty of clubs in their chosen sports to join. They also know people who already live where we would be moving too. The big thing for them is to be closer to family - grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Carrieh

Thanks we already have dual passports for all of us and a bank account still over there - so we have options for the future.

verystormy

We moved back last year from WA.

We have settled very well and no regrets. We didn't move back to our home town - Leicester and instead are in Scotland which was unexpected but great. One of the great things about the UK is its smaller size. I am currently away with work in Telford which was a 4 hour drive. Another couple would get me to the south coast

brits1

Hi we moved with late teens and a 20 year old after 14 years in Aus, we have settled in some ways Australia seems a dream now. We did not return to the same area but within a nice drive to family, if your children are friendly then they will not have a problem making friends as we are a friendly bunch (in my view) here in the UK, our two are really sporty and joined lots of clubs within the area and made friends also that way. Both have completed degrees with our youngest now doing his PGCE after taking a year off from Uni. We are such an easy flight from the Med which has been one of our boys favourite things (seeing and experiencing different cultures) If you all feel ready then I would say go for it while you all can. Good luck