Cijay

Every time I think I've got a thread that can give me information, it ends in an almighty poo-slinging and "Oh yeah? What about..." and no answers are given, just a lot of snark. Reminds me of Jerry Springer or a reality show.

I moved here as a baby (so, yes, someone DID make me move to Canada), grew up and worked here and would like to go back to my home in Scotland for the rest of my life. I have dual citizenship and YES I have been back to Scotland many times, sometimes for months so I DO know what winters and summers are like there. What I no longer have there is family. Nor do I have any in Canada so I want to just go there forever.

I am 55yrs old, I don't expect to "sponge" off of the people there who have worked hard for their benefits, I have money/real estate here I plan on selling. I have worked steadily in Canada for about 40 years and will have pensions and insurance from here. The reason I'm leaving Canada is too deep for me to get into.

Is there ANYONE who has done this (returned after 50+ years) and can guide me to the first steps?

Please don't answer this if you're just going to snark and insult. It's not productive and there are plenty of other threads where that is going full blast, please join one of those.

Ta

spouse of scouse

Hi and welcome to BE. If you have any site related problems or want to complain about a post, please contact one of the moderators - their names are in the lower right hand corner of each index page.

After reading your post a few times, your question seems to be that you'd like some information on what steps to take to move back to the UK, after an absence of some years? The below links to similar questions and responses may assist to start with, please do ask further questions if you need to know something specific that is not mentioned in the links.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/movin...-years-905443/
http://britishexpats.com/forum/movin...-alone-906943/
http://britishexpats.com/forum/movin...s-away-906775/

Caroline in Arizona

Cijay - welcome - I believe you have already taken the first step - you have decided that you are going to return to Scotland forever. Me too!! The links that spouse of spouse has provided in the previous post are a great start and will provide you with a list of things to be thinking of. Best wishes.

Floridablues

Welcome Cijay, well worded because i'm also considering a return to the UK after selling up and moving to Florida nearly 20 years ago. Interested to read the response and advice you'll get to your post, good luck!

verystormy

IT can be as quick and simple as you want it to be.

We were not away as long as you, but I don't think that makes much difference - everything thing we had was in Australia. We owned our home in Australia, all our possessions and had nothing in the UK and while we do have family in the UK they couldn't really help. We made the decision on the Tuesday evening to move and I flew on the Saturday, my wife and dog had to stay till the following Friday while we waited for the dogs jabs to take affect. By the time I flew, we had sold everything except a few boxes of personal items and arranged the shipping of them, house on the market and arranged two weeks of temp accommodation via Airbnb. Within two weeks of being back, we had a long term rental, had registered with a GP, dentist, on the electoral role and were pretty much settled - though didn't own anything and that took time, but we got there.

So, in essence, if you want to do it, you basically get your passport up to date and buy a plane ticket.

robin1234

There is a tendency to the negative from some posters. (They are a minority, especially in this "moving back" area!!) You just have to tune those posts out, after all only YOU know that their grouchy, demeaning assumptions don't apply to you.

Anyway, the important part is that you've got your lifetime income and ability to rent or buy a home in hand. This makes everything else doable. If it was me, I'd take one or more long trips to Scotland and settle on a town or region you want to make your home. Then get a rented home there, move in, and consider yourself relocated to the UK. I know it sounds facile, but essentially it really is that simple. There's plenty of bureaucracy to deal with after that, but as a British citizen with a residential address in Britain, you'll be in a position to deal with it...

Novocastrian

I agree with all of this. As a UKC there's nothing especially tricky in moving here. We were abroad for 38 years (26 of them in Canada). On our return, we were able to stay with a relative for the first 2 weeks before renting a flat and then after a few months buying one. In the absence of relatives we would have prearranged a furnished holiday cottage for a few weeks instead.

In addition to the GP registration and electoral role you'll need a NINO and an NHS card since, unlike us, you left as a baby.

It's all easily doable. Good luck with your move.

scot47

I came back to Scotland in 2010 at the age of 63. I spent most of my adult life working "furth of Scotland". I never expected to come back but the Fates conspired to make it happen. It is not so difficult especially if you have savings and an income.

i did not come back to the area where I grew up or to where I was a student but to an island off the West Coast.. Life is okay.

Cijay

Thank you EVERYONE for your genuinely nice replies!! I think this is going to be easier than I worried about - though it won't be for a year or so.

I'm from the Vale of Leven, mum and dad's ash are on yon bonnie banks and hoping to move back to that area.

Floridablues

I'm seriously considering a move back to the UK after nearly 20 years in Florida. Now in my 60s and own my home here which really hasn't increased much in value after the property crash around 06/7. Where as the home i sold in the UK has almost doubled and i am certain i wouldn't buy another home. I have major concerns that my 'nest egg' funds would soon dry up with renting..a worry!
Also starting to de-clutter items as a 'just in case' and finding that hard.

Cijay

I'm actually fortunate in that way. My parents have only been gone 5 yrs and for some reason - though she died suddenly, mam went through this 'manic' spell of de-cluttering. She got rid of so much stuff, I think she was looking forward to talking Dad into downsizing but didn't have the time to do so. Dad's been gone 3yrs now so my brother and I sold their home. All I have is what's mine and even *I* de-cluttered in '08 when I moved overseas for a few years. Everything I own fits in a 2bdrm flat and most of that won't be coming with me.

Cijay

I've priced out real-estate and I'll be okay, just willing to downsize from a 2bdrm 2 bath to a 1bdrm 1bath. (All I need unless I have company) but for the first couple of months will be a furnished rental somewhere.

What I will need to know about closer to the day is things like property taxes etc but that's a long way off yet.

Novocastrian

Property tax in the UK is called Council Tax. It varies within Bands based (in England) on the value of the property in 1991. It'd likely a bit different in Wales and in Scotland.

A small flat costs about £1200 a year.

robin1234

Consider two bedrooms though. Remember rooms tend to be quite small in British flats. You can use the 2nd bedroom as a study, or extra storage.

Cijay

You guys are amazing!!! Thank you all so much. Taxes are pretty comparable to here then.