You only need 30yrs to qualify for the full UK pension .....

https://www.gov.uk/calculate-state-pension

Darn it. I only have 23

I almost spat my tea out at this point. Why would you not want to bring the kids up in Milford? Versus the UK?

I was brought up in Milford and I turned out ok!

There is no chance on this earth I would ever return. Watching four episodes of Question Time on Friday back to back convinced me of that!

Right on... I can't understand why you would pick the UK over NZ for raising kids?!?

"back" is a point in time that has gone and moved on and will never come round again....."return" to the UK......I think not!

Maybe one day......

We knew nothing of Christchurch before we turned up and we attempted to get our lives together.

We knew nothing of Wanganui before we relocated here from Christchurch and seem to have our lives up and running more-or-less.

Where in Britain would we go should we return ? The Balti Triangle ? The home counties ? The sarf east ? Hereford and/or Worcestershire ? Anglia ?

Eanie, meanie, miney, mo...........

We would go where the work would be. That's what got us to Wanganui after all.

We've only been here 8 months or so, but we love it. Sure, there are problems. Water, the sheer lunacy and stupidity of the government (Mighty River, etc), some of the driving really is worse than the UK, some of the prices are frankly ludicrous (have you tried buying antihistamines?)...

But on balance it's been a good move. We still have stuff to sort, including pensions, and we do have other problems, but we'll get over them.

Besides, having spent 4 years fighting NZIS so we could get residency, we ain't giving up easily!

Those who are talking of going back - have they really seen all NZ has to offer?

I do appreciate that families and friends back home are in themselves reason enough for many to return.

Yes - I never thought I'd ever say that myself. But I have....

I'll try and explain.. I really think Auckland is an overpriced and overpopulated rathole (to live long term). I do not want to be a parent that has the pressure of having to pay $4000 a month for the next 30 years to provide a home over their heads. I get stressed enough now and thats without kids (or a mortgage)!

Sure, there's the beaches and the scenery, but in truth I can have that and so much more where I am from in the UK and probably a better quality of education. At the same time let me stress, I'd NEVER want my kids to grow up in the South East of the UK as it has the same issues I describe.

I don't want my kids turning into your average half-brained kiwi and no I don't want them turning into a horrible chav or welfare claimer back at home!. I want them to be aware of the wider world and I think that's easier in the UK as its part of the culture too. Given the choice I'd hope my kids could grow up somewhere in rural England, Scotland or Wales .... or somewhere truly magnificent in the South Island here.

With regards to Milford, that too is becoming an overpopulated and overly expensive rathole (except for the great beach of course). As discussed in another post, there is this desire for greed and level of pretentiousness that is growing in central Auckland and the N. Shore and I don't think its healthy.

I can truly say yes we have been here 6 years spent nearly 4 years in ChCh and 2 here in Akl.

So I can say for us we have seen what NZ is about and we love it but we want to return to the UK as we have always known deep down here wasn't forever!

I suspect big cities everywhere have many unpleasant things in common. There are areas of Auckland that are very pleasant, but having several years worth of bankers bonuses to hand would probably help when moving there.

Having lived here for a while we are finding the south island an attractive proposition, although ChCh is still out, apparently. I really should have done something other than IT...

IPad warning, this is chite as a result...

Ok, well, it does clearly depend on where you live. Orewa, which is not strictly Auckland, does not bear much of a relation to what you describe. in fact, I have had no experience of what you describe. Sorry mate. all I can say is the kids are in a vastly superior school to what we could afford in the uk, and they live next to the beach which they would not in the uk given where I would have to work. they love that bit! Yes housing is expensive but then we used to spend a small fortune going on hols when in the uk. We don't have to do that here. The kids are happy to walk across the street. all in all we are currently just about the same financially but the kids love the lifestyle. That could all change of course with the economy... with regard to pretention, i just have memories of the yummy mummys down at our local park in Bristol. Nuff said...

Cheers, sorry my mistake. Started work at 16 left at 45, 1 year travelling. I am 2 years short AND alas did a fair few self employed years where I only paid the minimum stamp. Got a letter a while back asking for 1200 pounds odd to make up the 'missing bits'. At the time a return to the Uk was unthinkable, just shows you eh how things change in your mind. All rather academic anyway as I doubt it will ever happen but this info may help others eh?

You the same as me. Still at 28, I hope I am able to change that sooner than later. IT looks good initially until you realise you are trapped to cities and the larger costs that come. Its hard breaking that mould, but I think leaving Auckland and moving somewhere cheaper will help with that - especially as my partner is a nurse and I could retrain into something else.

Thanks - I actually agree with most of what you say. Sorry if I have the ability to come across quite negatively at times, its more down to frustration. Being from the far end of Cornwall, Auckland feels incredibly busy in comparison. But the beaches here in Auckland are almost as good as there so it feels like home sometimes . Orewa is a beautiful place. If I could get a job on the Shore - I'd consider moving up the road! However saying this.. we did visit the display homes on the new estate they are building around the estuary. The 3-bed homes were starting at around $780,000 at the time, which again to me is an astonishing amount of money.

I think there are great places in Gloucestershire and Somerset to have and bring up kids - Bristol probably isn't one of them! Typically most of this seems to boil down to your line of work and where you have to be to do that.

Keep enjoying the good life.