Dave Maggie Siddall

We left the uk in 2005 for what we thought was retirement in paradise. since then our income has dropped by 30% (frozen pensions& exchange rate) so we have had to bite the bullet and are planning to return to Europe, probably SW france. We spent many a happy day there when the kids were young and feel we will be able to settle. Holidays were 15-20 years ago mind you. Any advise?

Ka Ora!

Welcome to the Forum, Let me be the first to warn you that life is no picnic here either. In 8 years Fuel prices here have doubled pretty much as well as a weekly shop costing a lot more than it used to, And prices just climb at steady rate.

Dave Maggie Siddall

As it as in Oz of course. thanks for the welcome. We don't do picnics we do bbq's.

dennerlymum

I am afraid that costs will surprise you; with exchange rates our income has dropped by around 30% and sadly France is no longer a cheap place to live unless you live right out in the wilds of nowhere. Generally I find most things cheaper in the uk.


HOWEVER I love living here and wouldn't move back to the uk even if someone paid me to do so!

Happy hunting for your new life!

EmilyA

Not sure being the middle of nowhere helps, with fuel prices the way they are! We find costs average out to roughly the same as the UK, though food has got more expensive. Property is cheaper, of course, but you need to buy carefully to minimise fuel bills etc. I guess you would get your state pension increases restored here; I am looking forward to being able to buy an extra bottle of wine a week from April.

cyrian

Some good news for all UK pensioners living in Europe.
The Govt are proposing increasing the State Pension for a single person from £97 per week to £140 per week to include previously means-tested benefits.
This means that those previously not qualifying for means-tested benefits (i.e. ex-pats in Europe) will gain.
They say the off-set is in the reduction of admin in setting up the benefits.
Details may be in the budget on Wednesday

EmilyA

Are you sure that will apply to existing pensioners? I thought I had read that it would be for future pensioners, but I may be wrong.

cyrian

To quote a BBC article "Details are still sketchy, but the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has indicated that the change is likely to apply to future pensioners.

Those already receiving (or eligible to receive) their state pension prior to the start of the new arrangements will not be included."
They don't actually know - we will have to wait for the details.
More information may appear in the Budget on Wednesday.

dennerlymum

I am not sure there is an of course for all of France ; here in Toulouse for example property is certainly equivalent to any big city apart from London in price; so pricey that most French and increasingly English buyers are having to live further and further out from the city to find affordable housing.

Dave Maggie Siddall

oh heck, that doesn't look good. by the sound of it we will be no better off.
Although we are not city people and are impressed by what we have seen in our price bracket on french properties .com. and getting our pensions un frozen will be a big help. Here in Oz we can't afford to be ill. its costs us $5000 a year for health insurance and that doesn't cover it, we still have to pay the gap. $60 for a Dr appointment for a blood test $140 and $300 for an anaesthetist.

Dave Maggie Siddall

does anyone know how property tax is levied. Is it on the value of the property or the number of rooms or what?

EmilyA

The calculation of property taxes is complex; I have never been able to work it out, it also varies a lot depending on where you are. If you are over 60 and your income is below the threshold for paying tax here, then you are exempt from one of the property taxes (taxe d'habitation) and you don't pay for a TV licence. You still pay the taxe fonciere though. As you are getting a UK state pension you should get 70% of medical bills paid via an S1 form from the UK, but you will have to pay a complementary health insurance. For two people in our early sixties this costs us about 130€ a month.

cyrian

Property tax is complicated.
It depends on the habitable area plus any outbuildings, garages etc plus the area of land - all calculated at different rates € per metre.
The rate charged depends on 1) the region 2) the commune.
As EmilyA said, it is complicated.
A friend of mine with a large house in a large park and 2 habitable outbuildings and 2 large storage buildings and a swimming pool pays over € 7000.

Dave Maggie Siddall

thank you both for that.

clothmama

We have done A LOT of research into this in coming to our decision to return to France (we were there 10 years on and off and back in Australia for 3 now). I dont' think those living in Europe / UK can even begin to imagine how much things are here in Oz - everything bar perhaps petrol (which is only about 20 euro cents / litre less now) is significantly more expensive than in France / UK from food to books, clothes, white goods etc.

The worst example I have come across:
1 leek (yes 1 leek not 1kg / leeks just 1) - between $3 - $5 (EUR 2.30 - 3.80 or similar)

I looked up French supermarket brochures on the net last week and I honestly literally cried at how cheap things were. Australia is not utopia (although is still my loved homeland) adn I can't face living here knowing that we are being ripped off as a nation left right and centre - sooooo frustrating . I know France has it issues but there are so many wonderful things about it too that for me the cost of things was just another on the side that tipped the balance for us to return at the end of the year (of course other major reasons like family / lifestyle / friends as well - we are not basing our decisions on purely financial reasons!)