Originally Posted by bubbles08

well i can only tell you about my own experience,we were in OZ for seven years ,i was always homesick,left a great social life with family and friends and although we met some lovely people ,never got over being so far away from the UK.
i came back very two years and the feeling never went away ,alot of people said you will go back to the UK and be glad to go back to OZ that was not true for me.
We lived in Joondalup outside of Perth ,and although a lovely place, we found it too quiet, not the right place for me PERSONALLY,I felt like it had no soul
yes coming back was very daunting ,as we have risked it all and opened up a business ,but after the first few months ,which have been frantic as we have bought a house and set up a business and started our lives up again, we are starting to feel like we are living a life and seeing the UK through different eyes.
The parts i did not like are still here !! but the parts i do like outweigh them!.
Nothing in life is handed to you on a plate,you have to really work hard at it .
We really tried in OZ to make it work,but we were there for seven years and yet on Chrismas Day we really did not know what to do with ourselves,although we love being together as a family ,but we love socialising and now its great .
We have so many fiends that have welcomed us back and we are always busy .People do move on ,and you move on from them ,but good friends will always be there ,and that is what we have found,we are so happy being back .We still have our stresses, like anywhere but i wish i could have gone back a few months ago and met myself and told myself everything was going to be alright .!!!!!!!
I was having heart palpitations ,the last few weeks , felt quite ill with it,but then we were having alot of abuse from people telling us we were mad to go back .If only i could meet them now ............

Originally Posted by Patzy

Me too. I am new here, but have been reading everyone's experiences. Myself and my daughter moved to the US in '05 (I moved with work). Since then my daughter has moved back to the UK to go to university, I married a US citizen in 2007 and we are moving back to the UK no later than June of next year. We both just came back from the UK after visiting family and I really didn't want to to come back here. Still don't know where we will be moving to, but it will be the south east, family are there and daughter is at Brighton Uni. When I first came to the US I never imagined just how much I would come to miss the UK, but it has happened. It is great to read everybody's comments and invaluable information when you are embarking on the long drawnout process of getting the dog ready to go as well as the OH lol, so thankyou to everyone.

Originally Posted by The_English_Bride

.....So, how did you handle getting your dog ready to move? I have two cats, so that's another concern I have about moving back to the UK. One of the cats get's upset traveling in a car, so i worry about putting her on a plane.

Originally Posted by The_English_Bride

Sounds like we have been here around the same amount of time! I was telling my parents and my husband the other day that when I came out here in 2005, I wasn't expecting to meet and marry a USC and stay here. The prospect of spending a couple of years abroad while working on a degree seemed like fun, and I was open to all possibilities, but I assumed I would return after my degree. I came out here with one suitcase and left everything else at home. I still consider England to be home, but i've also come to see the US as a second home and I do think I would miss it, but probably not as much as I miss my family right now.

So, how did you handle getting your dog ready to move? I have two cats, so that's another concern I have about moving back to the UK. One of the cats get's upset traveling in a car, so i worry about putting her on a plane.

Originally Posted by CUDDLES365

I really need some help myself, Ive been living abroad for 15 years. Im planning on coming back home, but what I keep hearing is very unsettling. It like we're not welcomed back into our country of birth, whats going on. In my case, I have not much family back home, my mom passed in Miami, so only elderly family members and a few friends left there. I will be able to stay at a friend for say a month, but I have been told that I have to take a HRT test. Habitual Residence Test, when i read what it was for, I knew things were'nt the same back home. But Im determined to come home, no matter what.

If theres anyone out there that could help me with research as in Links to informative sites, regarding benefits, housing, etc. Dont worry Im not a sponger I do plan on getting a job but in the meantime could do with a little help. Plus I have saved up enough for a first month, plus deposit for a flat within my LHA range (1 bedroom flat self contained).

Thanks, and its so sad how we're not treated or should i say welcomed back into our own country, really sad.

I eagerly await your responses.........

Originally Posted by The_English_Bride

If it's just you coming back alone and you are a UKC then I don't think you have to worry. My understanding is that you can just go home. If you have a non-UKC spouse then you have a little more to consider, I think.

Originally Posted by CUDDLES365

No its just me, i have no kids, but I was told that I have to apply for Jobseekers benefit but they will ask me to take the HRT, then if I pass I will get benefits, it not I will be screwed or appeal. I dont know whats going on. Like I said I have enough money for a first month and deposit. I am told that if I get accepted for HB, that they will pay my rent after a few weeks. Im confused, is there anyone that was away for 15 years, a UK Citizen by birth, who applied for benefits until they got on their feet.. If there is please tell me what experience you had returning and what you did, PLEASE IM RUNNING OUT OF TIME...........lol

Originally Posted by The_English_Bride

It looks like you may not be eligible for all benefits immediately upon returning, but within a period of time (how long is not clear from what I've read) you should be eligible again. One place I read 1-3 months, but it's on a case by case basis. I bet there's plenty of info on this forum if you do a search, and maybe someone reading this will know more because they have already returned home. I'll let you know if I find out anything more!

Originally Posted by Bevm

Cuddles, I think as a UK citizen you'd agree that it wouldn't be right for any UK citizen to turn up, live on benefits for a few weeks, perhaps get some pricey medical care and then return home. The HRT is to prevent that. They simply want proof you're planning to stay. Have severed all links to previous residence etc.

None of this applies if you don't want benefits. We're returning soon, and we'll simple walk in. We'll get basic health care immediately. If you turn up in urgent medical need of something that hasn't just occurred, they want the HRT again.

That's as I understand it, and it makes sense to me.

Bev

Originally Posted by CUDDLES365

BEVM I totally understand what youre saying, I guess its a good way of prevent us UK citizens that come back for the benefits and run away again, but it is hard on us they genuinely want to come home to stay. Guess thats how the cookie crumbles.....are you returning as well, are you staying indefinately and if you are, what preparations have you made, not being nosey just need so info, thanks

Originally Posted by CUDDLES365

BEVM ...are you returning as well, are you staying indefinately and if you are, what preparations have you made, not being nosey just need so info, thanks

Originally Posted by dunroving

I get homesick for the States on a regular basis.

Originally Posted by bubbles08

well i can only tell you about my own experience,we were in OZ for seven years ,i was always homesick,left a great social life with family and friends and although we met some lovely people ,never got over being so far away from the UK.
i came back very two years and the feeling never went away ,alot of people said you will go back to the UK and be glad to go back to OZ that was not true for me.
We lived in Joondalup outside of Perth ,and although a lovely place, we found it too quiet, not the right place for me PERSONALLY,I felt like it had no soul
yes coming back was very daunting ,as we have risked it all and opened up a business ,but after the first few months ,which have been frantic as we have bought a house and set up a business and started our lives up again, we are starting to feel like we are living a life and seeing the UK through different eyes.
The parts i did not like are still here !! but the parts i do like outweigh them!.
Nothing in life is handed to you on a plate,you have to really work hard at it .
We really tried in OZ to make it work,but we were there for seven years and yet on Chrismas Day we really did not know what to do with ourselves,although we love being together as a family ,but we love socialising and now its great .
We have so many fiends that have welcomed us back and we are always busy .People do move on ,and you move on from them ,but good friends will always be there ,and that is what we have found,we are so happy being back .We still have our stresses, like anywhere but i wish i could have gone back a few months ago and met myself and told myself everything was going to be alright .!!!!!!!
I was having heart palpitations ,the last few weeks , felt quite ill with it,but then we were having alot of abuse from people telling us we were mad to go back .If only i could meet them now ............