USAGypsies

Nearly right USA.

lobby lou

Can i ask those of you who are going back with not much money and no house ....how will you live ???,surely you wont qualifie for a council house ,benefits ,etc ???? so how will you manage ?????this tought would worrie me sense less xxxxxx

Sue1

Hi, yes it does worry me but we hope to get a job before we return if not get one asap my husband is good at doing most things so even if he odd jobs for awhile we should be ok just fingers crossed and everything else

USAGypsies

I love your attitude. You will be fine with an attitude like that. I've come to the conclusion and try to remind myself everytime a new problem arises that things always work out in the end... and that stressing over every little thing is not helpful as it can badly affect your health and without your health, you're stuffed. I'm an over-planner, my house is full of lists, andI've worried myself sick but the truth is, you can only control and plan things up to a point. Good luck with your return

DDL

We'll be staying with either DH's mum (lovely large house along the Thames) or his son (3-bedroom flat above the pub he manages in Kew) until we find a) jobs and b) accomodation. When the time is right, we'll start our job hunting over here. I am a very experienced Legal Secretary and worked as such for a Solicitor when we were living in London; DH is an IT programmer/website developer/trainer. We honestly don't think either of us will have a problem finding work.

I will turn 55 years old in late 2009 and DH has said something about sheltered housing but there are only a few councils left (according to him) who are still doing that.

We're not worried - we're looking at it as an adventure, and why not? Life is not a dress rehearsal.

lobby lou

I applaud your attitudes.........xxx.....I just wondered as outsiders can come to uk and automatically get benefits ,etc and i wondered if ex uk residents would qualify as well ?//or if you would be penalized xxI truly wish you all every success in the world xxxxx

Fleaflyfloflum

If you are a UK citizen, you ARE entitled to help. I know this because it happened to me wheni went back earlier this year to start a new job and contracted pnuemonia one day after starting!!
You have to fill out a habitual residency form to state you are intending to settle there and thats basically it.


We will be lucky when we go back as we have several options of family members wanting to help us out with accomodation until OH starts work.

backagen

If I go back this year it will be with about AU$100k, most of which I would keep in an Australian high interest account until the exchange rate improves or until I have no other choice than to transfer the money over!

Baby75

very little but ild rather be broke and happy than broke here and miserable

we will be staying with my mam and hopefully get a rental and job thats the only thing im worried about work with the recession it wont be easy I think but dont care Ill have my family around me again

lobby lou

u r all very lucky having people to help.......as i know there are huge waits for council houses in some areas .....xxxx

TruBrit

when and where abouts are you moving back to in the UK?

TruBrit

i've not read all this thread http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...54&postcount=1 but i'm sure the OP >whereamifrom would be glad to know of the help you say is avail to returning UK citizens.

afaik, no help is avail to the returning UK citizen (without kids) as i think the UK government take the view that that person chose to leave the UK in the first place.

lobby lou

I am not returning to uk any time soon ....but if i was we have a house in wiltshire....were my son /dil/grandson live at the moment....as he has a good job , but cannot afford a mortgage at the moment and they have hit walls re a council house ....my dil was told she would get one quicker if she went as a single mum....as thay get priority and it seemd the asylum seekers .........why is uk going to the dogs!!!!!!!

Fleaflyfloflum

He does not qualify because as he stated in his post, he has never lived in UK or paid any taxes.

I did not think i would be entitled myself, but I think it was Sue the admin on here who posted way back when i was very sick over there and worried about my dwindling funds, that there was some court case which changed the rulings there about returning expats being eligible to funds.
Turned out to be correct. Providing i filled out the habitual residency form asking if i intended to be settling back there, why i came back there and what were my ties to the UK, if i answered correctly i was entitled.
I ended up getting the basic income support allowance as i was not entitled to incapacity benefit.

chance to be

Hi
Came back about 2 yrs ago with 2 kids, one dog, no home and £200. Now we have a joint income of around £70k, and a large mortage (negative equity) Didnt ship all the furniture back from Oz so slept on the floor for about 6weeks etc etc etc..... but it shows you it can be done, if you are desperate enough at the time to force yourself to take a gamble.
I must say, though that all of this would have been impossible were in not for the tremendous support of family/friends rallying round.
Good luck