Moving back to the UK
 

Hello everyone.. I am looking for any advice tips or pitfalls, my wife and I are considering moving back to the UK next year, she wishes to be near her family especially her mother in her final years. We have lived in Canada for 28 years and are now both Canadian citizens.We are thinking of the North West Fylde coast so she is close to her family. We are both in our early 50s so we will still have to work.Although we wont be destitute we will not have a fortune. Can anyone foresee any major problems?

Any help would be appreciated.

Good luck and thank you all.

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

Up there I think you'll be just fine, (if you mean in Scotland) otherwise I have no idea where the (NW) Fylde coast is but I think you may be more Canadian than you realise. Friends of mine just went back to Kent after nearly 30 years this last June. They are so unhappy - and they had a fair bit of money. I think the country has changed so much in last 15 years, the UK we remember is just not there anymore. The further North you go though, based on my trip back home in 2000, things are much the same. I can totally understand why your wife wants to go back and for those reasons alone I am sure it will be a successful move. Job wise, unfortunately, you may be looking at part time, but I guess it depends on what your field is. There are limited but specific skill shortages in the UK (teachers in Math etc, nurses, doctors etc) which may offer opportunties for you if you have what they need. I would maintain property here in Canada though for a few years...just in case!

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

Many Thanks Dingbat for your input..the Fylde Coast is basicly the North West Of England from Liverpool all the way up to the lake district... we were thinking Lancaster or Morecambe St Helens even Blackpool Areas..My wife is in the Social Welfare Management field for Disabled people ,at the moment she is Supervisor/manager of Apt Living for the physically disabled...so I think she would not have too much difficulty finding work. I however probably will have more difficulty..I am in the Engineering domain... I have skills in many fields but at the moment I am a CNC Machinist.
I am considering youe advice about maintaing a property here in Canada. Thanks Again.........


:) :)

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

Spindleman

My folks moved to Morecambe about 7 years ago from Yorkshire and are roughly the same age as you and your wife, they love it.

Not sure how long it's been since you visited the area so apologies if you already know what I'm about to say. The Morecambe area has changed so much in the last few years and I have to say for the better. Rather than being a Blackpool wannabe it's finally taken on it's own identity. It has cleaned itself up - dramatically, the seafront has been redeveloped and is now an area of preservation and "frontierland" - Morecambe's poorer sister of Blackpool pleasurebeach - has now gone. There's still alot to do but the local council and the citizens of Morecambe are behind it so it's getting off to a good start.

There are loads of new properties in and around the Morecambe/Lancaster area and also the Lake District/Manchester/Liverpool/Leeds etc are all easily accessible. If virgin trains run on time there are direct routes to Birmingham and London which take 2 and 3 hours respectively - but that's a major IF.

As for moving back from Canada permanently, as Dingbat says you may not find the England you left. Is this a good or a bad thing? Who knows, from the comments on a lot of these forums there are plenty of us who can't wait to move away but there are also those who can't wait to move back.

Work wise I know by the castle in Lancaster there is a social services disability office where your wife may be able to find work. As for engineering I'm afraid I don't know - but if you're willing to commute it shouldn't be too much of a problem. That said, I'm not too au fait with the market demands for engineers in the UK at present!

If finances allow, I would also recommend maintaining a property in Canada. Not to be crude, but if everything goes belly up at least you can return to a safe haven!

HTHs
Mrs Washy

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

There is a shortage of people working within the disability sector at the moment and the government is about to invest a lot of money into care of the elderly at home.

Most of what our company sells is to this sector so I know a bit about it. Occupational therapists in particualr are in short supply.

Therapy Weekly may be a good starting point for looking for work. Also Countrywide Medical are a recruitment agency based in the south who may be able to help depending on your wifes particular skills. Good luck

COUNTRYWIDE MEDICAL SELECTION (Winchester) -
+44 1962 867000
www.countrywidemedical.co.uk

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

curiously enough I am in the fylde coast at the moment in a nice Suburb of Blackpool.
It's an ice place to live, lowest crime rates in the country, cloase to the beach and sea and a short drive from the lake district for a national park and Manchester for a big city.
Blackpool has a large hospital where my mum works and a few smaller ones and private ones so not sure what the job oppertunities might be there, also there is a big one in Preston, recently upgraded to a City which isnt a long commute.

Drew

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

Do I ever feel like a prize plonker not knowing (after 32 years in the Uk) where the Fylde coast was! Geography was never my strong point....

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

Many Thank you's to all for the information

Wizzard what are the property prices like in Blackpool?

Don't feel too bad Dingbat about your geography..I only found out by looking at the map LOL...

Thank you Marky B for the link

Also thanks to Washy......

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

Blackpool actually has a pretty good selection of property prices, the south and central areas are very cheap and a bit run down then as you move to the north shore they become more reasonable then as you get to the suburban areas they get more expensive.
The fylde coast it's self has loads of little villages and things tahth have really good places to live as well and none to far to commute to the main areas of work.
so in the south and central part you can pick up houses for like £30K then as you move into the more reasonable north shore areas they are probaly closer to 60K then around herein the quiter suburb parts anything from 80-90K upwards. More money to live in the outlying villages but all in all not an expensive place compared to the insiance prices down south.

Drew

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

This probably doesn't need to be said, but think very carefully before you go back. Britain is a very different country from the one you left. The cost of living is high, and many things will not be to your liking, I fear.

If this is a once and for all move back then you will have some major adjusting to do if you are going to settle happily. It sounds to me like your wife is wanting to be near her mother, which is not unreasonable, but you may find yourself making major sacrifices and it wouldn't surprise me if you wanted to return to Canada later. If so, keep your Canadian property and investments if you can afford to, and don't cut all your Canadian ties.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

I really don't have any advice for you, but I do know where the Flyde Coast is. I was born and raised in the Blaclpool area. I am now married to an American and am currently living in Phoenix, Arizona. I think that you may find moving back to the U.K. harder that you imagine, although I long to do so more often that I should! My family frequently visit us here and are constantly commenting on the ease of living, which I have to agree with. I think it would be harder living there the older you are (weather, convienience etc.) Whatever you end up doing or wherever you end up moving, I hope that you and your family will be very happy back home. :-)

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

Hello.

I was telling my Niece and Sister who live in Liverpool your situation. she said and I quote " he must be mad this whole area is bad" they were just in Blackpool, and got mugged in daylight.

Think hard and long, all the Best to you.

There is a comany close to be called c.n.c mfg have heard of it ?????

Re: Moving back to the UK
 

I need to go to bed!!!!!!

the company is c.n.c machine shop. In Enderby B.c

Thank you Jeannie for your Kind thoughts I think we might consider
more into Cumbria around the lake district perhaps,I would think a little less crime in that area,any thoughts on this anyone?
PS I dont know the West coast of Canada,I am in Ontario about
3,000 miles away LOL..

Thanks again

Just a thought,
There are "moves afoot" subject to government approval, to turn Blackpool into the Las Vegas of England.
No disrespect to Blackpool (sorry Patrick) but I cannot see this working, however even if it succeeds on a smallish scale, now is a good time to buy property there.
After all, who would have thought when Donald Trump "took over" Atlantic City it would be the success it is today.
Also, who would have predicted 10 years ago that the Indian nations would have found loop holes in their reservation laws that have allowed them to open casinos in states where gambling is illegal.
So I suppose there is hope for Blackpool yet, although I'm not convinced with "that" beach.