In need of some advice
Mar 16th 2014 | 5:45 am
#196
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 203
Re: In need of some advice
englishmaple,
Excuse me butting in but I've just spent an hour reading this thread 'cos I got hooked on it!
Bravo to you for taking the plunge, even if physically you end up worse off, your mental health has already improved as we can see from your postings.
For London hotels try using booking.com - I've just looked for April 4th - 7th for example and they have rooms within your price range. Sort it by Budget , Economy etc.Left hand side of home page "additional filters". I've used them for years with no problems. you can usually cancel at no charge and except for very cheap deals you only pay on leaving.
We've booked our hotel in Hawaii next week through them and it was cheaper than booking via the hotel website.
Regarding jobs. We left UK last July to come live in the Philippines and it was very difficult in the UK for anyone over 50 to get what might be called "career" jobs. Having said that however, with your qualifications you should be lucky finding something in Social Services as there is a shortage of Social workers all over the UK. Suggest you look on County Council websites - Hampshire, Wiltshire ? etc as they often post vacancies on there. you could well get a job providing maternity cover which gets you into the system.
you will have no problem finding part time work as you suggested and UK employers like mature people - they do tend to come to work on time without the "world owes me a living" baggage!
Seems you may be OK with accommodation and presumably the council tax of 70 pounds is 50% of your prospective landlords tax? If he is currently the only person shown to be living in the property then he currently gets a 25% reduction. This seems quite cheap to me as we lived in a market town in Lincolnshire and our council tax was 140 pounds a month. I would have thought Hampshire was more expensive. Again you can check it on the local (Alton) council website. also ask him if he will provide you with a "short term Tenancy" agreement as this gives you some protection against being asked to leave at short notice.
Mind you, you could rent a 3 bed semi where we lived for that rent!
good on you girl! hope it all works out for you. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.
Excuse me butting in but I've just spent an hour reading this thread 'cos I got hooked on it!
Bravo to you for taking the plunge, even if physically you end up worse off, your mental health has already improved as we can see from your postings.
For London hotels try using booking.com - I've just looked for April 4th - 7th for example and they have rooms within your price range. Sort it by Budget , Economy etc.Left hand side of home page "additional filters". I've used them for years with no problems. you can usually cancel at no charge and except for very cheap deals you only pay on leaving.
We've booked our hotel in Hawaii next week through them and it was cheaper than booking via the hotel website.
Regarding jobs. We left UK last July to come live in the Philippines and it was very difficult in the UK for anyone over 50 to get what might be called "career" jobs. Having said that however, with your qualifications you should be lucky finding something in Social Services as there is a shortage of Social workers all over the UK. Suggest you look on County Council websites - Hampshire, Wiltshire ? etc as they often post vacancies on there. you could well get a job providing maternity cover which gets you into the system.
you will have no problem finding part time work as you suggested and UK employers like mature people - they do tend to come to work on time without the "world owes me a living" baggage!
Seems you may be OK with accommodation and presumably the council tax of 70 pounds is 50% of your prospective landlords tax? If he is currently the only person shown to be living in the property then he currently gets a 25% reduction. This seems quite cheap to me as we lived in a market town in Lincolnshire and our council tax was 140 pounds a month. I would have thought Hampshire was more expensive. Again you can check it on the local (Alton) council website. also ask him if he will provide you with a "short term Tenancy" agreement as this gives you some protection against being asked to leave at short notice.
Mind you, you could rent a 3 bed semi where we lived for that rent!
good on you girl! hope it all works out for you. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.
I am hoping I can get a social work assistant post in the UK which would get me into the social work profession at a junior level and give me a chance to learn the UK legislation. But I'm also really interested in helping people in prison/leaving prison, addictions (recovery worker) and community work with youth ... so lots of interests (and I hope lots of options).
I'm not interested in a "career" job per se - I'll be happy doing a job where I feel I'm making a difference in people's lives but I do want to earn more than minimum wage for my own future financial security with respect to my pension - if I can get somewhere between 17 - 20K I would be very very happy.
Re: the rent! Yep I hear you! It's going to be quite strange moving from a 1 bedroom Canadian apartment to a tiny bedroom in the UK at the age of 50! Just as well I don't look 50! But I do think culture and other things count for more in the long run than housing - altho' good housing is important and maybe at some point the UK government will do something about the UK housing situation ...
As for my mental health - yes, it has improved immeasurably since I decided to move back to the UK and, with the current Canadian winter we've been having in Ontario I am so so so glad that I didn't move to Alberta - it would have finished me off. If I can't get work in the UK I will look at somewhere warmer like Australia (over Yellowknife!) if I'm really stuck!
Mar 16th 2014 | 5:49 am
#197
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 203
Re: In need of some advice
BTW I've booked my hotel in London. Penn Club room was available but they lock up at 10.30pm and if I arrived later than that, I would be locked out. So have booked with another hotel as I didn't want to take a chance on being locked out if my plane was late/luggage was difficult to clear/taxi hit a hurdle driving from heathrow - but will keep the Penn Club for future reference as it looks really nice - so thanks for that Editha.
Mar 16th 2014 | 7:26 am
#198
Was in Canada, now home.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,388
From: Devon
Re: In need of some advice
BTW I've booked my hotel in London. Penn Club room was available but they lock up at 10.30pm and if I arrived later than that, I would be locked out. So have booked with another hotel as I didn't want to take a chance on being locked out if my plane was late/luggage was difficult to clear/taxi hit a hurdle driving from heathrow - but will keep the Penn Club for future reference as it looks really nice - so thanks for that Editha.
Mar 16th 2014 | 7:31 am
#199
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 203
Re: In need of some advice
My husband has used the Penn Club in the past. He is giving a paper at an academic conference in London in August, and I've been reminding him daily to book a room at the Penn if he wants to stay there. So far my prodding has had no effect, so it is good to hear they still have vacancies.
Mar 16th 2014 | 1:02 pm
#200
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,958
From: Consolacion,Cebu
Re: In need of some advice
Englishmaple,
Just a "for example'
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/workingforu...socialwork.htm
Lots of vacancies even for unqualified social work so you should be able to find something!
Can i suggest you email the county council social Services dept and ask them what jobs your current qualifications would allow you to apply for? At least this way you'll have some idea of any further qualifications needed.
Just a "for example'
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/workingforu...socialwork.htm
Lots of vacancies even for unqualified social work so you should be able to find something!
Can i suggest you email the county council social Services dept and ask them what jobs your current qualifications would allow you to apply for? At least this way you'll have some idea of any further qualifications needed.
Mar 17th 2014 | 3:45 am
#201
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 203
Re: In need of some advice
Yes that's on my to do list. I need to register with HPC as well (another thing on my to do list)!
Mar 17th 2014 | 4:31 am
#202
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 203
Re: In need of some advice
Booked the movers. Wondering whether to take out shipping insurance? It's 2% on the value of the cost of the goods - apparently some people do take out insurance and others don't.
If I do, I have to specify value for every item insured ... which is a ton of work.
Any thoughts?
If I do, I have to specify value for every item insured ... which is a ton of work.
Any thoughts?
Mar 17th 2014 | 6:04 am
#203
Was in Canada, now home.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,388
From: Devon
Re: In need of some advice
Booked the movers. Wondering whether to take out shipping insurance? It's 2% on the value of the cost of the goods - apparently some people do take out insurance and others don't.
If I do, I have to specify value for every item insured ... which is a ton of work.
Any thoughts?
If I do, I have to specify value for every item insured ... which is a ton of work.
Any thoughts?
Apr 7th 2014 | 9:24 am
#204
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 203
Re: In need of some advice
Just wanted to say a big thank you to all on BE who've helped me with their words of encouragement - 1 week to go and then I will be back! Can't wait!
I am so glad I made this decision - however it turns out, it feels like the right one (and as time has gone on, it feels more and more like the right one).
Will post an update in the return forum once I've sorted myself out.
I am so glad I made this decision - however it turns out, it feels like the right one (and as time has gone on, it feels more and more like the right one).
Will post an update in the return forum once I've sorted myself out.
Apr 7th 2014 | 9:35 am
#205
Was in Canada, now home.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,388
From: Devon
Re: In need of some advice
I hope everything goes well. Good luck.
Don't forget to post updates.
Don't forget to post updates.
Apr 7th 2014 | 9:39 am
#206
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,139
Re: In need of some advice
Safe voyage, we will be thinking of you. Please remember to post once you land, and let us know how you are getting on and if you need any help. 
Apr 19th 2014 | 7:52 am
#207
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Re: In need of some advice
I'm here! And I've just had a lovely meal with a complete stranger! I arrived at a restaurant at the same time as a man of my age did and he said do you want some company? So I said yes so long as you don't hit on me! So we had a great conversation, nice meal and we both made a new friend (emphasis on the friendship - not my type to date but nice to have conversation with). And then he insisted on paying for the meal which was incredibly kind of him before dashing off to catch a train up North to where he lives. This, my first evening in London (as I arrived late last night) - feels like a good start!
I've also put a post up in the Back Home thread but it's waiting to be moderated - so I won't post anymore here and will probably post another update on the Back Home thread at some point. But couldn't resist sharing this story!
I've also put a post up in the Back Home thread but it's waiting to be moderated - so I won't post anymore here and will probably post another update on the Back Home thread at some point. But couldn't resist sharing this story!
Apr 19th 2014 | 7:54 am
#208
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,139
Re: In need of some advice
I'm here! And I've just had a lovely meal with a complete stranger! I arrived at a restaurant at the same time as a man of my age did and he said do you want some company? So I said yes so long as you don't hit on me! So we had a great conversation, nice meal and we both made a new friend (emphasis on the friendship - not my type to date but nice to have conversation with). And then he insisted on paying for the meal which was incredibly kind of him before dashing off to catch a train up North to where he lives. This, my first evening in London (as I arrived late last night) - feels like a good start!
I've also put a post up in the Back Home thread but it's waiting to be moderated - so I won't post anymore here and will probably post another update on the Back Home thread at some point. But couldn't resist sharing this story!
I've also put a post up in the Back Home thread but it's waiting to be moderated - so I won't post anymore here and will probably post another update on the Back Home thread at some point. But couldn't resist sharing this story!
Apr 19th 2014 | 7:57 am
#209
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 203
Re: In need of some advice
But it was just so nice to have something nice happen like that - I've spent today partly feeling at home and partly feeling a lot of culture shock (which I knew would happen). But overall, I'm glad I'm here and while I expect things to see saw up and down emotionally for a while, I really think I made the right decision to come back now - regardless of what happens down the line in the future.
Apr 19th 2014 | 8:00 am
#210
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,517
Re: In need of some advice
I'm here! And I've just had a lovely meal with a complete stranger! I arrived at a restaurant at the same time as a man of my age did and he said do you want some company? So I said yes so long as you don't hit on me! So we had a great conversation, nice meal and we both made a new friend (emphasis on the friendship - not my type to date but nice to have conversation with). And then he insisted on paying for the meal which was incredibly kind of him before dashing off to catch a train up North to where he lives. This, my first evening in London (as I arrived late last night) - feels like a good start!
I've also put a post up in the Back Home thread but it's waiting to be moderated - so I won't post anymore here and will probably post another update on the Back Home thread at some point. But couldn't resist sharing this story!
I've also put a post up in the Back Home thread but it's waiting to be moderated - so I won't post anymore here and will probably post another update on the Back Home thread at some point. But couldn't resist sharing this story!
