Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

IMO some of the basics are around the same value as they were in the 80's...many are much more expensive...Per Uno etc. As for quality...I think it's about the same.

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

So is there a clothing store/department store that is generally considered the store for those on a tighter budget? I could always buy them here and then post them overseas, but I'd rather just buy them once I arrive in the UK.

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

In the UK, if you are looking for cheap clothing, you can try Primark -

https://www.primark.com/en/homepage

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

Cheers! Buying clothes in the UK will save me on shipping and baggage costs.

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

If you are returning to the UK at the end of November, you may want to wait until the Christmas sales to shop for cloths from M&S.

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

Already mentioned are Primark and TKMaxx. There are also plenty of small budget clothing shops that are part of a chain of stores...Peacocks, New Look. Most of the large supermarkets sell affordable clothing.

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

As mentioned by Jerseygirl, try a large supermarket; 'Sainsburys' has their 'Tu' range and Tesco has their 'F&F' range and both inexpensive. Take a look at their websites.

Also try 'Matalan' - Http://www.matalan.co.uk

Also every city, town and suburb in the UK has a charity shop....some streets have half a dozen of them! The charities get a big discount on business rates and with the exception of the manager, are staffed by volunteers. They are hugely popular (I know in Oz they are called 'Op shops' but don't know if there is anything similar in NZ?). There is no shame in making purchases from a charity shop....TBH some have really nice items, usually in middle-class parts of towns and suburbs and other charity shops are grotty. However, you can pick up some basic things for next to nothing.

By the way, I used to live in Singapore (and miss it) and you won't go wrong on Singapore Airlines! Changi airport is wonderful, especially Terminal 3. How long is your layover in Singapore? If more than 4 hours you can get a free tour of the city (they will ensure you won't miss your connecting flight). OTOH there is a transit hotel in one of the terminals so you can put your head down and get a few hours sleep and a shower...or you could choose to have a swim.

We had a wonderful holiday in NZ many years ago, touring in a camper van and took it on the ferry from Wellington to Picton. However, we found that even the fish & chip shops seemed to close by 7pm and even in Christchurch the shops were closing fairly early on Saturdays. It's a beautiful country, but doesn't offer much excitement for young people and is sadly just too remote to take a cheap flight to see another country.

Best wishes for your 'homecoming'! It will be buzzing during December, but you might find it depressing in January and early February due to dreary weather and short hours of daylight....but it gets better, honest!

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

Thanks! Those chains (primark etc) sound like what I'm going for, cheap clothes that will last until I can get better stuff. I'm limited to 1 23kg check in luggage unless I want to add another bag for $200 dollars.

I'm only in Singapore for 2 1/2 hours, so no time for any excitement really!
NZ is a great country, good people and lovely scenery. But it just isn't home. I know things will be tough back home but I'm ready for the challenge!

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

Hello
I'm new to this site. Just reading through people's opinions is very informative. I to came to NZL 36 years ago. I on the other hand have been back to UK but never back to the place I was born, until last year. I was very aprehensive about seeing it again but when I arrived all my worries disappeared. Old friends and family rallied around.
So now I'm thinking of packing up and making the final last move back home. I've done lots of research regarding
Habitual residents test
Housing rentals
Already have HSBC account
Already have IN number
So now trying to find information on future pension.
Wrote to UK pension office
Their reply was;

The United Kingdom (UK) has a social security agreement with New Zealand.
The following information may help you understand how your UK State Pension may be affected while you live in New Zealand or if you now live in the UK and previously lived in New Zealand.

You may have previously lived in New Zealand, but now live in the UK. Any time you (or your spouse or civil partner if you are relying on their UK National Insurance (NI) contributions) lived in New Zealand before reaching your UK State Pension age can be treated as a period for which UK NI contributions were paid. This can include:

* up to 13 weeks for the journey between the UK and New Zealand; and
* periods of absence from New Zealand, provided that during the period of absence you were:
* employed and liable to pay New Zealand Income Tax on earnings arising from that employment; and
* not living in the UK.

If you are thinking about paying voluntary UK NI contributions for any non-qualifying years in your UK NI contribution record, it will be important for you to work out how many extra qualifying years your time in New Zealand may give you.

You should note that evidence of the time you lived in New Zealand might be required to help you qualify under the provisions of the agreement.
The time you lived in New Zealand could be confirmed by:
* tax certificates, employers' references, wage slips, travel documents, etc; or
* letters from two people, who can be friends or relatives.

Evidence of the time you lived in New Zealand should be kept until a claim for UK State Pension or UK benefits is made in the UK.

If the UK residence provisions do not allow you to get a full rate of UK State Pension, you may be entitled to get the full rate provided:
* you were getting New Zealand Superannuation when you were last living in New Zealand;
* it was awarded solely under the New Zealand scheme; and
* you are over your UK State Pension age.

If you move to live outside the UK, any UK State Pension awarded under the provisions of the agreement will no longer be payable. Your UK State Pension will be reduced to the amount payable when based solely on your UK NI contribution record.

Effect of the agreement on entitlement to New Zealand Superannuation

If you live in New Zealand, the agreement may help you to qualify for New Zealand Superannuation when you have reached pension age in New Zealand by allowing you to treat the time you lived in the UK as time in New Zealand
So I'm hoping I get a pension in later years. Has anyone gone through this and can clarify.
Thanks

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

M&S are still definitely good value - nowhere in the US comes close for their value in socks and underwear.

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

A NINO is ordinarily issued at 15 years and 9 months, shortly before you legally become required to pay NI contributions at 16. old.sparkles, you may be thinking of a Child Reference Number or Child Benefit Number, which is allocated to a child when their parent is in receipt of child benefit for that child. AFAIK this is the same format as a NINO and therefore becomes their NINO when they come of age.

In short, it might be worth for the OP to check whether he already has a NINO if his parents were claiming child benefit for him before they left for New Zealand.

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

So, in a sense, we were both right. Thanks for the clarification BiP.

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

Maybe - young spark received DLA when he was younger for a variety of reasons, and the reference for this was listed as his NI number, and indeed is the same as was issued on his NI card when he reached 16 (or there abouts). In all dealings I was always asked for his NI number.

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

It is important to know that NINO. Increasingly, Govt agencies use it as a unique identifier. In my neck of the woods you need one to apply for housing from the Housing Association !

Re: Settling back in the UK after spending most of your life abroad
 

That will ease the transition to becoming the 51st state. :nod: