How to move back to the UK officially?
Posted by Adorable_Seat_5648@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 53 comments
Just wondering if anyone has done with and has any advice.
I’m British, my kids are British and we currently live abroad. We are hoping to move back to England in the summer. In all likelihood, if I’m allowed to move, it will all happen pretty fast.
Who will I need to notify? I mean, I don’t need a visa or permission to come back but none of us are registered in England for doctors, schools, taxes…if anyone has any helpful thoughts/comments, that would be great!
AccountantRegular212@reddit
Use Life in the UK AI, I have used it when I just moved to UK. I tried to get my sister into school and the app explained it to me. Hope everything would be okay
clovenheart1066@reddit
From a school pov cuz thats all I know. If youre moving close to family, use their address to apply to a local school as soon as you have a date. They say you cant apply until youre in the country, but as someone who works with admissions, people bullshit all the time and nothing bad ever comes from it.
I'm guessing taxes etc would all slot into place as soon as youre working? I'm sure others can be more helpful!!
Adorable_Seat_5648@reddit (OP)
Thanks so much
i don’t suppose you know anything about differing education levels? I have 2 kids and my 4 year old hasn’t started school yet (and wouldn’t have started in the UK yet) so she is fine. However, my 5 year old (july birthday) is educated to the “local standard” which is miles behind the UK. Based on her age she would be starting year 2 (I think) but she can’t read or write at all. She would be much better suited to year one. What sort of evidence would I need to get her into year one?
EloquenceInScreaming@reddit
Because of COVID, I had to teach my kid to read and write. I enjoyed it. There's plenty of resources online you can use to get them up to speed.
clovenheart1066@reddit
You'd need to check with the school tbh. Do you have family who can tour local schools in your preferred area and scope them out?
My understanding - but obviously each county/city may be different - is that even if you delay their start they'd end up going in the correct year group for birth date. My daughter is an august baby and my mil looked into it for us, though she was ready in sept. But the system does let you over write standard settings, so can be done.
Where i work, we'd just take them in the correct age year and work with them to get to where you want them to be. We've had kids who speak no english at all attend and just try and find someone who speaks their language in the kids so we can buddy them up.
Adorable_Seat_5648@reddit (OP)
Thankfully language isn’t a problem! And yes, I will get my parents to ask at the local schools. It’s just such a different system here in Switzerland, they don’t teach anything at kindergarten other than social skills
clovenheart1066@reddit
At least they'll be able to make friends quickly!! Little ones adapt so quickly, they really are sponges. They'll be fine!
Adorable_Seat_5648@reddit (OP)
I really hope so!
Of course I’m kicking myself because she expressed such an interest in learning to read and write but I was specifically told by the teachers here not to do it so that she doesn’t get confused with the two languages
palpatineforever@reddit
I would try to get her reading at least if you can at home. year 2 she should be able to read some already. Look at some read along books you can buy learning to read type books online.
fuzzbuzz used to be great if i remember rightly. they do loads and the levels are easy to follow, not cheap though to buy online.
clovenheart1066@reddit
Excellent point, you could ask the school which phonics programme they use - then you can google and get some in advance. Theres about 3 popular ones!
alexoftheglen@reddit
A 5-year old turning 6 in July 2026 would currently be in year 1 and enter year 2 in September. A four year old who turns 5 before 31 of August 2026 would usually be in Reception, but doesn’t legally need to be in school until the start of the term after their 5th birthday.
If your younger child turns 5 after 1st September this year then they’ll start Reception in September, usually with a phased start. I think you’ll have missed the standard application timings so will need to contact the council about the process.
Actual-Sky-4272@reddit
There can be quite a scramble for school places, the better ones are often oversubscribed. The 4 year would likely have started in a Nursery class already, usually one attached to the primary school, even if only for half days. Maybe get your parents to put you in touch with someone with kids near them to ask for some pointers? Or just ring the primary school nearest your parents. I’d hope they might give you some advice even if they are unable to put your kids down to attend until you move.
Impressive-Safe-7922@reddit
English schools generally prioritise keeping children with their age group, regardless of their current academic levels. I used to work in an inner London primary school with high levels of turnover, including lots of kids who had just arrived in the country and usually didn't speak any English. They all got put in the year group equivalent to their age, including one child who arrived midway through Year 3 and didn't seem to have had any prior schooling. Schools in London and probably other big cities will be used to this and will have small groups to catch up children who are "behind" on phonics etc. It'll probably be more unusual for them to have a child who speaks English but can't yet read or write. However, I'm sure they'll adapt to her needs. Once you've found a school, try to have a meeting with staff before she starts to explain the situation, or at the very least try to arrange a meeting with the class teacher as soon as possible after she joins the school. It'll be easier for them to be told what she has or hasn't learned before than to have to piece it together from scratch themselves.
nastyleak@reddit
Sorry you’re not asking me, but I’ll give some feedback since I have experience with this. My daughtet was 5 when we moved (though later birthday) so she was slated for year 1. She could not read or write at all, because schooling does not start in my country until 5 years old. However, there were multiple other students who started at the same time in year 1 at the school who didn’t even speak English. My daughter was grouped with them (despite being an English speaker) to work on phonics, etc. it took her about a year to catch up.
I think it largely depends on where you will be living but in London at least it is very common to have overseas students joining, including many non-English speakers, so the schools are typically pretty well-equipped at getting the young people up to speed. I have heard that it is very hard to get your child into a different age group, though that is not something we really explored.
Adorable_Seat_5648@reddit (OP)
That’s good to hear. She is a bright kid and wants to learn but I think she would struggle being with the “little kids” (having a little sister herself). I will try and catch her up now but there is just no way that I will get her to the right stage. Luckily language isn’t a problem. Thank you for your response
nastyleak@reddit
I don’t recommend this approach to schools. One, unless you plan on living very close to your family, the schools you are allocated using your family’s address may not be in a suitable location. Two, people do absolutely get in trouble where I am for this type of thing.
clovenheart1066@reddit
To be fair, diff countys diff systems. Our city admissions is very chill.
fang_xianfu@reddit
You just rock up. If you have British passports, you use them to cross the border and here you are.
You register for schools and doctors the usual way people moving to an area register. Schools have a "during the year application process" you can look up. You can register very easily at a GP's surgery. You or your children may not have an NHS number if you weren't born in the UK but they sort this out for you.
Registering for taxes is the same. You may not have a national insurance number - you can check and then if you don't have one, apply online. This covers your income tax. For council tax, you register the same way anyone moving to an area registers, usually on the council website.
Getting a place to live may be difficult because they want a UK credit history and the list of places you've lived in the last few years. You may need a guarantor. You also might find that car insurance and similar things are more expensive.
If you don't have a UK driving license, you will probably have to take the test in the usual way rather than convert your existing license, but you can check this online. There is an online tool to check whether you can drive on a foreign license and what you need to do - you can usually drive on a foreign license for 12 months.
Adorable_Seat_5648@reddit (OP)
Thanks, that’s a great help!
Re national insurance numbers, I have one but I don’t think my kids have one - do you get one at birth?
Getting a place to live is no problem - i will move back in with my parents whilst we get settled.
I hadn’t thought about my driving license. I had a UK one which changed to a foreign one, it’s probably not that simple just to change it back
Actual-Sky-4272@reddit
National insurance numbers get issued when children are rising 16. Most people will have been getting child benefit for them so they will be sent to that address. You should be able child benefit so look into that?
https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance/your-national-insurance-number
https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit/eligibility
alexoftheglen@reddit
Also schools want a child benefit letter as part of their checking process (or at least my son’s state secondary did).
Asher-D@reddit
Probably depends in the school. I think my child's maybe have wanted our ATS or nit even that, can't remember if I actually had to show it or just state our address.
fang_xianfu@reddit
Your driving license is probably fine - it doesn't actually get "converted" and you should still have your entitlement to drive. If you don't have the plastic card you can just apply for another one.
Asher-D@reddit
It depends on where the foreign licence is from. Some can be converted others are only valid for a year after returning.
Fabulous_Cow_4550@reddit
If you're not a resident, the driving license is automatically no longer valid. It's easy to get it once you move back though.
Actual-Sky-4272@reddit
It’s probably pretty easy, they will have a record. Will need to show any change of name. The government websites are pretty good and you can usually find helpline numbers.
https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence
Constant-Ad9390@reddit
So helpful. God forbid that OP actually click some of the links & read the info…
Fabulous_Cow_4550@reddit
You can go to the DVLA website & follow the link to get ypur license reinstated. (Technically, it's only valid if you're a British Resident.) Very easy to do, just go the the renew license section & put in your new address.
Neat-Ostrich7135@reddit
Generally NI numbers are provided at about 16, unless someone is working before that, in which case one can be requested.
MossamAdmiral@reddit
National insurance numbers usually sent out around child’s 16th birthday. Look into child benefit if eligible as this should automatically put them on the list for one.
Ornery-Wasabi-1018@reddit
This is very much our experience. Get into the country, and just register for the things you need.
Child benifit requires a 3 month residency to qualify - and depending on the kids birth certificates might need some additional proof.
Asher-D@reddit
No one? You just move back and state that you're there to live. At least that's all I did.
SuperlativeLTD@reddit
My daughter just moved back for university. She registered with a GP no issue. She had to send off her UAE driving licence to convert to a uk one, but if you already have a uk one you can just renew it I think- you’ll be in the system.
We do a tax return every year as expats. You’ll need to take some advice about moving back in the tax year as you may have to pay tax on earnings outside the UK.
PowerApp101@reddit
The Laird...you must notify the Laird and he will grant you a field to plough.
rich2083@reddit
You just buy a plane ticket.
I lived abroad for 15 years and returned a few years ago. Once you've got accommodation, just register for local services
Happy-Mastodon-7314@reddit
I looked into tax implications recently of returning to UK from Canada. If you've significant assets, I suggest a tax specialist to help get the best arrangement. It's more complicated than I realized and there is a tax-free arrangement for returning Brits that could apply depending on the circumstances.
ulez8@reddit
We did this in 2020 after 12 years overseas, with primary aged kids.
Renting a house was easy enough. We stayed with family for a month. I know others who used a long term air b&b.
Registering with a GP was also easy. I don't think we used it in the first 3+ months so we didn't have to deal with "are you a resident?". I'm not sure if the rules have changed there.
NHS dentists are like hen's teeth, though some private ones take kids as NHS patients.
Getting the kids into a primary school (Greater London) was easy enough, they started in September with everyone else.
(2 years later we moved up north and getting the oldest into secondary school was a nightmare, we moved in July and they didn't let him enroll/start until October! But that first move for primary was ok).
miemcc@reddit
I was in the Forces, so different rules applied. Bit it was easy. Register on the Electoral Role, look at GPs and local schools and contact them. Employers should deal with HMRC. I don't know how you stand for the equivalent of a P45, but they will be helpful towards you. It's in their interests to make transitions easy.
Martinonfire@reddit
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/returning-to-the-uk
Actual-Sky-4272@reddit
Gottta love our civil servants sometimes. All in one place. 🤣
EdinDevon@reddit
A friend is from Germany. She can't stop telling us how lucky we are to have gov.uk.
miemcc@reddit
For a start it is a LOT easier to type out compared to the German equivalent sites (note plural...)
tykeoldboy@reddit
I did this about 20 years ago. I just moved back to the UK, I had a UK passport of course. I had visit several banks before I could get one to open a basic account, since I didn't have a recent credit history, RBS sorted me out. I had to rent a house but because of the lack of credit history or utility bills I had to pay 6 months up front. For everything else, like car insurance, utilities, phone provider you are treated as a new customer with no previous record. Overall the transition went smoothly
Sweet-Economics-5553@reddit
Get a certificate of good conduct from the police in the country you're currently in while you're there. They can take ages to get once you're back in the UK and Experian are like dogs with bones trying to prove you don't have a right to work in the UK. Even though you do.
Swansboy@reddit
It vary on part you want to live in. Northern Ireland is completely driffeance due to religion and way police operate in the GB part. You then have Scotland and Wales the devolved part. Edcation system is driffeance.
Wales and Scotland both have holistic approach to education. England has old style of working but trust usually run state schools now called academy. But England still has grammar schools, free schools which i belive is the religion type, Cornwall is currently part of England but your kid will probably lean Cornish and English there.
You need to apply to school you want your kids to go to primary and secondary. Not sure how it works in other parts of Uk.
In Wales tho im going to use Swansea as example
1st choice usually English medium for secondary schools there's 12 English secondary schools but you closer two in east side if you live in Birchgrove in Swansea then your 1st Birchgrove, your 2nd probably a welsh medium secondary school Ysgol Gyfun Gymreag Bryn Tawe and 3rd School likely another English medium which would probably be Morriston comprehensive school or cefn hencoed community school.
In primary schools in Swansea there's 10 welsh medium school four of which are feeder school to Bryn tawe then other 4 are for West side of Swansea for YGG Gwyr then school is split between Gwyr and Bryn tawe.
Rest are English medium primary schools there's 60 something of those. You have a Special school current across three sites in Clase, Penlan and Daffty where kids go to that school for exta support. If they need it otherwise they only need some possible STF unit but its called ALN for short these days. STF is old world for it.
You probably get a place quicker going to private house wether you buy it or rent it.
You can register as temporary patience at a GP practice. If you decide to stay there then just tell GP Surgery that. Dentist for yourself you probably need to go private in England and Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Wales you don't have a dentist then you be on Dental portal you and you're kids. They send you to one that has availability.
If you're coming from USA you probably have kids need catching up on things. Coming from Western Europe they won't have much to catch on. Come from Finland they probably be bored because they be ahead of it. Classes are usually by age. Even with private schools which Swansea essential has all though private school. Since old primary private school shut. Other private one that was secondary only now does primary school private. So its called All Though School if it has both regardless if it's private or state school.
Most Swansea schools aren't all though schools yet tho. Its likely the future tho. Scottish and Welsh devolution election are in May this year depending on which party wins essentially things for schools could change. In case you came from Japan living there. School lunches primary level are school dinners you don't pay for. Unless you want to make them a packed lunch.
DoNotLickTheSteak@reddit
I'm British, lived out of the UK for 10 years and then moved back so yeah I have done it.
More information is needed to advise you because who you need to notify depends on what your plan is?
What do you mean if you are allowed to move?
Adorable_Seat_5648@reddit (OP)
I grew up in the UK and moved to Switzerland 7 years ago. I have two small children who have dual nationality. I’m trying to divorce my husband. I need permission from the courts to return to the UK. Right now, it looks like we will get a court date for the family proceedings sometime between May and July. I have a small lull in the family proceedings and the criminal proceedings right now so thought I should try and make a plan for if I am given permission to return to the UK.
My plan is to move back in with my parents short term whilst I get the kids settled in school and find a job.
yourefunny@reddit
I moved back mid pandemic but my son was only 4 months old.
Hardest thing was finding somewhere to rent. We had no family to use as a base. Landlords are pretty dubious about you being abroad and not meeting the estate agent etc. We had to give 6 months upfront. Having a dog didn't help.
I would say, schools are a big issue. I would start looking now.
Are you moving back to a familiar place? Do you have friends or family you can live with for a bit? Or can they help with looking at rentals? Schools? Info from them about best schools.
Docs and taxes are easy.
UK license will still be here. Just apply for a change of address and a new one will turn up... as long as you know your info.
BigJDizzleMaNizzles@reddit
It's the same as if you were just moving home in the UK. Just contact your local council, tell them where you live and they'll send you a council tax bill, you then can register for doctors and schools etc.
The fact that you're moving from abroad doesn't really matter seeing as you're British and just coming home.
furiouslycolorless@reddit
I’m absolutely not the best person to answer this question, but I moved here before Brexit from the EU, so I have been through the process myself.
Where I assume your question is coming from, is that in to a lot of countries you need to actively register with your council or area. The confusing thing is that none of that exists here. You don’t register at your address with the council. You don’t have to register as a citizen.
Income tax here is either paid automatically through your employer or otherwise you have to do a self assessment for each tax year.
Once you live somewhere, reach out to the local council and make sure that you pay your council tax. This doesn’t count as a registration per se, but it does provide you with a proof of address which helps you complete some of the other steps further down the line.
A lot of things are done through “proof of address”, which is typically a utility bill, or a council tax bill.
Once you have a utility bill or a council tax bill you can also use these to change your address on your bank account, or in the case of some banks it’s needed to even open a bank account. You also use your proof of address to register with your gp usually.
Since you’re planning to move with children who will presumably need a school, the application process for that varies somewhat per age group, per individual school and per council, so a reasonable order of things would be: choose where you want to live > research schools and application process > sort out housing + proof of address.
Also as a returning Brit you’ll have to check some tax things. Similar to most countries, there are some rules where depending on the amount of time you’ve lived abroad, they may retroactively apply some income tax rules over your income (this is to avoid high income tax avoidance through short term emigration). Might not be an issue but worth checking.
When I first moved here, I made sure to find an accountant who was originally from my home country, that way I was able to have all the bits that I was confused about explained to me. I wonder if you could find an accountant for your first self assessment who has experienced in both the country where you currently live as well as the UK.
AuroraDF@reddit
Register for council tax (online). Then they'll know where you are. And apply for Schools ASAP (also online). Go to the local authority website for your area.
If you get a job with a salary, they'll sort out your tax and national insurance. If you have your own business, you'll need to register online with HMRC for self assessment.
Open bank accounts if you don't have them. If you have money, they'll sort out the tax you pay on interest. I haven't done this one in a while so I don't know how it works but I think taking at least 2 kinds of ID and 2 proof of address into a branch will get you started.
Register with a local GP surgery and a dentist by walking in and filling in a form.
nastyleak@reddit
Not a Brit, but I live in the UK as an immigrant. Your experience will probably be similar minus all the visa stuff.
When I arrived, I researched and rang up a few local GPs to see who was taking new patients.
Contact the local council about schools. Where I am, you contact the schools directly to look for space, but that’s not the case everywhere, so go to the council first. However, you will likely want to find out which school’s have availability before moving, especially since you have multiple children and finding spaces for them in the same school can be challenging.
Council tax I think was automatic when I signed my lease? Income tax I just filed when necessary.
Most other things you kind of just deal with as they come up in my experience.
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