I have lived in France for nearly thirty years. But it no longer suits me. Two years ago my wife died, my current property no longer meets the requirements of an eighty four year old. My family in the UK want me to return and live with them.
I am looking for recommendations for up to date sources of advice on the procedures to be followed. All information gratefully received.
Thanks
Gus Morris
Dear Gus, I think a look at @JohnBoy and his thread would be a good start.
This also in links links to pages about transferring pets, cars, tax, health etc.
And you might also be entitled to UK benefits like age allowance
Glad to hear you have someone to go back to.
Similar situation. Itâs a massive upheaval not just dealing with the french admin side of things - but a huge emotionally difficult time as well. All that âstuffâ accumulated over your years in france - I look at the 2 sheds, and the garage - and just want to cry - feel overwhelmed by it all.
The UK side you will find easier - thatâs not the real problem. The UK gov- tax and pensions stuff web-site has handy check-list for returning Brits. So too, does Age Concern - various surprising aspects covered on their website. Swapping french driving licence for UK one is easy; getting hearing test done, and eye-sight test done is easy.
But good luck - you will manage it - somehow - just take it a day at a time, and be prepared for the emotional side of âclearing outâ.
Also be grateful you will have your family around to support you when you return to UK - that will be extremely helpful for you - and a lovely welcome back to the UK.
Good luck with it all, and best wishes.
Hi There Gus
My husband and I lived in France for 10 years but when he passed I made the same decision. Which I do not regret at all. The only draw back for me was selling properties in France whilst Brexit happened and Covid. I decided to let the sale continue but I moved back to England and thatâs when the lock down started. This was a draw back because even though I wasnât isolated anymore I had to wait for my house to be sold. It was a long road 3 years in total before I bought my present home.
The other dynamics of probate selling properties getting a decent French solicitor was quite an undertaking. All mostly via the internet. I had to find a Notary Public for an official seal.
Sorting out being a UK resident again all took time but you get there bit by bit. I am in the best place very close to my children and small grandchildren who give you the joy you need after loosing a very precious husband.
Iâd just keep in mind that if you are still officially resident in France on 1st January of any year then so far as French admin is concerned it seems to work that you might count as resident for the whole year. So if itâs important to be, thatâs good. But if itâs important not to be, then youâd nèed to make sure you took any relevant official steps at the right time.
Also very glad that you have family to go back to, the legacy of children and grandchildren is a blessing.
We are in the process of returning after 20 years in France. We have got rid of a lot of stuff and I have almost finished the HMRC TOR 1 form inventory of our household contents that will go back with us. I used ChatGPT to create lists of what needed to be done on either side of the channel and found it very helpful. The key is to be very precise about the questions you ask.
Oh Emily, your asking Chat GPT s very interesting. Can you remember how you phrased your questions?
I started with what do I need to do to leave France to return permanently to live in the UK.
What do I need to do when I arrive, to establish residence in the UK as a UK national. I then needed to add âas an S1 holderâ to clarify my right to immediate medical care. It also gave me a list of GP practices accepting patients, in our destination.
Then I asked it to find 2 bedroom flats at x price, with disabled access. It made a list with links to the flats and asked if I wanted it to book viewings.
Then simple things - how do I exchange my driving licence and how do I apply for a bus pass in Kent and it gave me the process and contact details.
I now have a folder of simple, clear lists. I think it will help when we move and have lots to do at once.
Excellent! Thank you. I really think this is what makes AI so useful.
When it is correct 
I would verify everything.
Hence the need for precision in the questions asked.
Once a programmer, always a programmer. Good luck 
I almost said GIGO! (Husband a Systems Architect, me Inspector of ICT in schools.)
Somewhere in some unnamed financial institution there could still be an assembler interest calculation routine that a debutant programmer couldnât get exactly right, so he added a penny after each calculation. After fifty years I sometimes wonder how much that might have added up to
Not Machine code or Reverse Polish Notation?
How are you getting on Gus? My husband has had the all clear from the hospital, so this week we are having a virtual survey from a UK based removal company and a virtual viewing of a flat our daughter has found for us. Once we have an address in England I can send off the TOR 1 form to HMRC for approval and the fix a date for moving.
We had a virtual viewing for removal firm here, which we thought would be phone so OH was waiting with phone, but they wanted to use a whatsapp video call so 45 seconds of scrabbling to get connected.
I have been sent the Virtual Move app and a password!