Tying Up Loose Ends Before You Emigrate

With everything all happening at once during the emigration stage you’re likely to find that there are many loose ends that need to be sorted out before you move. The best thing you can do in this situation is try to make lists of things that you need to sort out. Grouping them into categories can be one of the easiest ways of doing this.

Sorting out Financial Situations Before Leaving

Before you move you will need to decide what you’re doing with your bank accounts. Many people choose to leave their UK bank accounts open for a certain period of time. It means that you’ll always be known in the UK by financial institutions and also you’ll retain your credit limit easier. If you have payments to be made in there or from there, it’s certainly worth while keeping your accounts open. If you’re worried about your statements being sent to your old address, this is the perfect opportunity to switch to online statements. This will mean you’re registered for online banking and you can safely control your money and keep an eye on your account from the other side of the world. Other important financial bodies to sort out at this stage are your credit cards and any unpaid debts. If you’re cancelling your credit cards, ensure you receive a full closing statement. If you’re keeping them open, let them know of your new address. Make sure you pay off any outstanding debts as regardless of where you may be in the world, they can find you. It’s better to leave with a clear conscience and peace of mind.

Official Organisations and Emigration

One of the most important areas to fully organise when emigrating centres on official organisations. You must let official bodies know that you’re moving. Some of the most crucial are the tax office, your pension company, the DVLA and the National Insurance Contributions Service. Many people simply decide to up and leave without telling anyone that they have emigrated. They often believe that by doing this they can avoid tax payments, however in many cases they may be missing out on a sizeable tax rebate. If you want to know whether your pension is payable abroad and whether your National Insurance contributions should continue, you will have to inform the correct authorities of your impending move. In most cases, this is very easy and normally only requires a phone call or filling in a few forms. Letting the DVLA know that you’re moving abroad will also mean you can return your tax disc if you’ve sold your car. You’ll get the remaining amount back and their records will be up to date with your position. You should also let your doctor and dentist know as not only can they then free those spaces for other people, but they can prepare hand over files for you to take with you.

Direct Debits and Standing Orders

If you have any direct debits on your account, it is better to cancel them around 6 weeks or more before you leave. They will normally let you specify a date that you wish your service to be cancelled. By arranging these things early on, you will avoid paying for them after you’ve moved. Often they’ll carry over into the next month so get in there early. The main accounts people have to cancel are; telephone, satellite television, internet connection, electricity, gas, contact lens subscription and anything else. If you have standing orders set up then you should also ensure that they’re cancelled and don’t continue coming out of your account after you leave. For most people, the smaller accounts such as magazine subscriptions, newspaper delivery and milk delivery are all cancelled closer to the time of moving.

Forwarding Addresses and Keeping in Touch

Remember when you’re doing the rounds of farewell parties to also obtain contact information for all those people close to you. There will be times when you can’t put your finger on your one address book or find their details in the numerous pieces of paper you’ve scribbled on. Put all the information on your computer or in a file with the rest of your important paperwork. If you want to be really organised, you should buy birthday cards for the next three months because when you move, even the smallest thing can be a drama. If you’re already prepared, you can’t lose touch with anyone or upset them when you forget their birthday.

There are many other areas of moving that you need to prepare for, but these give you a rough idea of the loose ends that you’ll need to organise before heading off to your new life abroad.