UK visit for the first time in 7 years - what to do?

[simon43]

I only visit the UK for funerals, and unfortunately I have to urgently visit the home country for that reason.

I have all but cut my ties with Blighty, (no residence in my name etc), but some family still live there.

Can I use my trip to .. er .. kill many birds with one stone, such as renewing my UK medical card. Whether or not I'm entitled to free health care is a different argument, but I haven't used/seen my NHS card since I was 10 years old. (I will probably visit the local hospital for a check-up on my lung illness, and to ensure that my name is entered into their records).

What other 'useful' administrative tasks could I undertake that cannot be executed from Thailand?

I'd like to open a basic bank account, but that seems to require proof of UK address. Any solutions to that problem?

Any items/foodstuffs that I should bring back to Thailand?

Your sensible(!) suggestions are appreciated

Simon

[Somtamnication]

I went back in 2008 with a fantastic job offer, circa October 2008. You know what happened then. I went back after having never lived there.

It was a shock to me. A Pakistani lady at the job centre (where you have to interview for the NI number) told me that I was not entitled to one. I told her off, spoke to the manager and all was approved after a few weeks.

Then after a visit to a doctor, showed my passport and was issued the NHS number.

You are in for a shock. From my first visit back in 98 for family issues, then 2000 and 2003, going back in

2008 was a shocker for me. I came back after 6 months, of which 3 months was homelessness (credit crunch killed the job prospects as well as ageism).

Bring back some murray mints, some allsorts and a huge jar of marmite.

The rest, the somalis and iraqis can keep!!! It ain't my country anymore nor is it what my grandparents lived in.

[BookMan]

The rest, the somalis and iraqis can keep!!! It ain't my country anymore nor is it what my grandparents lived in.

I wonder is this is similar to what ex pat Thai's say when they return to Thailand?

[CharlieH]

You wont get anywhere unless you are registered with a GP, for which you need ID and a utility bill for your address.

ER etc will only give you "Emergency" help, the first question you will get is "who's your GP" ?

If you havnt been back for awhile, you are in for a shock, I go every year and still get shocked at the rapid changes but mostly by the damn cost of anything !

£108 for a bus ticket !

2 sandwiches and 2 bottles of water £10

Fish & chips £6.50

1 Bottle of water 500ml £1.20 ( 45 baht for 12 bottles in Thailand)

Edited January 9, 2014 by CharlieH

[simon43]

£108 for a bus !!

Sounds cheap to me - I'd imagine they were more than £100k !!

I'm still registered with my local surgery - I just never had an NHS medical card

Mmmm...Marmite!

Edited January 9, 2014 by simon43

[CharlieH]

£108 for a bus !!

Sounds cheap to me - I'd imagine they were more than £100k !!

I'm still registered with my local surgery - I just never had an NHS medical card.

Are you sure ? Because they update annually and anyone who doesnt reply or hasnt visited the surgery in the previous 12 months is removed from the register now.

[jonesthebaker]

£108 for a bus !!

Sounds cheap to me - I'd imagine they were more than £100k !!

I'm still registered with my local surgery - I just never had an NHS medical card.

Are you sure ? Because they update annually and anyone who doesnt reply or hasnt visited the surgery in the previous 12 months is removed from the register now.

i went back to the uk after 6 years (last year) and simply made an appointment with my doctor. he said 'havent seen you for a long time'. i said 'i havent been sick' and that was that. dont de-register then it wont be necessary to re-register.

not sure what you mean about the medical card.

and as for water being £1.20 for a 500mil bottle. maybe in a garage or expensive corner shop - but cetainly not in supermarkets. 12 liters for £2 is not unusual.

as for foodstuff to bring back. what a strange question to ask someone else - very odd. try thinking what you would like and what you miss that you cant get. thinking for yourself is so much easier - well it should be!

Edited January 9, 2014 by jonesthebaker

[simon43]

as for foodstuff to bring back. what a strange question to ask someone else - very odd

Hardly odd - I'm looking for inspiration There may be some item that I won't remember to buy unless someone else suggests it to remind me of that item.

[jonesthebaker]

as for foodstuff to bring back. what a strange question to ask someone else - very odd

Hardly odd - I'm looking for inspiration There may be some item that I won't remember to buy unless someone else suggests it to remind me of that item.

ok, i get you. hmmmm, how about some cadburys creme eggs and some kettle descaler. yep that's it - can't get both those items here and you never know when you may need to descale your kettle.

[HardenedSoul]

The rest, the somalis and iraqis can keep!!! It ain't my country anymore nor is it what my grandparents lived in.

Great Scott, it only took one post for someone to dredge up the immigration chestnut !!

I'm curious; was it the country your grandparents lived in when you left?

Was it all cobblestoned streets, chimney sweeps and young lads with pudding-bowl haircuts delivering Hovis on rickety old bikes?

Would you still say "it ain't my country anymore" if your self-insurance fund or medical insurance - if, unlike many of us Brits, you actually have insurance - couldn't cover the cost of a triple bypass or a hip replacement and you had to present yourself at the nearest NHS Trust to Heathrow??

Wouldn't it be nice if more Brits here showed a little more bloody gratitude for the advantages that being born and raised in Great Britain automatically gave them - the free, high quality education (university too, back in the day), the NHS and the rule of law - rather than continually bitching about some immigrants who still only represent a small percentage of the nation's population?

[baboon]

Saw my GP after an 8 year absence and am currently receiving cancer treatment, no questions asked.

What should you bring back? Chicken Bovril and lots of it.

Enjoy your trip. The UK has it's problems sure, but is nowhere near as bad as some make it...

[smokie36]

Twiglets Simon!

[Ulysses G.]

"what to do?"

Shop for clothes and eat real fish and chips.

[sustento]

You wont get anywhere unless you are registered with a GP, for which you need ID and a utility bill for your address.

ER etc will only give you "Emergency" help, the first question you will get is "who's your GP" ?

If you havnt been back for awhile, you are in for a shock, I go every year and still get shocked at the rapid changes but mostly by the dam_n cost of anything !

£108 for a bus ticket !

Lands End to John O'Groats?

[wolf5370]

£108 for a bus !!

Sounds cheap to me - I'd imagine they were more than £100k !!

I'm still registered with my local surgery - I just never had an NHS medical card

Mmmm...Marmite!

If are still registered with the surgery (i.e. you didn't tell them you had moved away) then you will still be on their list (even if they have you not assigned to a doctor). If you go to a hospital, they will get your NHS number from the surgery - no need to get a card. Think you can get a replacement anyway by changing your address and filling in a form online (use family address).

Buses in London are cheaper now as they have fixed fees throughout - found this out (pain with the Oyster card thingie though as mist buses don't take money so you need an oyster card or buy a ticket before you get on).

My kids always want me to bring back Cheesy Whatsits and I bring back cheese too (although much easier to get here now at Macros). Real chocolate too - not that candy rubbish they do here.

[wolf5370]

"what to do?"

Shop for clothes and eat real fish and chips.

and a decent Rubby (Indian Curry)

[simon43]

Yes Twiglets!! Just what I hadn't thought of

Simon

[jonesthebaker]

Yes Twiglets!! Just what I hadn't thought of

Simon

and a new anorak

[FiftyTwo]

as for foodstuff to bring back. what a strange question to ask someone else - very odd

Hardly odd - I'm looking for inspiration There may be some item that I won't remember to buy unless someone else suggests it to remind me of that item.

Marmite is about it.

[Somtamnication]

The rest, the somalis and iraqis can keep!!! It ain't my country anymore nor is it what my grandparents lived in.

Great Scott, it only took one post for someone to dredge up the immigration chestnut !!

I'm curious; was it the country your grandparents lived in when you left?

Was it all cobblestoned streets, chimney sweeps and young lads with pudding-bowl haircuts delivering Hovis on rickety old bikes?

Would you still say "it ain't my country anymore" if your self-insurance fund or medical insurance - if, unlike many of us Brits, you actually have insurance - couldn't cover the cost of a triple bypass or a hip replacement and you had to present yourself at the nearest NHS Trust to Heathrow??

Wouldn't it be nice if more Brits here showed a little more bloody gratitude for the advantages that being born and raised in Great Britain automatically gave them - the free, high quality education (university too, back in the day), the NHS and the rule of law - rather than continually bitching about some immigrants who still only represent a small percentage of the nation's population?

Ah, a Labour apologist. Go back mate!!!

[Somtamnication]

The rest, the somalis and iraqis can keep!!! It ain't my country anymore nor is it what my grandparents lived in.

I wonder is this is similar to what ex pat Thai's say when they return to Thailand?

Yes, us expats are freeloading off the Thai benefits system. LOL! Apples and oranges!!

[jackr]

Can't you remember your NI number? I find stuff like that impossible to forget. Have a look at this page here for getting it mailed to a UK address; people forget it all the time. Btw, there are certain bank accounts that can be opened as a foreign national, like HSBC's 'Passport' or summat... might be worth looking into.

Gotta go back just now, but been a year longer than you Simon. Passport, driving license (still got the old pink paper) etc will get renewed.

With the incessant price rises here, I can't believe it'll be horrendously different there, esp' for stuff like wines, breads and cheeses. Proper Guinness in a real pub ain't much more than that Malay crap they serve in dives here and the supermarkets just have so much choice... Tesco being an entirely different animal as you know. Looking forward to it, but not getting too comfy.

Bring back some pork scratchings, Walker's cheese & onion crisps, Jaffa Cakes, jammy dodgers and a kilo slab of Cadbury's Chocolate.

Yes, we all like to knock it, but at the end of the day if sh1t happens, there are not many countries in the world I would like to have to fall back on. For one, your passport gets you everywhere. Be proud to be British no matter how crud you think it is.

[rgs2001uk]

@jackr ^^^^

my mrs loved those everything a pound shops.

Bottles of HP sauce, including BBQ HP, chocolate, tins of shaving gel a quid, not the 5 quid they are here, packets of razor blades (Gillette) etc etc.

Mrs has already got this years trip planned and where she will go to get what she wants, including factory seconds shops, already got about a dozen orders for Cath Kitson bags (LOL yes I know).

Dont forget the cheese.

[baboon]

Yes Twiglets!! Just what I hadn't thought of

Simon

Twiglets? Nah, Salt & Vinegar Discos...

[i claudius]

The rest, the somalis and iraqis can keep!!! It ain't my country anymore nor is it what my grandparents lived in.

Great Scott, it only took one post for someone to dredge up the immigration chestnut !!

I'm curious; was it the country your grandparents lived in when you left?

Was it all cobblestoned streets, chimney sweeps and young lads with pudding-bowl haircuts delivering Hovis on rickety old bikes?

Would you still say "it ain't my country anymore" if your self-insurance fund or medical insurance - if, unlike many of us Brits, you actually have insurance - couldn't cover the cost of a triple bypass or a hip replacement and you had to present yourself at the nearest NHS Trust to Heathrow??

Wouldn't it be nice if more Brits here showed a little more bloody gratitude for the advantages that being born and raised in Great Britain automatically gave them - the free, high quality education (university too, back in the day), the NHS and the rule of law - rather than continually bitching about some immigrants who still only represent a small percentage of the nation's population?

Tony Blair your hero is he? Britain has changed out of all recognition,in the last 20 years ,My old home town used to have a large Bangladeshi population ,now its like the united nationes ,beggars everywhere selling the big issue ,most of the crime commited by immegrants ,and its certainly NOT an immegration chesnut ,its ruined the country ,i have no problem with immegration in small doses ,but its a tidal wave now in the UK

[Neeranam]

Once I went back and used the dentist for free.

Jelly babies.

[HardenedSoul]

Ah, a Labour apologist. Go back mate!!!

Labour apologist? Nope.

I just find it particularly odious that people like you who've suckled at the teat of the privilege Britain provided should now have the gall to turn around and suggest the milk was sour all along.

Consecutive governments - Labour and Tory - have both botched the immigration issue in the UK but I didn't hear much bitching when everyone's bellies were full before the financial crisis. Now the cupboard's a little more bare, all the planks who didn't cover their own <deleted>, borrowed way too much or didn't put enough by are looking for an easy target to blame and, as always, the immigrants are the first in line.

Pathetic

Tony Blair your hero is he? Britain has changed out of all recognition,in the last 20 years ,My old home town used to have a large Bangladeshi population ,now its like the united nationes ,beggars everywhere selling the big issue ,most of the crime commited by immegrants ,and its certainly NOT an immegration chesnut ,its ruined the country ,i have no problem with immegration in small doses ,but its a tidal wave now in the UK

Of course Britain has changed; the whole freakin' world has changed. It ain't all to my tastes either but it'll be a cold day in hell when I sit here and regurgitate the UKIP populist bullshit that blames immigration for the country's ills. but I'l tell you what; the OP asked for suggestions on what he could bring back from Blighty.

Here's one, Simon43.

Do us a favour, mate and pick up a few forms from the Victoria passport office so these despicable ingrates can officially renounce their British citizenship and surrender their passports.

Cheers

Edited January 9, 2014 by HardenedSoul

[Aussieroaming]

as for foodstuff to bring back. what a strange question to ask someone else - very odd

Hardly odd - I'm looking for inspiration There may be some item that I won't remember to buy unless someone else suggests it to remind me of that item.

Vegemite...just find a good Aussie shop

[gkp]

You wont get anywhere unless you are registered with a GP, for which you need ID and a utility bill for your address.

ER etc will only give you "Emergency" help, the first question you will get is "who's your GP" ?

If you havnt been back for awhile, you are in for a shock, I go every year and still get shocked at the rapid changes but mostly by the dam_n cost of anything !

£108 for a bus ticket !

2 sandwiches and 2 bottles of water £10

Fish & chips £6.50

1 Bottle of water 500ml £1.20 ( 45 baht for 12 bottles in Thailand)

Drink the tap water its free !!

[Mossfinn]

most of the crime commited by immegrants ,

Just gotta find a linky thingy to that one.......................