More advice needed re UK live aboard possibilities

[Robin]

You can use Part 1 as a British citizen but need a UK agent such as a solicitor. Potentially expensive if the boat is not already registered as it needs a tonnage survey. SSR is for residents irrespective of nationality. Definition of resident is on the MCA website. Normally a permanent address in UK or evidence that you meet the requirement is needed. Of course registration only required if you intend going abroad with the boat.

I'm assuming what we buy will be part 1 registered already, so my concern is about being able to transfer registration to me as our residential address will be on board the boat. Thinking now is about cruising hither and thither mostly on the hook, but wintering in a marina somewhere for the worst of the weather, maybe even on the French side, but close enough to get to the UK for routine medics if needed, other than immediate emergencies of course..

 

[Tranona]

Few boats are Part 1, but no difficulty in registering in your name, but easier if you nominate somebody like your solicitor as your agent if you don't have a permanent address in UK. However if you intend spending more than 180 days in UK you will be deemed resident for both tax and SSR purposes.

 

[Robin]

Currently we pay taxes in the USA so would have to get that changed back again to the UK or risk paying twice. WHEN I said Part 1 is that not the 'full registry' or am I getting confused, I have never had an SSR reg.d boat. Our Mercan boats were USA documented not the simpler State Reg we could have chosen, but they were that in previous owner hands, we just did a transfer of ownership.

 

[Tranona]

Yes, Part 1 is what you call full registration and is a register of title as well as evidence that it is a British ship. Not very common now with yachts as for most the SSR at £25 for 5 years gives confirmation that it is a British ship and totally accepted by other states. Since this cheap simple system came in 20+ years ago Part 1 has fallen out of favour, although of course there are many older boats that would have been on the register - but may don't bother to renew now as it has to be done every 5 years like the SSR.

So, what you do about registration will depend on the boat and your circumstances at the time you buy it.

 

[Robin]

Well that sort of stuffs us, since we cannot make the 180 days plus residency requirement with nowhere to live and the boat is intended to be that place. As I understood things a non resident cannot register for SSR, even if a British Citizen. On that basis we can only buy and stay put on it for months not nip over the Channel for a cheaper winter even in Cherbourg, Buqqer. We may then have to look for a golden oldie that has been kept up and renewed on part1, probably more likely to find one of those rarities for sale outside of the UK? :ambivalence:

 

[SteveSarabande]

Not easy being a nomad in England

 

[Robin]

Not easy being a nomad in England

Especially if not actually wanting to be one! I just want to be there, just not to live in a dirt based home again.

 

[lindsay]

If your potential medical issues are routine, therefore plannable, check ups, its worth looking closely at Spain or Mediterranean France with a "base", permanent of rolling, within striking distance of an Easyjet served airport. As a Med based wrinkly liveaboard a decade older than you are I rarely pay more than 100 gbp for a return ticket by booking up to 8 weeks in advance. This makes my visits to family in London take little more than half a day......and you have solved the climate problem.

It also pays to research in nauseating detail the ins and outs of the NHS system, including guidance for clinics and gp's and UK taxes (new uk statutory tax residence regulations)

The internet provides all you need to know. Its tedious to find out but not difficult. Just trawl these subjects. When you think yourself an expert then is the time consult a real one who will tell you if your thinking is correct.

Good hunting!

 

[SteveSarabande]

You will have problems with nhs as well. I have my permanent address with family 60 miles from where I live on my boat. The local doctors can't register me without a utility bill, or driving licence with my marina address.

If you are planning on anchoring all summer you won't have any address and access to regular nhs care will be difficult. If you live in Spain you won't get nhs access as you will be non resident

 

[lindsay]

One of half a dozen possible solutions to cut through the administrative clutter that will probably weigh you down in the long run before getting around to living on a boat wherever...

If you decide to become a UK taxpayer you may well be considered an 'arriver' under the new (April 2013) regulations. This is good ( yes,you need to understand why!)

So...

1. Go to the UK and rent a small furnished flat in a convenient/congenial place on a 12 month lease with option to leave after 6.

2. Within days after your arrival send off the right forms with the right boxes ticked to HRMC. In six weeks or so you should get a magic number.( you need a professional tax accountant who understands returning expats to advise you on this otherwise it is quite difficult, as an arriver, to become a UK tax payer until you have lived there more than six months)

3. Find out which nhs gps in the neighbourhood are accepting patients by phone beforehand. Doctors get money for each new patient they take on and additional income if they agree to certain followups (Quality Outcomes Framework)

Visit one and tell them all the true facts about your situation. The procedure is much softer than trying to open a bank account, for example (ah, but that is another story!) There are many people on the nhs who cannot produce that much sought after utility bill

You have come back to "settle"

They HAVE to take you on, even as a temporary patient, for 3 months. This will get you onto the system and blood tests for example. There is much more to this and this is why it is worth boning up on the nhs regs. Lets say a weeks leisurely internet trawling and reading. You will thus know the questions you may be asked. They will not let a 70 year old roam around without some sort of access.

4. Get a driving licence from DVLA. you have an address , rental agreement and a temporary tax number.

5. Think where and how you want to liveaboard and what type of boat. IF you buy in the UK SSR or Part One is your choice. Part one is better. If it is in the Med then why not buy one there? Since you are a uk resident I dont foresee registration problems.

6. As an 'arriver' you have the option (check this according to your personal situation)of staying 120 days in the uk without even being considered a tax resident. (Even up to 180 days if you stay only in temporary accommodation , ie hotels)
7. Finally if you think you have made an awful mistake and should hotfoot it back to the us or Canada, say, you have 120 or 180 days to think it over all quite legally unless you do something REALLY stupid like buying property.

You can juggle through routine medical issues via walk in clinics or hospital a & e coupled with self-pay, although this would be a drag in the long term.

Enough for today........

 

[heart of oak]

Can you not use one of the many postal services available to provide a uk postal address.....

Eg http://expatpost.uk/expat_private_mailbox.html couple of hundred £ a year.........??

 

[Sandyman]

One of half a dozen possible solutions to cut through the administrative clutter that will probably weigh you down in the long run before getting around to living on a boat wherever...

If you decide to become a UK taxpayer you may well be considered an 'arriver' under the new (April 2013) regulations. This is good ( yes,you need to understand why!)

So...

1. Go to the UK and rent a small furnished flat in a convenient/congenial place on a 12 month lease with option to leave after 6.

2. Within days after your arrival send off the right forms with the right boxes ticked to HRMC. In six weeks or so you should get a magic number.( you need a professional tax accountant who understands returning expats to advise you on this otherwise it is quite difficult, as an arriver, to become a UK tax payer until you have lived there more than six months)

3. Find out which nhs gps in the neighbourhood are accepting patients by phone beforehand. Doctors get money for each new patient they take on and additional income if they agree to certain followups (Quality Outcomes Framework)

Visit one and tell them all the true facts about your situation. The procedure is much softer than trying to open a bank account, for example (ah, but that is another story!) There are many people on the nhs who cannot produce that much sought after utility bill

You have come back to "settle"

They HAVE to take you on, even as a temporary patient, for 3 months. This will get you onto the system and blood tests for example. There is much more to this and this is why it is worth boning up on the nhs regs. Lets say a weeks leisurely internet trawling and reading. You will thus know the questions you may be asked. They will not let a 70 year old roam around without some sort of access.

4. Get a driving licence from DVLA. you have an address , rental agreement and a temporary tax number.

5. Think where and how you want to liveaboard and what type of boat. IF you buy in the UK SSR or Part One is your choice. Part one is better. If it is in the Med then why not buy one there? Since you are a uk resident I dont foresee registration problems.

6. As an 'arriver' you have the option (check this according to your personal situation)of staying 120 days in the uk without even being considered a tax resident. (Even up to 180 days if you stay only in temporary accommodation , ie hotels)
7. Finally if you think you have made an awful mistake and should hotfoot it back to the us or Canada, say, you have 120 or 180 days to think it over all quite legally unless you do something REALLY stupid like buying property.

You can juggle through routine medical issues via walk in clinics or hospital a & e coupled with self-pay, although this would be a drag in the long term.

Enough for today........

Enough full stop.
'' I'm a UK citizen born and bred and SWMBO is a yank that as my spouse had full right of abode in the UK for 26 years''

 

[Sandyman]

Can you not use one of the many postal services available to provide a uk postal address.....

Eg http://expatpost.uk/expat_private_mailbox.html couple of hundred £ a year.........??

Yes of course. Exactly what we did.

 

[dabsolute470]

welcome back to the UK we are still dreaming of doing the IC in a few years if Trump allows us...lol
fambridge in essex where we are is a nice marina
wish you all the best in your decission

 

[Robin]

Can you not use one of the many postal services available to provide a uk postal address.....

Eg http://expatpost.uk/expat_private_mailbox.html couple of hundred £ a year.........??

But cannot be used to obtain a drivers licence or presumably register a boat? We kept our UK bank accounts so not a problem with them other than putting more money in them, but my UK drvers licence expired a year ago at age 70, SWMBOs has a year yet to run. We both have valid yankee licences.

 

[Robin]

welcome back to the UK we are still dreaming of doing the IC in a few years if Trump allows us...lol
fambridge in essex where we are is a nice marina
wish you all the best in your decission

Enjoy, as a visitor it is fine, just make sure you have good health insurance cover as the medical vultures here will take everything you own otherwise. Sick system sucks.:disgust:

 

[lindsay]

Few points:

1. Being a bona fide born and bred returning uk citizen with a uk bank account and "foreign" spouse having right of abode is nice but has absolutely NOTHING AT ALL to do with:

- being a uk tax resident, or not (unless you are taking the non domiciled route)
- being eligible for the nhs, or not
- being eligible for an over 70 driving licence, or not
-being able to acquire SSR or Part 1 or not

It does probably get you through that first uk border control with minimum questions, if any.

2 A mailing address is great and everyone should have one. However it is sometimes accepted in lieu of a bona fide residence, and sometimes not.

As a general rule uk banks, car insurance and dvla do not. Overseas banks, boat insurance, boat registration and even a gp/clinic may well accept it since the latter in particular do not normally check since they are bound by discrimination laws either to check ALL their new patients or none.

The problem is that you are always open to a zealous administrator or back office somewhere who clicks on your mail box and finds it designated non - residential. It is a grey area you decide to live with or not.

 

[Mudisox]

Try Dartmouth- plenty of moorings and not repeat not expensive. Good sociable place with good tavel connections, used to liveaboards too.

 

[Robin]

Few points:

1. Being a bona fide born and bred returning uk citizen with a uk bank account and "foreign" spouse having right of abode is nice but has absolutely NOTHING AT ALL to do with:

- being a uk tax resident, or not (unless you are taking the non domiciled route)
- being eligible for the nhs, or not
- being eligible for an over 70 driving licence, or not
-being able to acquire SSR or Part 1 or not

It does probably get you through that first uk border control with minimum questions, if any.

2 A mailing address is great and everyone should have one. However it is sometimes accepted in lieu of a bona fide residence, and sometimes not.

As a general rule uk banks, car insurance and dvla do not. Overseas banks, boat insurance, boat registration and even a gp/clinic may well accept it since the latter in particular do not normally check since they are bound by discrimination laws either to check ALL their new patients or none.

The problem is that you are always open to a zealous administrator or back office somewhere who clicks on your mail box and finds it designated non - residential. It is a grey area you decide to live with or not.

SOD it we will stay put here then:disgust: Not trying to dodge UK taxes, only have pension income so not millionaire status super tax bracket.. We currently pay tax on what little we do get to Uncle Sam or is it Donald now..

 

[Lucy52]

For anyone having trouble registering with a GP, you do not have to have a utility bill. That would discriminate against the homeless and travelling populations.
Be nice to the receptionist and explain your situation without getting their backs up, Then if you have no joy speak with your local Health Watch and ask them to help sort it for you. It may take a week or so but in the end you are entitled to be registered with a GP.
You should find your local Health Watch from leaflets in the surgery, the local library of on the internet.