Returning Senior Cits.

[wilsonmary20]

Hi' from the Homesick Seniors Citizens.
Having survived the years of living in Australia.
My Husband is 81yrs & a returned Ex-serviceman. Experienced his overseas service with the Argyll's where he was wounded while on duty.
We have both been born & bred in Fifeshire. Now wish to spend our last few remaining years in our homeland. Wondering what we can arrange for Accomodation on our return. Once we can offload our household possesions here. I am partly disabled which curtails my use of STAIRS.! Any recommendations or suggestions regarding Accommodation would be most welcome. Taking into account we have to survive on the Aged Pension.!!!
Looking forward to helpful suggestions. wilsonmary20

[Polwarth]

Hello Mary
I wonder if you have any relatives still around the area of Fife where you wish to return? If so, they may be able to help you with contacts within Social Services, Housing Associations, Housing Office etc.

You don't make it clear whether you would have funds to purchase a house or whether you would need local authority housing. If the latter, there may be quite stringent requirements - eg length of time you have lived locally etc.

I hope you realise your dreams of returning home.

[bell-the-cat]

If you were Irish, the Irish state would buy a house for you and maybe even pay your fare to return. But this is Scotland. So forget it.
Or learn Albanian and say you are a gypsy.

[Babz]

Hi Mary

I hope that you get your wish to find somewhere lovely to live when you get back over here.

I see you are from Fife and was wondering if you would consider living in any other area apart from that.

All local councils have their own websites and should be able to help you in seeing what is on offer.

[wilsonmary20]

Bell the Cat, & others'-?
Many thanks for your welcome replies.
As far as the Relative situation, we aren't fortunate enough to have anyone, who can help us out. My Brother is in Sheltered housing. Neices & Nephews, reside elsewhere in the U.K.
Which all adds to the pressures of our return. Unfortunately we haven't been able to save much either & Not having a house to sell.
We live in a 'Private Rental Property' just now. If anything was to happen to either of us, we wouldn't be able to go on living here & pay the rent, from the one pension. Sick of moving to anywhere else in OZZ. The weather has just started to heat up in preparation for the summer months. Yesterday was hot & dry winds of 30-degrees-celsius. This is the Spring.!!!
We are finding that nobody wants to purchase 2nd hand goods, which were crafted in Scotland with the very best of Timber. (McIntosh's of Kirkcaldy)
This is our biggest concern, maybe having to give everything away FREE. As we have already had to do with all of our Garden Pots & Lovely Patio Plants.
Thanks for taking an Interest in this problem of ours. wilsonmary20

[Polwarth]

Hello
It's probably a long shot - but have you tried to make contact with the A&SH Association? They may not be able to help financially, but may have ideas re sheltered housing etc.

Frankly, with no relatives still living locally, few ties to the area which would make liaising with various bodies a bit of a chore, you may find that you have a long, uphill struggle to return to Scotland. But, I wish you well in your endeavours.

Here's a link for PL's A&SH Association -
http://www.it-serve.co.uk/argylls/association.php

[bell-the-cat]

Originally Posted by bell-the-cat

If you were Irish, the Irish state would buy a house for you and maybe even pay your fare to return. But this is Scotland. So forget it.

I think I should elaborate on this.

While browsing the airwaves a couple of years ago I came across an Irish radio program that was talking about a newly introduced scheme that helped Irish people who had left their homeland in the 1930s, 40s and 50s and who now, in their old age, wanted to return to live in the land of their birth but did not have the financial means to do so (especially now that Irish property prices have gone through the roof). Obviously the scheme had a cap on the number of people it could help each year, and those it helped had to prove they could not afford to return without that help, and had a good reason for wishing to return. Anyone here know more details?