Step 2 of 5 · Making the move
We’re going. What do we do, and when?
Everything from leaving the UK to your first weeks in Australia, in the order you’ll need it.
Who’s moving?
For everyoneSet your move date below to see what’s due and when.
Your timeline
90 days to go
Before you fly
7 guidesTelling HMRC you’re leaving
UK residence, the P85, split years, and how Australia taxes you once you arrive.Your UK home: let, sell or keep
What each choice means for tax, your mortgage and council tax once you live in Australia.UK pensions and moving to Australia
The frozen State Pension, voluntary National Insurance after April 2026, and transferring to Australian super.Bringing medicines to Australia
How much you can bring, the paperwork to carry, posting more later, and getting prescriptions once you arrive.Moving money from the UK to Australia
Exchange rates, safe transfers, your UK accounts and ISAs, and the cash you need to rent.+ calculatorMoving pets to Australia
Permits, the rabies blood test, the 180-day wait and quarantine in Melbourne.Shipping your belongings to Australia
How long sea freight takes, cleaning for biosecurity, the customs form and bringing a car.Your first 30 days
8 guidesYour first 30 days in Australia
What to do first, in what order, and why the order matters.+ calculatorYour tax file number and Australian tax
Getting a TFN, how much tax you pay in 2026–27, payslips and your first tax return.+ calculatorOpening a bank account in Australia
Opening an account before you fly, proving who you are, fees, PayID and starting your credit history.Finding a home to rent
Where to look, how inspections and applications work, and how to compete without a local rental history.Rental scams: how to spot them
The warning signs, how to check an agent, and where to report a scam.Renting: bond, leases and bills
Bonds by state, rent in advance, condition reports, rent rises, pets and connecting the power.+ calculatorDriving: your licence and a car
How long you can drive on a UK licence, swapping it without a test, and buying and registering a car.Phone, internet and staying in touch
Getting a SIM, setting up home broadband and keeping in touch with the UK.Your first weeks
6 guidesFood shopping and eating out
The supermarkets, what a weekly shop costs, buying alcohol, and eating out without tipping stress.Superannuation explained
Australia’s workplace pension: how much goes in, choosing a fund, and getting it out if you leave.Your first day at work
The forms you’ll fill in, how super and payslips work, and what to expect on day one.Making friends in Australia
How the first year usually feels, where friendships start, and keeping in touch across the time difference.The partner at home
Work rights, getting your skills recognised, what government help you can and can’t get, and building a life of your own.Building a credit history in Australia
Why you start from zero, who keeps your credit file, and how to build a good record.Where next
You’re through this step once you have a tax file number, a bank account, a home and Medicare or health cover sorted.Back · step 1← Research13 guides · 3 calculators
Next step · coming soonLiving hereYour first Australian winter and summer · Weekends and trips · Changing jobs and visasTell me when it opens
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