Full time touring
We are currently semi retired but some time next year we intend to retire. When we do we are thinking of touring on a full time basis for a year or two. Does anyone know of a forum or post on these forums that has advice etc on touring FT in the UK.
We'd like to know about access to GP's, repeat prescriptions, Council taxability etc etc
Comments
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The key to most of your questions is whether you intend to retain a residence as well as touring. It becomes much more complicated if you don't have a residence. Assuming you will maintain a permanent residence there shouldn't be too many obstacles in the way. Council tax will still be due on any permanent residence. Some Councils might allow a discount if you can prove to them that the house is empty although I wouldn't rely on that. Medical is a bit more difficult. All around the UK are walk in centres and A&E's for emergency treatment. I think you might find each individual doctors practise might have its own rules on whether they treat visiting patients or refer them to the other places I have mentioned. In terms of maintaining contact with your own doctor for any medical checks or repeat prescriptions I would imagine as you are touring in the UK only it would be reasonably easy to swing by your doctors to pick up anything you need? Alternatively could a family member pick up the prescriptions for you and post on to a campsite for example. The only fly in that ointment would be if your surgery only uses electronic prescriptions sent to the same pharmacy. Often things like this are just a matter of organisation. There is one member of this forum that spends in the region of 250 nights away each year which is almost full time!
David
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Hi
Not lived in bricks and mortar for 10 years, but, you need an official address. Everything else is easy.
The fulltimers forum mentioned above has good info.
Do it, life is too short
JK
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My son's in laws sold up and did it for several years - but it all ended in tears when bad health and illness struck. And as house prices had risen in the meantime they were homeless too and couldn't buy back in.
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I would think that is the biggest risk. If we were go do this, we would as a minimum, downsize to a 2 bed flat, possibly rent it out.
However, tenants can take a while to remove when you want to move back in.
Personally, I would prefer to keep a base to return to every so often, mainly in winter. If you have family, it can be nice to be home for Christmas and significant birthdays.
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I think we need to OP to come back with a little more detail of his plans. Particularly on whether he will retain a residence which he can return to without imcumbrances of the likes of tennents etc or whether he intends to sell up and just use his motorhome as his only home. If its the latter then seek the help of the forum mentioned above but if that is not the case then there all sorts of useful suggestions that can come from this forum.
David
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I would check things out with your GP if you are on regular medication. Our GP has a notice up saying that anyone who is out of country for a significant period (three months is mentioned) cannot get relatives to access repeat prescriptions. I think it is mainly aimed at ethnic minority patients who may do extended holidays and visits overseas, but it would be same for anyone else thinking of doing the same. You may be able to get round this if you intend full timing in UK mainly of course.
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Hi
Like JK we lived in our motorhome and worked for the CAMC for 11 years before we brought a house in Spain which we now use as a base. To answer a couple of your questions, when was the last time you went to see your GP if like me about five years then the local Pharmacia might just be as good and the price of medicines over the counter here in Spain are really cheap I take Statins and they cost 1,80e for a month. Cant help with council tax as we sold up completely so paid no council tax and found the house was a bit of a burden that you have to rely on family and friends or agents to look after the property while away, we sold and put it in the bank for that rainy day. We have had a fantastic life style over the last decade and wouldn't change a thing and would recommend but you both need to have the same dream, we have met so many people were one of the couple is not so happy with the life style as the other. One last thing if you think you may need to top up any pensions in the future the CAMC is looking for new people all the time.
Give it a go
Phil
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My brother has been a full time motor homer for just over 6 years. He doesn’t have a house or a partner so pleases himself where and what he does. I am his U.K. contact and executor. He generally tours Eastern Europe in the spring/summer and over winters in Sicily
He takes repeat prescription with him and goes into the local chemists where they usually sell him the same or equivalent. No problems thus far. He generally returns to the U.K. for a couple of weeks each year for MOT and doctors appointments etc.. this year he managed to get the van TUV in Germany. Never indicated to me that insurance, mobile phone etc etc has been a problem
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Living the dream Phil
JK
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I think most who have "spoken" with him would agree that they "broke the mould" after Malcolm!
His way of doing things seems to mean that he is pretty much living on the edge, unfortunately for him and his good lady, out of necessity, so he is not an example to be followed.
His situation is pretty unique, and I very much doubt that he is in a position to advise anyone on anything.
I, like others, wish him well, but fear he may well come unstuck in the long run.
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I think a lot will depend on your age, your health, and your attitude to risk.
If you are early retired, or of independent means, have no family to interact with, or have no partner to think about, then permanent touring may well be an attractive proposition.
But for most couples, with children and grandchildren, and a "normal" career path with retirement and pension at 65 or so, it is not so easy.
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I would suggest that any prospective full-timer should carry out a "what if" analysis to ensure they don't create problems for themselves a few years down the line.
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I know it takes all sorts to make the world go round but it would not be my idea of living the dream working i presume as a site warden after some of the horror stories posted on here only this week re the state people leave the facilities in, but each to their own
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whilst I salute anyone waving goodbye to convention, as David mentions above, I would also (really) consider the UK weather.....
living full time in a van in the uk (not working on a site and sleeping in the van) can be blooming cold, and pretty miserable ....sometimes with weeks of grim weather, even in the southern parts...this 'confinement' can put new pressures on any relationship.
we spend upto 30 weeks a year way from home but only 5 or so vanning in the uk....the main reason.....the weather..
when 'home' we check the weather, if it's nice, we go somewhere and enjoy it....
if we only had the van......options are more limited...
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Even some who have sold up and moved "over there",are possibly going to move back? when their health is in need of more "support" than is available over there,and as our friends have said,when on site as wardens it is not the same as full timing ,as they have more facilities available to them for the length of their contracts than those full timers on sites,
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living full time in a van in the uk (not working on a site and sleeping in the van) can be blooming cold, and pretty miserable ....sometimes with weeks of grim weather, even in the southern parts...this 'confinement' can put new pressures on any relationship.
That's just not true, BB. We're out all year round, for roughly 260 nights each year for the last 16 yrs or so and we've never been "confined" for any great length of time. The weather in this country is so variable that we seldom have the same conditions for more than a few days at the most. We always take clothes and foot wear to cover for any type of weather we might encounter. It's just a matter of having the right equipment at hand.
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Us neither.
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We love Winter touring as well, it’s a mind set. You either like it or you don’t.
We intended doing something very much like the Nellies once my OH retired. Sadly, for reasons out of our control, we just couldn’t do it. But we still have plenty of time hopefully. We fancy doing the whole coastline, then setting ourselves challenges like all the big bridges, all the cathedrals, things like that.
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Morning
I guess a lot of folk of a working age sometimes dream of being time rich and getting away from the nine to five. So I get to sort out the odd dirty toilet, but importantly for me I get to run my own campsite, live in some fantastic locations I could never afford to, meet thousands of like minded people enjoying our hobby and the best bit, I get four months off work. The last nine years have been the best of my working life, so yeah, as I stated earlier, living the dream (mine)
.JK
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Fantastic JK I truly envy you.
As far as weather is concerned it’s not all roses over there, floods in France a couple of years ago we were also trapped on a site in Germany due to hurricane strength winds which were bringing trees down all over the place. It might not suit BB to tour/full time van in the U.K. but it doesn’t put off a lot of us
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