Without doubt you will have many things going though your mind when preparing to move back to the UK. If you are employed through LEC HR here are a few points that may assist and help you to plan ahead.
Notice Period
As you have a legally binding employment contract you must hand in a letter of resignation to your local LEC HR office. They will then in turn be able to help you by completing all the necessary documentation you will need for the UK. Please remember that you have a notice period, the length of which will depend on your period of service.
If you do not keep to your notice period you may lose your entitlement to a gratuity!
For this reason do contact LEC HR as soon as your posting date is known and they will advise further. Exceptions can be made here in the case of a short notice posting for example (copy of posting order required by LEC HR). Distress and health problems may also enable you to shorten your notice period.
The right documents
LEC HR will issue you with a document called a Form 126. This certificate confirms your period of employment and also states your reason for leaving work. Do keep hold of this certificate in case you return to Germany at a later date. It also may assist when you visit your local benefits office in the UK.
Registering in the UK
Although you can make an on line claim initially, you will need to visit your local Job Centre Plus office as soon as possible on arrival in the UK (an appointment will need to be arranged) as this will affect your benefit entitlement, should you wish to claim job seekers allowance. If the head of family is posted then this will be stated on your Form 126. It makes it clear that you have not left your job at your own request but have returned to the UK due to the posting of the head of family.
On line Job Seekers allowance Information (Gov.UK): www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance
General information on returning to the UK for those employed by LEC HR: A Brief Guide Dependants Returning to the United Kingdom - Job Seekers Allowance
Obtaining a Good Conduct Certificate on returning to the UK
If you have been living and working in the Service community overseas in the past five years or more then the two Disclosure Offices in the UK will hold no relevant information on your criminal status in Germany.
In order to provide a future employer or university/college with information relating to your period of residency in Germany then you can apply for a Good Conduct Certificate.
Pay Slips
It is very important that you keep your payslips safe. The key payslips are the ones printed at the end of March each year as well as your final payslip. Take them with you and present them to the benefits office as they will show your national insurance payments made. The March payslip shows the total NI paid as well as gross earning for the previous financial year in Sterling.
Forwarding Address
It is also very important to give LEC HR a forwarding address and state if you wish your last payment to be made to your German bank account or an account in the UK.
Top Tips
We have published a Top Tips list for your reference.