To leave UK due to weather and cost of living

Not that easy to get into USA!

go for it OP. There used to be plenty of people heading to Spain for the same reason a little older than you. Generally they came back when they needed the NHS on a regular basis. If you have the opportunity and the funds why not give it a try. You can always come home if it’s not what you thought. Personally I’d try to rent before you sold your main home unless you don’t mind the possibility of returning to a different one,

I'd decide which country and focus on learning the language. You can do this pretty quickly if you really put your mind to it.

Especially when the house is mortgage free any rental will help cover some of the cost of going away. I'd be doing more for flung places like Thailand and other Asian countries, even USA etc where it's cheaper to live and so much to see that you need all that time anyway to see it properly.

I totally get wanting to get more sun and live somewhere cheaper. But moving wholesale is very challenging. You'd need a visa which takes a lot of qualifying elements, which vary by country but always have a financial component. You won't be able to access the national healthcare system, etc. Perhaps buying a property overseas and just spending more time there would be a good middle ground?

Also do be mindful of what happens in your very old age. I have a relative who is in the UK having emigrated here but who never learned the language etc. She is now in a care home where she can't communicate with the staff or any of the other residents and it's incredibly lonely for her, she can't understand doctors and nurses etc. Of course family visit most days but it's very isolating all the same.

Even though I have an EU passport I don't think I'd move anywhere in Europe full time. I like where I live, and even though things are far from ideal at least we kind of know how to navigate around the rules to get help/benefits etc. if needed - in our own language for starters.

Maybe I am just a scaredy cat though. I love France, Italy and parts of Spain a lot. I do decamp to Spain around Caceres/Estepona a week before Christmas and return in late January. Then off again in March and May. Rinse and repeat September late October and back off again for 6 weeks at Christmas. I know I am fortunate, am retired and have a decent pension and savings. Buying a holiday home abroad was never on my radar - too much worry and responsibility, so I let others take that risk and rent as I go, often from the same owners in different countries where the location has proven to be suitable for my needs and enjoyment.

The way I look at it is I might aswell pay for a stint in a better climate with a nice change of scenery and way of life, and at the same time save on heating bills during the coldest parts of the year at home.

Moving abroad is not that easy anymore as others have said, unless you have a decent income and maybe don't need to work. Don't forget that since Brexit the number of UK retirees and emigrants to Europe has dwindled so the businesses that would largely have catered to that cohort are not needed as much. Established businesses are ok for the residents already there who are established though (largely).

I'd advise saving really hard, and if you can - apply for leave of absence from work then head off for the ninety days (or less) over the Winter. Just make sure that your travel insurance covers you for an extended stay and you're off.

I think it's unreasonable for the UK to have been turned into such a bag of shit especially as there's no escape for many of us.
I know it has its good points but they are proving ever more harder to pinpoint.
No one expects good weather in the UK but the way it's been for at least the last six months, probably longer, is badly impacting people's mental health.
Then there's everything else that's going on with no hope of any real change.

I would be careful about moving to a warmer country now because the climate is so messed up now. Summers are becoming intolerable (I live in Australia). It is not fun only being able to go outdoors early morning or late at night and then huddling under the air conditioning the rest of the day. If you are older, heat can affect your health adversely too.

I would perhaps adopt a 6 months on, six months off approach if you are wealthy enough. Winters in Southern Europe (if you get around the difficulty with freedom of movement post Brexit) and Summer in the UK.

Not Chypre!

I've been learning Spanish with the OU in the hope that we can relocate to Spain at least when we retire ...

@GardenGnomeDefender in my experience you’ll need way more than a couple of night classes in French - French people are great, friendly and loyaL and more laid back but they don’t naturally sync with brits TBH and it is you that will need to communicate with them in French not expect them to speak English just trying to be realistic 😀

Unreasonable to who? Do what you like

Omg I've been thinking the same! It's such a massive issue in my life. I've been getting itchy feet for the past couple of years. I speak 4 languages fluently and could move quite easily, but DH can only speak English and has the type of job that can only be done in the UK. Our DD is bilingual but not actively so, so she would also struggle abroad. Grrrrrr ....

Have you thought about a move to the south of France. It's warm, it's coastal, not sure how much cheaper than the UK is but they have nice beaches and often a nice outdoor lifestyle.
You get lots of retirees playing pétanque (lawn bowls). And it's a short flight back to the UK.

If you have the money it seems like a lovely plan. Enrol in a French class and see how you go.

Hi - I have lived in aus, USA also my in laws live abroad in southern Spain and my parents have owned property in France so I’d say I’m pretty qualified to be objective about this. I’ll discount USA due to
green card and australia is pretty far for most so Ill focus on EU. I hope this helps.

Pros

• better weather
• slower pace
• good food and drink
• potentially lower cost of living
• outdoor activities

Cons

• weather - southern Spain is just ridiculously hot in summer - in winter the houses aren’t insulated so get cold. France is good shout but really you have to speak some French to live there. It would also impossible to deal with gov and locals in English. Portugal had golden visa for 500k property but I believe stopped that. Also can be expensive and kind of new build soul less. Spain is good but have you thought what you’d actually do with your time? I know my in laws friends many just drink every night as there is literally nothing to do. Plus they feel pretty lonely not seeing grandkids.
• Tax can be tricky depending on your situation - could be more or less. If you have assets how will they be taxed? Is your Uk pension going to go up with inflation ?
• Work - most beachy places are low wage and low stress type jobs - a BnB is hard work and pretty stressy
• Bureauacy - you have no idea how difficult and long this is in France and Spain - everything needs a permit and it’s not like England as you apply to local mayor often - language is huge barrier in France and also Spain
• healthcare - most EU countries are comparable or better than NHS BUT…language again - they will not speak
• yonuiu in english so you need a translator at every appointment - if you get seriously ill in any way that’s a huge problem

as people mentioned the visa sit is so diff in every country and totally depends on your circumstances how difficult -
but safe to say it takes work and research oh and money

I think two suggestions for you both less black and white:

1. hire a place for 90 days in your desired location and see how you feel - my folks did this and decided it wasn’t for them

2. if you afford it - buy a place somewhere in EU and just do winters over there and summers here. Rent out your places when you’re not there. Simples

I do hate English weather but I’m a pragmatist and had to live in Australia that I regret not doing so now I’m just content with many trips abroad every year until I’m a little older

You do know that nowhere in the EU wants Brits living there and that we are not entitled to residency any longer? A number of countries are increasing charges on Brits spending time there is they have property and are withdrawing access to services. Locals are increasingly less friendly.

Portugal has a special visa for foreigners (including brits) in exchange for investment (eg buying property). But of course with any kind of move abroad you would want to investigate the tax implications.

Where did you come from to consider it warmer and sunnier, the moon? 😳

Actually Portugal has an easy to apply for D2 visa. You need to be able to independently find yourself from outside Portugal, therefore set up for people drawing a pension but could be from dividends or rental income. The amount you need to prove is on £7k ish and does allow you to then work in Portugal to top up. Look up British immigrants in Portugal on Facebook. Plenty of advice on how to do it all yourself.

Realistically if you can't move to Europe where are you going to go? I think sometimes we have a "the grass is greener' mentality going on when actually the UK is still a pretty good place to live comparatively speaking.

There are countries in Europe that let you stay if you invest in property. I think I Greece does? It all depends on how much money you have and the value of your property. If its of high value, you could sell and buy a property in Greece, and 2 small ones in the UK to rent for income, one could be a long term let for steady income and one a holiday let for when you want to come back (in the months the weather is nice in the UK and the heath is unbearable in Greece)

Why would you be unreasonable to move if you want to move? It's your choice.

I would love to but practically I'm not sure it would be possible . I definitely get the sentiment, the weather here is so depressing

I'm not going to rent my place out though!

I really want to do this too. We were looking into.it pre Brexit but we're scared of what would happen after we left the EU. We moved to Cornwall instead and have holiday lets in the garden. That has gone to shit recently as the holiday let market in the UK is saturated. Plus this year the weather has been SO awful, like everywhere else. I dream of Greece or Italy.

You now have to prove an income and/ or spend a certain amount on a house in most countries.

Fucking shitting Brexit.

This is pretty much my thinking too. Three months somewhere in Southern Europe, off season long term let, one bedroom would do, just to avoid the winter here. I don't want to leave my entire life behind but winters here are long and dark. I'll keep working part year for as long as I can.