To leave UK due to weather and cost of living

That's interesting about visas for France and a 'golden' one for Portugal - i had no clue. How rich do you have to be?

We already live and work abroad (left UK in 2018) but won't retire and stay where we are now. We used the proceeds of our house in UK to buy property in Gibraltar, which is currently tenanted. We can move there whenever we want and access healthcare etc. Gibraltar has its limitations but its only 3 hours from London by air and although Spanish and Llanito are widely spoken, English is the bureaucratic language. I'm looking forward to retiring in a Mediterranean climate.

Unfortunately, Gibraltar property prices rival those in London.

France still allows immigration from the UK, I know a couple who have recently completed the process..

However now you need a long term Visa and that means having more in the way of resources ( basically money) to back you up than was the case prior to Brexit.

In practical terms it will be hard to find somewhere near the uk and the coast ( so Europe ) that has better weather - you may end trading grey for droughts and damp for more extreme heat

The most likely scenario for the next 20 years uk is wetter but for Spain it's Sahara

OP your plan sounds a bit drastic, a lot of countries have a crazier cost of living crisis than us. How about getting a tumble dryer/heated clothes airer and see how you get on?

There are still visa options, eg Portugal golden visa

DH and I have been threatening this for months now.

He works outside as a tradesperson and is soaked to the skin and borderline hypothermic every day.

We've been trying to get the outside of the house painted this week and the decorator has been able to do about 3 hours of work and I've waited in every day this week for that. It's going to take weeks of pissing around to get it done.

Our plan was always to buy something very small in France for cash and rent our house out, which would rent for 3x our current monthly mortgage payments. Thanks Brexit!
DH has an EU passport, but I still don't think it means I'm eligible to move with him.

The thing is, even if you forget all of the practicalities such as housing and the language barrier, our friends just went to Southern Spain on holiday and it was cool and wet. In their photos, everyone is wearing a puffa jacket, holding an umbrella. We went to Toulouse last Spring and it was cold and wet on 2 of the 3 days. I watch a YouTuber based on the French Riviera and she's been complaining about how shit the weather is - it's unseasonably cold and wet there too.

Which leaves me thinking about places like Thailand, Bali, Costa Rica instead. But I love European culture and don't think I'd feel at home there.

I guess we're stuck. The weather actually made me cry yesterday, and I'm well set up for it with good waterproofs etc. I'm just so fucking sick of it now.

Ermm - Brexit? Does anyone remember that?

Cynical response. If everyone who ever considered making a change to their life was shut down because they hadn't organised all the details and potential issues nobody would ever move abroad or take a risk. Seems to me that she is exploring the possibilities at this stage. To move country takes guts, determination and patience. I know this first hand. And I can say that I'm glad I had the guts because it's singularly the best thing we did for our family. The uk is a very difficult place to live right now.

This.

You sound very naive OP.

It was a comment
The op doesn't appear to have considered
where to go,
how they will live,
property,
Healthcare
inheritance law in new county,
that often countreis require older people to have several 100k disposable income to settle in their country,
They may not be allowed to work
That the sun will not shine every day anywhere in the world
So yes, no point in repeating what others have said, just a byee with the hope they hit reality
Plus, my response was not to you

Posts like this make me see just why it is that OP wants to leave the UK.

My inlaws have a place in Spain and a home in the UK, they are semi retired. Works perfectly for them. Place in Spain is in a small gated community, very safe. They tend to do 6 weeks there, 6 weeks UK, avoiding the summer becasue its too hot. I definitely would explore it. Life is short. The UK is not what it used to be. I left 5 years ago, i miss my friends and family but i visit often. My quality of life is so much better where i am, less tax, better healthcare, good weather and everything works.

? If you can't contribute in a meaningful way, just scroll on.

Byeeee

Regards better weather and seasons - Depends on how people are defining better but certainly many parts of France enjoy changeable seasons….”up north” is known for having weather that can be very similar to the UK, we certainly get UK style seasons where we are in the south west of France( that includes snow on the ground at low elevations most winters.) but we also tend to get a better run of dry warm weather in the summer than the UK generally gets.

For info People are still moving down here from the UK, Brexit hasn’t stopped that, but the admin and the financial requirements have made it much more difficult than was previously the case…oh and the CoL means it’s not a cheap place to live.

Oh and everywhere had its own issues.

Cost of living is affecting everyone. In some places the standard of living is much lower than here. Something people do not recognise if they holiday in a place. It’s not the same as living there. No heating - or air conditioning in peak seasons is hard going. Supermarkets are very limited and expensive compared to what we have. Corrupt local governments and getting anything fixed or done is often a nightmare. Hospitals can really vary depending on the region. I found that many lived near us for the ‘sun’ but couldn’t bear the sweltering heat. It can be unbearably hot.

Op it’s the cold spring we are having! We need it to warm up!

I lived overseas with expats for ten years and this is what I observed.

Older British couples running into real issues when they needed hip replacements and health support really really struggled.

Becoming a widow and being alone is no walk in the park with no support or extended family.

The cancer care was very scary and stressful navigating even with good language skills.

Some ran out of money and had to come home, then couldn’t afford to buy as the property market here had moved on so much comparatively. Two couples had to move into a static caravan and developed lung issues because of the damp in the winter.

Many didn’t realise how important family, friends and security are in later life, and it was too late. Most of the very elderly moved back because they were too vulnerable to stay.

It’s no fun navigating hospitals and any health issues with even a moderate grasp of the language. I was ill and struggled and a very good grasp of the language.

Recognise you are fed up with the weather and book a holiday.

Personally in your position I wouldn’t give everything up and take a risk, I would holiday for 3 months in the winter - rent a small place and have the best of both worlds!

Where?

Do you know how hard and lonely it can be moving abroad? Even if you speak the language and make some friends, it's still mentally tough for a lot of people.

Spain is getting hotter and hotter. Even talking to Spanish in laws it was hotter than normal last year. They also are finding food is getting more expensive. Cost of living is affecting everywhere.

You don't need to speak the languages "like a native" in Europe at all.

You need to be able to communicate and cope which is far from native.

The more you practise, the better you get.

I absolutely understand what you mean, DH and I (and our 2 children) emigrated 10 years, and MIL emigrated last year (to a different country).

As already mentioned it is definitely more difficult post Brexit. I would say you need to take yourself on holiday to some places and find somewhere you love the culture. Even across Europe places are culturally very different the UK and it can be a deal breaker. If you find somewhere you really love the you can wade through the visas and paperwork you need.

Sorry to bring up a sense check but as someone who's gone through this and have since returned to the UK, I advise you to do a lot of research and try and imagine your day to day life in the new place. It's not that easy unless you speak the language like a native, have some social connections in the new country and/or lots of money! Even then, it can be very hard work to re-structure your life or feel sufficiently integrated (think about bureaucracy, taxes, sorting out health care, a house, jobs etc). Once you're over that 'tourist' euphoria and the power trip you get from the bravery of your decision, reality hits. Then comes home sickness and maybe even regret. It's hard to reverse it all back again too, so it's not a decision to be taken lightly. But if you can emotionally, financially and otherwise afford the risks - go for it!

Thanks to good old Brexiteers, we can't now live in the EU