To think life in England must be much easier

This is why nothing improves for vulnerable people because so many are oblivious and in denial about what is really going on.

@Heatethelastwaffle I love living in the UK but we also have a home in France and if it weren't for the tax situation we would have a better life there albeit without a need for any social/health benefits. We have never had any family support.

I don't think you have said how old your dd is. I think you should come home but do so with your eyes open and research pickets of the country where healthcare and education are good. Sadly I don't think that's Cornwall, particularly in respect of healthcare.

FWIW my dd had some MH issues ten years ago and was actively self harming. There was little NHS help or support through CAMHS and what was available was poor and out of date. DD recovered and manages her anxiety, depression and ADHD well but it took £8000 of private care paid directly by us and about another £8000 funded by BUPA. Further I have severe osteoporosis and was denied optimal treatment on the NHS because I didn't quite meet the bar by sustaining two further severe breaks on zolendronate, because I was under 65. The treatment was provided via the NHS but I had to pay for it: £2400.

The grass may not be too much greener here and the middle is getting ever more squeezed and will be more so under this government. Don't underestimate how much more you need to earn here to have a measurable better quality of life than those who qualify for tax credits, universal credit etc.

Good luck.

I think you will find that absolutely none of the problems you describe will be in any way better in Cornwall.

In spite of its reputation as a beautiful place for holidays, the reality of living here is very different - especially in terms of access to good NHS treatment.

You would be much better off somewhere with a good hospital. Bristol maybe.

It may depend if you have taken citizenship elsewhere. My parents lived in Spain for over 20 years. No UK home or GP, etc, they have Redency, i.e., they have most of the rights the Spanish have, but they aren't Spanish citizens. They came back and bought a house, registered with a GP, all no bother.

Here we can see a GP the next day (SW England) We have family all over the UK and no one is waiting 7 weeks! Where do you live?

Benefits are generous compared to most other countries, and so are living standards for the poor.

People will genuine disability will be awarded PIP. It is rightly rigourous.

Healthcare here is completely free, so yes you might need to wait if it is not an emergency but you will never need to pay for it.

Isn't it wonderful we house people in B&Bs and hotels, you would be on the streets in most other countries (inc super wealthy ones like the US) if you are in the same situation there.

You honestly don't know how fortunate you are. Take a trip to any big city in the US or India for instance....educate yourself.

Your personal tax bill runs into several hundred thousand pounds per annum? Or do you mean it runs to £30K per annum (still lots of families if you're just talking CB)?

£102.40 every 4 weeks (£25.60 per week) for the first or only child and £67.80 every 4 weeks (£16.95 per week) for each additional child.

A lot of what you have said will apply to many people in the UK.

7 weeks where we are to access a GP - years long wait for treatment.

Benefits are minimal and slow - standard is to go 6 weeks without anything so people access food banks to survive. Then they can look forward to living on the breadline.

Many people with chronic health issues are denied disability benefits.

Not everyone gets help with housing costs and if you have a mortgage your pretty much screwed if you are unable to work. Thousands are in temporary and unsuitable housing - hotels and B&Bs - for years.

So why the hell are you bothering to defend it? Or to say you will 'stay there' your posts make no sense at all.

We lived in Abu Dhabi and other areas of the Gulf. It is not just one place, and the treatment of workers was just appalling in each place we lived. The treatment of women was a disgrace, and most muslim women do NOT drink cocktails and wear what they like ffs.

Qatar was the very worst. It was so strict and uncomfortable.

The UK is an incredible place to live, safe, generous and with decent human rights. As a mother of two dds the idea of raising them in the ME fills me with horror tbh.

Any chance of telling us which one it is?

People are talking out of their backsides. Brits simply need to show proof of citizenship and address to register for a GP. Mind you I wouldn't be moving to Cornwall hoping for decent medical care....

As I said I don't live in UAE and as I'm sure you're aware not all Gulf countries are the same. Here health and safety is extremely high,especially when it comes to construction. All of the sites are to British standards and most,if not all of the health and safety managers are British expats with many years experience in their field. I'm not denying for one minute the disgraceful and inhumane treatment of Indian workers in UAE and Qatar,it's horrible and is the reason I won't even visit let alone live there. The country I live in is not the same.

Why did you move if the uk is so terrible?

Plenty of expats resident abroad get their healthcare paid for by the NHS. In Greece the doctors then sometimes ask for a cash top up in an envelope.

We lived in the UAE for two years, thanks. We have been travelling there for the last 23 years and have seen all of the changes take place.

Our experience is the disgusting treatment of women and in particular Asian women. Yes passports are removed by employers, they were also forced to work 15 hour days - sometimes 7 days a week (home help in particular) for months on end as you well know. The workers have virtually no rights at all in my experience, and are contractually 'locked in' with no means to exit for over a year sometimes up to three years.

The underbelly of work and construction in Dubai and UAE in general has rightly attracted international attention because of the lack of safety measures and the number of deaths.

We regularly fly in and stay in Dubai as a stopover and it is the most soulless place, and lost it sparkle a very long time ago.

I find it depressing beyond belief that you do not value human rights at all.
Most of my friends that live in Dubai spend much of the year in London! So it can't be that bad!! 😂

Here are the facts behind the bling:

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/mar/11/up-to-10000-asian-migrant-workers-die-in-the-gulf-every-year-claims-report

A different issue and I don’t want to derail the thread, but put taxpayer funded illegal immigrant bill is unsustainable. There are a number of reasons for this, but I think that any accommodation and spending money should be a loan paid back like a student loan.

I haven’t read the whole thread, but re PANDAS. I know someone who had to really fight in the UK to get help. They ended up going private. I think it was treated with antibiotics. You wouldn’t have thought you’d have to fight so hard for that.

Until you've lived here you have no idea what you're talking about. For a start I don't live in Dubai and all workers here are treated as they would be in the UK. For any employer to hold passports is a criminal offence and the courts come down on them like a ton of bricks. During the summer months no work is allowed outside unless in extreme emergency and again this is followed to the letter. All workers accomodation is regularly inspected by the ministry to ensure safe and clean living conditions. It is an offence to withold wages and again this is prosecuted harshly by the courts. Housemaids earn the equivalent of 7GBP per hour and when translated to the currency of the country they're from goes a long way. My cleaning lady is from Sri Lanka but has been here for 30yrs and has a huge client base. Her wages here have paid for a mansion house back in Sri Lanka with a tea plantation and she is the biggest employer in her village. As for women being treated terribly,please! My local friends laugh at the image people like you have of them. They all work,drive,dress how the hell they want,go out when they want and...they enjoy a nice cocktail or glass of wine whenever they want and they are all Muslim. You need to step away from the Grauniad or wherever you're getting your outdated and frankly offensive opinions from. This country is safe and pleasant for all citizens and expats alike no matter their race or religion and a thousand miles away from the cesspit the UK is turning into. In fact I might just stay here.

You are right. All a British citizen needs to do is provide proof of address and register at a GP.

Also you can't do that. You need to be 'Habitually Resident'.

If born after 1981 it’s perfectly possible. Babies born to non-citizens are not automatically British. She will have another citizenship though (her parents’) and will have travelled to Australia on a passport for that country, so will have been aware of the consequences.

Come home op.

You have such a difficult road ahead otherwise, aging with health problems overseas is horrendous even with a healthy bank balance with no support network. Your dd will get to an age and will be too settled there to leave.
You have a golden opportunity now to start again in the UK.

It is beautiful here, all the seasons, the communities and so much help and support for everything under the sun and all encompassing.

I have never once regretted coming home. I appreciate everything we have here (especially the huge choice of food in the supermarkets!) and the charity work here that underpins life here in the UK - and people moan about the NHS, but I have only ever received outstanding care, so it is not everyone's experience.

Come home.

I left the UK and lived 10 years in a Mediterranean country. I returned to the UK 6 months pregnant, with a 1 year old in tow, fleeing an abusive relationship and it was the absolute best decision I ever made. I could access nhs treatment straight away, but a woman did interview me and tried to get me to sign a form saying a might return to former country. I didn't sign as I had no intention of going back. I had to wait 3 months before I could claim benefits and had to pass 3 different habitual residency tests. As I was homeless (family all dead) I was put in a B and B and eventually moved to a housing association property.

While on benefits I studied using adult leaner loans. As soon as my youngest went to nursery I started my own business (which then closed to Covid). I started another one later on which took off and I used the money from that to fund private training which led to an even better job. 6 years after arriving back in the UK I have a good job and no longer need benefits, eldest is thriving, youngest has asd but has been supported throughout his education and they are so many groups and organisations that offer help.

I say all this, because none of this would have been possible in the country I was living in. There are no benefits, no nursery hours, no adult education courses, and social housing doesn't exist. You have to rely on family but I had none. The UK is not perfect by any means but I am so so grateful for all the help my little family has received and the life I've been able to build here. It just wouldn't have been possible before. I try to do my best to give back by contributing to food banks, volunteering, and helping out people who are in the situation I was. Many of the posters on this thread will believe I should have just stayed in the previous country and starved but you do what is best for you and your family.

Hi @Heatethelastwaffle I’ve just moved back to the uk from being an expat. I was really worried with all the horror stories but things have been generally positive. Both my children have places in the nearest school for September which is rated good. We joined a gp and both my son and I have had same day appointments when we called.

We have been enjoying parks, free museums and local theatre so far. It is also great having family around. I think as an expat you know when it is time to come home! It sounds like it is time for you now. Maybe do some research on areas and schools etc. for the area you will move to.

For those worried about people claiming please be reassured I worked for 20 years paying tax etc before moving abroad and I will work here now once I am settled. I am living off savings now and not claiming anything.

Please ignore those who are very negative OP. If you feel it is truly time to move back do so. Take your time, plan and research so you can do your best for you and your family.

Good luck and best wishes OP.

"The truth is that the biggest recipients are always the ones who contribute least. That’s the way the system works. Of course you can come home if you want to, whatever the reason." 👏👏
So true @Genevieva

It's what makes us human, creating a system where everyone is supported even at some cost to ourselves, with the aim of ensuring everyone has a decent standard of living.

OP I would move back and use the NHS and the many other benefits of living in England to get a better lifestyle. Ignore those saying you are wrong to do so.

I imagine none of them have refused child benefit or tax credits.