To be depressed about how expensive but shyt the UK is

OP I will have to disagree with you. I'm European, live in the North West of England and I very regularly visit my home country (a wealthy central European country). Whilst I love it there, the prices for food are much higher in my home country, as are taxes in general, people have more money but are generally grumpier for some reason, most people live in flats not houses like here. Let me assure you, from someone who has lived in different places and travelled extensively, the UK is not bad at all (in fact I really enjoy living here).

All European democracies will have got more expensive, FFS. Not to mention the fact that most people's wages have gone up.
In fact some things (like white goods, air fares) are actually cheaper now than they were 30 years ago - and that's without factoring in inflation.

This is all perfectly normal, OP, so there's no need to use emotive words like "extortionate".

I live 'over the channel'. Houses are cheaper here, as is electricity. Everything else? No. Higher taxes on income, insurance for healthcare, tax on savings, food more expensive, used cars cost more, DIY stuff more expensive

You do realise $6 is approximately £4?

I think the council tax system is really bad. That everyone has to pay council tax every month. And there's no escape from jt

I lived in Ireland. There is no council tax.

You pay to get your bins collected but that cost me 20 euro per month.

Council tax in the UK is often 100 pounds plus per month

Of course, your NHS experience is valid, and I genuinely happy for you that it was good, but until everyone can say the same, we have a huge problem.

I've lived in Spain during the summer. It doesn't always have blistering heatwaves in the summer. I was able to go out and about as normal during the summer.

Spain is lovely to live in

The irony of this poster harping on about standards of education. As for ASD assessments, look at the explosion in the last 10yrs of people wanting to be assessed and then think about the increase needed in qualified staff to be able to assess these and the backlog. There are so many unfilled vacancies within the NHS and the answer is not to pay more.

I believe this country is rich.
Just walk down the street and look at the roads and pavements, the fact there is bin collection weekly, you can go to the doctors for advice and medicine, your child goes to school for free, you can learn whatever you want to learn about, we have libraries, post services, fire service.
Yes, other countries may run these services better; but if you're feeling like the UK is shite, try going to poor countries and gaining some perspective.

But with climate change, the better weather is not always a positive.

And in a lot of European countries which have better summer temperatures, the winters are often much colder than ours.

Yes, it's fine to have a moan, and if the OP had said "tell me all the ways you think the UK has declined in recent years, I would have given an example of that, but she didn't, she specifically said "Please regale me with examples of how other places are also shit and it's not just here". I gave an example.

Yes, the UK isn't perfect, and if you are comparing UK living standards now to UK living standard 5 or 6 years ago, I'm sure a lot more people are struggling now, but if you are comparing living conditions internationally, I think on balance, the living conditions here really aren't all that bad.

@ChampaignSupernova yes yes.

Most people don't see the real failure of life - capitalism.

Our education system takes children at 4 years old - moves them indoors away from nature, away from the space they need to play - which is how children evolved to learn and develop and thrive - and in particular learn social relationships - and sits them down. We take them away from the climbing, jumping, imaginary games that are so vital for their wellbeing - and we force them through ridiculous cirriculums -

The year 6 'spag' ?? please. what a load of total shit. I am a writer - I think it's a load of pointless, tedious shit - kids would literally be better off running around building dens and making friends and having adventures.

We know that being sedentary is a major health risk - yet we have created a sedentary childhood.

Children are suffering - and for what? so they can 'pass exams' - and then sit down all day as adults.

we have lost our minds.

Problem is say in Spain you can go to the beach, play in your garden or the park etc...

You are idealising it! Spain in summer has blistering heatwaves where people are told to remain indoors and run expensive air con. There are water shortages meaning bans on refilling pools are not unusual. A massive proportion of spaniards don't live near the beach. The public parks are no better than ours. The uk has many fantastic beaches - devon/cornwall/dorset, somerset & wales, sussex, norfolk, the north east, scottish islands... take your pick!

My children play in the garden and the park year round. They wear coats and wellies. British weather is mild year round.

I've lived in other countries and I've lived in the UK.

I do personally think that the UK has a quite a low quality of life compared to some other countries.

No, I think it varies and some people genuinely have a good experience. Depends on area and the specific need.

I've had three years of cancer care and it's been superb. I have health insurance but they couldn't come close to what the NHS offered.

For me, I agree that London is dirty, ludicrously expensive and pretty miserable. But I live in rural Hampshire and here it is still possible to find a decent flat, and live a good life on the average salary.

I live in the EU and I would say it is also very expensive. I wouldn‘t say its shyte though.
When I come back to UK for holiday it looks scruffier each time. Litter, depressed looking people. I do get where you’re coming from.
I do think that once the generation that voted for Brexit dies there will be a lot more gnashing of teeth.
The world is in an economic slump but UK has certainly made it worse.

In Spanish hospitals relatives have to do much of the non medical care.

OP isn’t asking for examples of things that are better though is she? 🤷‍♀️

Yeah but the UK has shitter weather! I just escaped the UK to go to Spain for a week.

I felt so much happier the minute I landed here.

Sun is so necessary for our wellbeing

It is not as bad as the eighties. We had soaring unemployment with some places being absolute shitholes. We do have the impact of a lack of investment in infrastructure we had back then as the Tories always do this.

Nope, it usually nearer to 11/12.
My 9 year old was referred at 8 for an initial assessment as she had hypodontia, and seen within about 3 months for an initial assessment as she has complex dental needs

I agree with you. We frequently stay in a small city in The Netherlands.

Active, cycling nation, all ages.
Quality, thriving high streets. Superb range of busy shops, beautiful clothing.

Market squares, packed cafes, with outdoor seating.
Quality food and plant/flower markets. The flowers/prices so good. Lovely to see people buying big bunches for their homes.
Quality food in restaurants, locally brewed beers with thriving tap rooms.
Stylish houses and furniture.

Brilliant public transport.

We have been visiting for a number of years and I always thought it was more expensive than here, especially for meals out. Thus last visit our meal prices are the same if not more and the quality far less.

I agree it does feel very doom and gloom and is expensive.

Whilst I appreciate the fact we have free health care and education I can't help but think humans have got it all wrong. We literally send kids out to school to spend most of their life sat behind a desk when they should be physically moving more and outside more only to then March them into uni with a promise if a grand future. They then leave uni only to find debt, extortionate house prices and a life time of hearing about how the NHS is broken, schools are broken, the criminal justice system is broken, the asylum system is broken, councils have no money so more essential services are cut, government bleating on about how we need to make cuts but demand more from the ever crumbling public sector. I don't have any of the answers but life is certainly bleak and it's difficult to believe it will get any better. I genuinely think the biggest change to everybody's life would be if house prices were capped at a reasonable rate. I know it will never happen as home owners property would decrease and blah blah but it truly would make life more bare able for many if rent and mortgages were cheaper than they are.

🙄

It really isn't just here, but you can only judge it from your own experience. I have friends in France, the Netherlands and the US and they're all also depressed by what they see as their countries going backwards (all blame government mis-management).
We've had 14 years of Tory austerity and even if we can manage to "keep the faith" with the current government, it's going to take years for them to turn the tanker around. Anyone who has barely any more income than expenses will agree with you. (Those of us who are managing won't, but I don't think an "I'm alright Jack" response will help you.)
I think you need to deal in facts. Doing a quick internet search brought up results which were split 50/50 as to whether the cost of living is higher in the UK or France. The only thing they agree upon is that if rent is included, the cost of living in the UK is higher than in France (so no surprises about our dire housing situation, but food is cheaper in the UK). Again, people who rent probably feel more of the burden - and less control - than homeowners.
Right now, I'd rather live in the UK than anywhere else (even with fecking Brexit!). Just watch the news each night, with what's happening in eastern Europe and the Middle East and think yourself lucky. We have one thing in the UK which is priceless: relative peace.