To think the UK is in terminal decline

Also the expansion of unis meaning loads of family homes converted into student accommodation, worsening housing shortages in uni towns.

And holiday let’s and air bnb likewise taking away residences from the market.

Touristy uni towns have the double whammy with huge numbers of homes no longer being lived in as long term homes causing awful local housing shortages and very high housing costs due to supply and demand.

Because the population is increasing faster than we're building houses. Basic supply and demand. And birth rates are dropping, so population isn't increasing because of that.

The UK has been in terminal decline for about 50 years. The country has been asset stripped by successive governments all trying to balance the national books by taking a short cut. We have near enough no major industry left - we don't produce or make anything for ourselves. Totally dependent on imported goods now, even basic necessities like food we aren't capable of being self sufficient.

I don’t think it’s planning policy -it’s also increasing population -and many divorces, people living longer, people not choosing to live in extended families.
How many old people live alone and on into their 90s. I’m 70, pop when I was young was 50 million now it’s approaching 70 million. My DGPs died at 58, 65, 82, 78. It suits house builders to keep prices high. Houses are being built everywhere I look but we need millions.

Not sure what you mean. I'm not arguing anything or making much of a point about moving really. What I'm saying is that if I could I'd move and work somewhere else, as I have done in my younger years. Time and age is not on our side now but likely will be for our kids and we would encourage it and hope they have the choice and ability to do so. This country is not showing many prospects for my kids in the future and that is very disappointing and worrying for me as a parent.

Because planning policy is so restrictive. if you have an owned house then it is in your own interest to prevent other new houses being built nearby because it would spoil your views and decrease the value of your own house.

Pick up a local paper when there is a photo of a local protest about a new housing development and I will guarantee that the vast majority if not all the protesters will be home owners.

Why do the houses have to be so b***dy expensive.

That's a nice zen perspective, but it doesn't take account of the financial reality facing people under 40.

I'm 'tapping 60' too and see my DCs facing financial pressures that I did not. ExH and I bought a nice house in a nice area on one average income. Thst house would now require two well above average incomes to buy.

My parents bought a house in the 1960s for £4000. It is now worth north of £700k, with only some small modifications done. That is many ticks above inflation. It used to be a neighbourhood of stay at home mothers and children playing in the gardens all day.. The children who now live in the neighbourhood spend their days in childcare. The beautiful big gardens are quiet as the grave.

Many young people have resigned themselves to never owning their own home, and even more problematic, never having children, simply because they can't afford them.

There's much more than a generational diivide at play. Those who can make a great starting salary upon graduation have an enormous advantage over those who don't. Those who can play real life Monopoly with buy to let properties have security that their peers will never have. Security is key - so many on zero hours contracts or low pay will never have it. It is the great divider.

@Hopper123 It does seem to me that you are arguing why not to do something (moving to another country) rather than arguing to do something.

I’m a Millennial and broadly speaking I agree with you.

In my social circle a lot of people complaint about not being able to afford a house, but what they mean is they can’t afford a house or flat that is exactly what they want - something fashionable and in a fashionable place. The ones who have bought something a little tired have spent £££ ripping out perfectly good and neutral bathroom/kitchen suites to replace them with something high tech and expensive, only to complain they’re skint.

Similarly with clothes - everything is North Face, Nike etc they would never buy clothes from supermarket brands or cheaper shops.

They’re all very self conscious and the thought of putting up with something a bit dated or uncool for a while to save money doesn’t seem to occur to them.

They’re not wrong, sorry. It’s great you’ve done so well for yourself but you’re not the norm.

I agree. It also keeps the unemployment levels down and turns the universities into businesses with a bums on seat rather than suitability and love of learning.

I suppose you could argue it opened it up to more people rather than a few but what a con for a lot and more debt

Funny joke, you're hilarious. When the only point you can pick on is the trials of typing on a phone keyboard you know you're out of steam.

But it's not the fault of today's young that the World has changed and degrees are now regarded as basic requirements for most half decent jobs! It's not the students who've driven the rise in university educations, it's the politicians - Blair's stupid 50% target, and employers ever increasing minimum requirements to "screen out" huge numbers of applicants for no real business reason in lots of cases - just to cut the numbers of applicants they have to sift through - a very lazy way of doing it.

So, again, young are suffering at the hands of older people as it's "older people" who've made those decisions. Obviously not all old people, but to the young, they just see yet another area where the old have screwed the young. The old didn't have to go to uni to get a good job, even if they did go, they weren't landed with £50k of debt, etc.

This is, in part, because of how each generation measures it's wealth. We all value things we see as being elusive. That happens in every generation, as the world changes. You see the things the previous generations have, that were the pinnacle of their achievement, and don't see the accoutrements of your own generation that are of equal but different value. We all do it, it's a life stage we only appreciate as we get to the last one

For me, tapping 60, I am wealthy because I don't fear going without food, clothing, as I did when I was a child and again when I first left home, and can see how to save money for basics, bills etc divesting myself of things like phone and TV contracts, online shopping, new anything. I have been in this situation for less than a decade, which is the norm for almost everyone I know of my age

For the young adults I used to teach they fear not owning houses, not being able to rent a house. House share, bedsits etc are no longer the first step to independence and those things I consider luxuries are how many keep in touch with the world around them, so they are, for them, essential. So many seem to look at previous generations and think we have always had what we world for 40+ years to achieve and they want it... right now. Or rather they measure their own lack against that

I imagine my grandparents were as bemused by my priorities, basic needs.

I don't believe it is harder for the youth of today than it was for me or any other previous generation. It's equally as hard but in very different ways because the world has moved on exponentially since the end of WWII.

Add to all of that the change in communication and the very different perspective on how we can and cannot talk to each other, what sensitivities we are obliged to consider at every turn, the seeming lack of critical thinking engendered by this, it's hardly surprising that a very definite divide has been grown by those who need it, as in divide and conquer.

I wholly appreciate that many will read this and hear a patronising voice, divorced from reality, with no understanding or empathy for younger generations

I'd just remind you that you have no understanding of the world I grew up in and do not hear my words in the way I say them

It's a generational divide that has always existed, time will give you a better understanding as it is absolutely guaranteed that your grandkids will think of you in pretty much the same way you view me, my generation... and they won't hear you when you try to explain either

The Tories didn't make the drastic changes that needed to happen. Sunak was just a puppet of the back-room "money men". Didn't do a single thing good for the country or our population - it was ALL about what was good for the background billionaires - the ones who pulled the strings to get him into power as the PM in the first place - remember he never won a leadership election - he got in power because the people behind the scenes leaned on prospective challengers not to stand against him!

Before him, Boris was just a baffoon. Truss got in because the members didn't want Sunak, etc etc. The only recent one who actually tried to do the best for the country was Teresa May but the MPs kept voting against her!

Yes but 50 years ago they wouldn't have needed to go to University, they could have left school at 16 and got a good job.

I agree 100%

Basic language skills you say?

Yes. I'm contemplating learning Mandarin and advising the younger generations in our family to do the same.

They did, the Conservative Party lost the election. Unfortunately they left a trail of destruction and privatisation of public services behind them (or rather them and their mates took it with them - investment company ownership of care homes, nurseries, water, electricity etc - big buck shareholder payouts whilst our fees and charges go up)

I definitely think the death penalty should be brought back and not just for murder. There are many chronic offenders that are constantly in and out of prison and who will never contribute anything to society.

People should be paid for that, if it's an essential task. What you're describing sounds like workfare, which didn't go down well

But I would like to see some social contract between society and benefit claimants eg expectation of voluntary work for the "nice to have" stuff, or education to improve their prospects of getting paid employment

I do wonder if somebody will decide that savings can be made by reintroducing the death penalty, in years to come.

It would only save money if it was a quick
process eg a few months after their sentence. Instead it would take years with loads of legal challenges.

We have absolutely no chance when it comes to China, India and possibly Africa, if they ever have their day.

Just their attitude towards education and self development absolutely trumps ours

@CanadianJohn yes that's correct it's really generous!