Seriously thinking about leaving the UK - AIBU?

@Supporthelittleguys no its not, as it's not in the EU. (That's literally the whole reason I left in 2020).

The UK has never been through these levels of migration from alien (non-Commonwealth countries).

@theDudesmummy it is, second to Germany.

How many of the 54% are children as well…

Eh? I am sorry, Scotland turned to shit in the last 20 years - my relatives still live in Darnley (South Side of Glasgow) and I visit often. From Glasgow Airport to the Hurlet roundabout the motorway (same road that most participants had to drive through to get to the famous Climate Change event) is strewn with rubbish, including discarded fridges and armchairs, this was the case when Glasgow was welcoming the Climate Change Summit. You can't see the grass for plastic bottles, cardboard, etc. Roads look like Beirut roads after a bombing, Glasgow town centre is full of foreigners during day time, and Southside is full of Romanians who beg and sell the Big Issue. The pavements are full of dog shit - and this is Sauchiehall Street. High Street is dead, etc. etc. I don't recognise Scotland anymore. Even my childhood holiday Isle of Bute is full of Syrians, who were supposed to go home after they overthrow Assad - but they stay firmly in place. About you feeling at home in Scotland, you being born in East Anglia - you have no idea of the hatred of the English, this is all I have to say. And this anti-English hatred is not being addressed in a way that all other types of hate crimes are addressed. It is shocking.

I know someone who sold up and moved to Spain about 10 years ago. I know he would like to come back but he's priced out property wise. He's dating and hoping that pooling resources with a companion can get him back to somewhere he wants to live. I don't want to make him sound mercenary. He's a lovely guy and I think he hopes that he can find the right person and share a future in the UK.

The UK can't be the second biggest economy in the EU!

As a Brit currently in the US (through no choice of my own!), I would sell one of my less vital organs to get out of this hellscape and back to Blighty.
The U.K. has its problems. Of course it does. But I’ve never experienced the utter chaos that is happening here since the election in January. We aren’t in a position where we are able to just leave and come home whenever we want to - my DH is active duty military, so we go where they tell us to go. Currently trying to pull every string possible to get the fuck out of dodge and back to the U.K. or any of the other US bases in Europe. Anywhere but here.

The uk is still the 6th largest economy in the world and 2nd in the EU. Plus I’m English, I was born here, I live here it’s my home… when the going gets tough and all that…

Where did the OP go?!

YANBU to consider this, you are possibly BU to believe that another country would want you! It’s just not that simple, however much wishful thinking is involved.

Exactly - would abroad want to have you?

Having lived abroad in EU for 20 years - it's all a bit same shit different country. All countries have their issues. In Belgium we have huge amounts of tax and high living costs. That is mitigated by cheap child care and health care maybe but it's still racist, there is still knife crime. If you don't speak the language managing the high level of bureaucracy and even simple things like getting your hair cut is much harder. Poor provision for SN education or disabled people. We have talked about retiring to Italy or Spain. We once thought of rural France but came to realise that is such a bad idea as rural France is nice for 2 weeks holiday but not to live. A lot of southern Europe is starting to really suffer the effects of climate change - flooding, fires, extreme temperatures etc. And Italy and Spain will tax you even more. Netherlands has a housing crisis and a lot of far right shit. We want to buy a retirement house and in fact UK is currently top of the list.. Back to family and life long friends. And Marks and Spencer, country pubs, whelks by the sea, real food diversity...It's not perfect of course not, but nowhere is perfect. Healthcare is the one thing that puts me off. Here we can get a same day GP appointment, easy referrals, see a dentist etc From what I can see, it very much depends where you live in UK if these things are good or terrible.

We didn't leave because the UK is "shit", everywhere has its problems. We left to get our EU freedom of movement and other rights back, especially for our son.

I was going to say go for it but then read this and yeh you have a point.

Op the pp is right, moving requires a positive attitude. Go for it if you think you can set up a new life.

Can you share why you feel this is better than the UK what are the major benefits ( other than sunshine ) 😊

And in the UK disabled people are being shamed and reduced to starvation 🙈

Your options are limited if you don't have an EU passport or US Green Card.

And I certainly wouldn't want to move to the US right now.

Will you be eligible for health care/ schools etc?

Eligible? If you have the money, of course!

Nothing comes free in life.

54% of the UK pay no tax.

Not true.

"What proportion of people do not pay income tax today?

While we already have taxpayer data for the 2024-25 fiscal year, the population data is more delayed. The most recent data from the ONS, as cited above, showed there were 55.8 million people aged 16 and above in mid-2023.

Comparing that with the 2023-24 taxpayer data, which showed 36.2 million income tax payers, it implies that 35.11% of adults did not pay income tax that year.

If stripping out those of pension age we are left with 27.9 million income tax payers out of a population of 42.9 million people who are aged 16-64. That means that among those aged 16-64 around 34.91% of the population did not pay income tax."

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/institute-for-fiscal-studies-office-for-national-statistics-gov-uk-people-tax-b2637292.html

Meanwhile crime just increases.

Not true.

"As of 2024, violence, burglary and car crime have been declining for 30 years and by close to 90%, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) – our best indicator of true crime levels"

theconversation.com/most-crime-has-fallen-by-90-in-30-years-so-why-does-the-public-think-its-increased-228797

Those who don't have their own oil and gas are screwed. Norway will probably be fine.

This utopia sounds wonderful - where is it ?

Perhaps I could move and get the therapy I am still waiting on.

The UK is broken. 54% of the UK pay no tax.

How many of these are pensioners? We have an aging population