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AIBU?

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Seriously thinking about leaving the UK - AIBU?

586 replies

HonoraBridge · 28/03/2025 16:31

I love the UK in many ways but it has been going downhill for at least 20 years and it feels as if the speed of the decline is accelerating. I no longer see a happy, or particularly safe, future here. For the first time in my life, I am very seriously thinking about leaving the UK and that feeling gets stronger day by day. When I mention this to friends, many are feeling the same way. YANBU - you are right to think seriously about leaving the UK. YABU - the UK is a still a great country to live in and you are being unreasonable to want to leave.

OP posts:
Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 14:46

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 14:41

The person said 'Scotland to England'. Edinburgh is in Scotland and Newcastle is in England.

And no it would not cost £300 to travel from Edinburgh to London, except perhaps if you insist on first class and book last minute on a busy day. I know people who travel that route frequently and they don't spend anything like that much.

Anyway the conversation is silly and off topic so I'll leave it there.

No you are wrong. It definitely could be 300 pounds for a return ticket from edinburgh to london. Easily.

I got a train from London to Norwich a while ago. The distance is two hours on the train.

A One way ticket, not first class, booked way ahead of time, cost me 100 pounds.

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 14:43

Most people just get Saturday and sunday off work.

The difference is this: say if you are living in Milan, Italy.

You can get a cheap train from Milan to Switzerland on Saturday, and spend the weekend there easily.

If you live in London for example and you want to go to france for the weekend, you either have to pay huge money for the eurostar, or you have to spend a lot of time getting through two aiports - to spend a couple of hours in france.

It is more difficult to travel from the UK, and i just find it makes life more difficult.

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 14:41

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 14:37

Edinburgh and newcastle are only one hour away from each other.

If you got the train from edinburgh to london it probably would cost 300 pounds

The person said 'Scotland to England'. Edinburgh is in Scotland and Newcastle is in England.

And no it would not cost £300 to travel from Edinburgh to London, except perhaps if you insist on first class and book last minute on a busy day. I know people who travel that route frequently and they don't spend anything like that much.

Anyway the conversation is silly and off topic so I'll leave it there.

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 14:40

Eurostar , England to France is definitely over 300 pounds. I just checked it

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 14:37

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 14:33

You can only travel cheaply by train if you're living close to your destination. £30 isn't going to take you very far anywhere in Europe.

And I don't know where you're getting your figures from. I recently took a return train from Edinburgh to Newcastle for about £50. Full fare, booked on the day of travel. I thought that was pricey enough but saying it costs £300 is just silly.

And the idea that people are more 'hospitable' because of (supposedly) cheap international train travel? I don't know where to start with that one.

Edinburgh and newcastle are only one hour away from each other.

If you got the train from edinburgh to london it probably would cost 300 pounds

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 14:33

Crazyworldmum · 12/07/2025 14:28

You don’t understand ? Yes it’s connected but in Spain Portugal etc you can get trains for 30 euros to go to other countries , here from Scotland to England is £300 . In the continent is much easier to travel freely , that’s what the person above is trying to explain . With that comes people being a lot more hospitable and used to others .

You can only travel cheaply by train if you're living close to your destination. £30 isn't going to take you very far anywhere in Europe.

And I don't know where you're getting your figures from. I recently took a return train from Edinburgh to Newcastle for about £50. Full fare, booked on the day of travel. I thought that was pricey enough but saying it costs £300 is just silly.

And the idea that people are more 'hospitable' because of (supposedly) cheap international train travel? I don't know where to start with that one.

Crazyworldmum · 12/07/2025 14:28

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 11:59

I don't understand this post.

The UK is one of the best connected countries in Europe, home to one of the world's busiest airports and with several other major international airports.

To read your posts, you'd swear this was North Korea!

You don’t understand ? Yes it’s connected but in Spain Portugal etc you can get trains for 30 euros to go to other countries , here from Scotland to England is £300 . In the continent is much easier to travel freely , that’s what the person above is trying to explain . With that comes people being a lot more hospitable and used to others .

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 12:43

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 12:40

It is nonsense. It's a demonstrable fact that Britain has excellent transport connections throughout Europe and the globe.

As for Brexit, maybe start a different thread instead of trying to drag this one off topic.

I started my point by saying the UK is isolated.

I used Brexit as an example of how the UK is EXTREMELY isolated.

It is much harder for people to now move and work in other countries.

So talking about brexit stayed on my point. It didn't go off topic at l.

Why are you so angry and defensive?

You do realise that you are on a thread where
the OP says that she wants to leave the UK?

People are allowed to want to leave the UK.

I also want to leave the U.K
at the end of this year. For the reasons that I mentioned above.

I hate the feeling of isolation in this country.

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 12:40

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 12:33

Its not nonsense at all.

What about Brexit? Brexit has alos made the UK much more isolated from the rest of Europe.

I have an English friend and an Irish friend, who both went to teach English in Spain.

My Irish friend just got a job and moved there.

My English friend told me that he has had an absolute nightmare getting a visa and getting the paperwork sorted to move there.

It is nonsense. It's a demonstrable fact that Britain has excellent transport connections throughout Europe and the globe.

As for Brexit, maybe start a different thread instead of trying to drag this one off topic.

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 12:33

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 12:29

Lets talk about train travel. Do you agree that otber countries in Europe are better connected by train, than the U.K. is?

Well, given that Britain is an island then yeah.

But I don't think it's that relevant as most international travel is done by air, and Britain is probably the best connected country in Europe in that respect. If you live in or near any major British city you can be pretty much anywhere in Europe within a few hours, and as I said above, Britain has excellent connections to the entire world.

So claiming that Britain is 'isolated' is just nonsense really.

Its not nonsense at all.

What about Brexit? Brexit has alos made the UK much more isolated from the rest of Europe.

I have an English friend and an Irish friend, who both went to teach English in Spain.

My Irish friend just got a job and moved there.

My English friend told me that he has had an absolute nightmare getting a visa and getting the paperwork sorted to move there.

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 12:29

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 12:24

"I am not sure if you have heard of this thing called air travel".

How pompous of you.

Seeing as I mentioned air travel in my post, you could probably deduce, that I have heard about it.

Lets talk about train travel. Do you agree that otber countries in Europe are better connected by train, than the U.K. is?

The other thing that makes the U.K. extremely isolated, is Brexit.

Lets talk about train travel. Do you agree that otber countries in Europe are better connected by train, than the U.K. is?

Well, given that Britain is an island then yeah.

But I don't think it's that relevant as most international travel is done by air, and Britain is probably the best connected country in Europe in that respect. If you live in or near any major British city you can be pretty much anywhere in Europe within a few hours, and as I said above, Britain has excellent connections to the entire world.

So claiming that Britain is 'isolated' is just nonsense really.

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 12:24

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 12:10

How on earth is it the best connected.
It is an island!

I'm not sure if you've heard of this thing known as air travel? It's by far the most popular means of international travel. Has been for a while now.

Not to mention that there's quite literally a whole world out there outside Europe, and Britain is very well connected to the US, Australia and beyond.

Flights out of of the Uk are also very expensive.

Are you just making stuff up?

Why would the country which has more international air traffic than anywhere else in Europe have more expensive flights?

"I am not sure if you have heard of this thing called air travel".

How pompous of you.

Seeing as I mentioned air travel in my post, you could probably deduce, that I have heard about it.

Lets talk about train travel. Do you agree that otber countries in Europe are better connected by train, than the U.K. is?

The other thing that makes the U.K. extremely isolated, is Brexit.

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 12:10

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 12:02

How on earth is it the best connected.

It is an island!

How on earth could it be the best connected country in europe.

You can get extremeley cheap and quick trains between mainland European ountries.

There is ONLY one train that connects the UK with the rest of Europe, and that one train (Eurostar) is extremely expensive. I was shocked at the price of it.

Flights out of of the Uk are also very expensive.

So tell me, how is the UK well connected to other countries by land and air?

How on earth is it the best connected.
It is an island!

I'm not sure if you've heard of this thing known as air travel? It's by far the most popular means of international travel. Has been for a while now.

Not to mention that there's quite literally a whole world out there outside Europe, and Britain is very well connected to the US, Australia and beyond.

Flights out of of the Uk are also very expensive.

Are you just making stuff up?

Why would the country which has more international air traffic than anywhere else in Europe have more expensive flights?

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 12:02

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 11:59

I don't understand this post.

The UK is one of the best connected countries in Europe, home to one of the world's busiest airports and with several other major international airports.

To read your posts, you'd swear this was North Korea!

How on earth is it the best connected.

It is an island!

How on earth could it be the best connected country in europe.

You can get extremeley cheap and quick trains between mainland European ountries.

There is ONLY one train that connects the UK with the rest of Europe, and that one train (Eurostar) is extremely expensive. I was shocked at the price of it.

Flights out of of the Uk are also very expensive.

So tell me, how is the UK well connected to other countries by land and air?

IcedPurple · 12/07/2025 11:59

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 10:51

I think the worst thing about the U.K. for me is the feeling of isolation. And the cost to get anywhere else

I have lived in other countries in the EU. I have dual nationality. UK and EU passport.

In the EU, you feel so much more connected to other countries.

When i lived in Milan, Italy, I could get a very cheap train up to Switzerland at the weekend. I believe the train was about 30 euro return, or less

I also remember that flights between EU countries were so much more cheaper, than flights from the UK to the EU

Now, I am back working in the UK for a while.

I feel trapped and isolated here. We are so far from anywhere else and it is difficult to get anywhere else.

I remember getting a flight from italy to spain for 40 euro.

I looked at flight prices from london gatwick to spain and they were showing as 300 pounds, one way!

The eurostar to France - i looked it up, it is also showing as 350 pounds! So there is no hopping over to france for a weekend on a train - as it would not be worth the huge price

The feeling of real isolation in the UK, is what makes me unhappy here.

Edited

I don't understand this post.

The UK is one of the best connected countries in Europe, home to one of the world's busiest airports and with several other major international airports.

To read your posts, you'd swear this was North Korea!

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 10:56

The other thing that I find diffcult about England, in my opinion, that a lot of people can be rude and unfriendly here.

It probably stems from how isolated the country is.

In other countries in the EU, where people are much more connected with each other, people are much more friendly. As they are used to being very connected.

Kellyklara · 12/07/2025 10:51

I think the worst thing about the U.K. for me is the feeling of isolation. And the cost to get anywhere else

I have lived in other countries in the EU. I have dual nationality. UK and EU passport.

In the EU, you feel so much more connected to other countries.

When i lived in Milan, Italy, I could get a very cheap train up to Switzerland at the weekend. I believe the train was about 30 euro return, or less

I also remember that flights between EU countries were so much more cheaper, than flights from the UK to the EU

Now, I am back working in the UK for a while.

I feel trapped and isolated here. We are so far from anywhere else and it is difficult to get anywhere else.

I remember getting a flight from italy to spain for 40 euro.

I looked at flight prices from london gatwick to spain and they were showing as 300 pounds, one way!

The eurostar to France - i looked it up, it is also showing as 350 pounds! So there is no hopping over to france for a weekend on a train - as it would not be worth the huge price

The feeling of real isolation in the UK, is what makes me unhappy here.

vodkaredbullgirl · 01/06/2025 19:39

Joloman74 · 01/06/2025 19:13

So people, I have a dilemma and need some advice. I rent a flat above a shop and the shop owner is my landlady. I've lived here for about 2 years and everything has been great. Over the last couple of months however, I have noticed that said business are using my bins for disposal of their rubbish. On one occasion they had filled up my recycling bin with there waste and left no room for mine. The other day was bin collection day but I didn't put my bins out as they were only half full. I noticed out the window that one of the employees had put my bins out so that they could dispose of some large cardboard boxes and once my bins had been emptied, they had placed more of there waste from the business in the bottom of my bin. I'm actually furious about it, they have Never asked me if it's OK and because my landlady owns the shop I feel like they think they have a right. I don't want to upset my landlady for obvious reasons but at the same time I'm furious and want to say something. What would you do and what would you say? Please help, it's causing me so much frustration and anger. Thankyou in advance for any help X

Start your own thread, might get more answers.

Joloman74 · 01/06/2025 19:13

So people, I have a dilemma and need some advice. I rent a flat above a shop and the shop owner is my landlady. I've lived here for about 2 years and everything has been great. Over the last couple of months however, I have noticed that said business are using my bins for disposal of their rubbish. On one occasion they had filled up my recycling bin with there waste and left no room for mine. The other day was bin collection day but I didn't put my bins out as they were only half full. I noticed out the window that one of the employees had put my bins out so that they could dispose of some large cardboard boxes and once my bins had been emptied, they had placed more of there waste from the business in the bottom of my bin. I'm actually furious about it, they have Never asked me if it's OK and because my landlady owns the shop I feel like they think they have a right. I don't want to upset my landlady for obvious reasons but at the same time I'm furious and want to say something. What would you do and what would you say? Please help, it's causing me so much frustration and anger. Thankyou in advance for any help X

deadpantrashcan · 03/05/2025 16:33

BatchCookBabe · 28/03/2025 17:06

This. ^ The rose tinted spectacles that some people wear, and the fantasy world they live in is quite shocking. 'Oh the UK is shit, I'm off to live in Paris, LA, Bangkok, Sydney, Stockholm etc etc etc...' Like life is going to be soooooooo much better there. Upshot is, it's unlikely to be any better in any other country than it is in the UK, and in some countries it will be worse!

I lived in Bangkok for many years and can confirm life was “sooooo” much better there. I moved back here for different job opportunities, but will eventually move back. Fantasy world? Where else have you lived that makes you think these are just rose tinted spectacles?

deadpantrashcan · 03/05/2025 16:23

Absolutely go for it. I moved back a few years ago after seven years abroad. I’d seriously forgotten how dismal it is here. Looking to leave asap.

Audiprettier · 26/04/2025 12:54

BatchCookBabe · 28/03/2025 16:46

Ah .... the monthly 'UK bashing' thread! Wink

Good luck with that. (Leaving the UK!) One question... How do you know your country of choice will want you though?

Bit presumptuous to assume that you can just stroll off and make a new life just anywhere @HonoraBridge

You won't leave. I will bet my house on that. The vast majority of UK bashers, (who were born and raised her,) who claim they're off to another country as the UK is so 'shit,' are all talk......

Weird how the UK is so 'despised' by some of its own people, yet 1000s and 1000s of people from other countries, seem to be desperate to come here and stay. Go figure!

The UK has been through worse times than this. These kinds of threads make me roll my eyes, seriously. 🙄

Edited

People come here for the freebies (& soft justice system!).
Haven't you noticed!!?!

Walkaround · 01/04/2025 17:43

AzurePanda · 01/04/2025 09:40

On that we agree - globalisation has been very damaging for workers. I forgot to add in net zero which has left the UK with energy prices 5 x higher than the USA. This is a disaster for everyone but particularly the less well off.

Globalisation hasn’t been damaging for all workers. It has helped hugely to raise living standards in Asia. If people are agreeing that the only way out of the mess is for all countries in the world to co-operate to get us out of the shithole caused by most of the wealth and power being held in a small number of private hands, out of the reach of the vast majority of global citizens whether or not they live in democratic countries, then they should stop arguing that globalisation is the problem, rather than that the concentration of the world’s wealth and power into a tiny number of malevolent hands is the problem.

So - do people think countries should co-operate more or less? Be more global or more insular? Do we really think that if countries cease to even attempt to co-operate globally on climate change, mass migration, quality of life for all humans on the planet, etc, that these problems will go away? Or are they secretly yearning for a return to the historical status quo of regular warfare, epidemic and famine in every country of the world? I can see why the US might find that appealing, given that its wealth is founded on the massive financial profit it made from WW1 and WW2, but I really don’t see the benefit in that to Europe or to democracy.

And if immigrants really are pouring unsustainably into the US and Europe, there are reasons for that which are not fixed by pretending those reasons don’t exist and don’t affect us if we don’t want them to, and that all we need to do is tell the immigrants we don’t want to piss off, or to fly them home - or possibly, eventually, just shoot them.

Mirabai · 01/04/2025 17:28

Helterskelterthroughtheday · 01/04/2025 16:20

That depends on your age doesn't it. They don't ask for predicted income over an extended period, just that you have enough money to not be a burden on the state coming in regularly. You don't have to have 500k or 750k in investments/savings in order to get a visa.

@hydriotaphia it is true.

It depends whether you’re working or not. If your working you need 31k pa

If you’re not working you need a minimum income of ~ 22k pa (42k for a couple). You need to prove of income to get a visa.

If you only wanted to stay for a couple of years say you’d need to show you had savings to cover your income for your stay - so 2 years x minimum wage ~ 22k pa = 44k.

Helterskelterthroughtheday · 01/04/2025 16:20

Mirabai · 01/04/2025 15:17

For a long stay visa in France you need just under €22k pa minimum income. For a work visa it’s around €31k.

So you’d need investment of min 750k if not working.

That depends on your age doesn't it. They don't ask for predicted income over an extended period, just that you have enough money to not be a burden on the state coming in regularly. You don't have to have 500k or 750k in investments/savings in order to get a visa.

@hydriotaphia it is true.