Seriously thinking about leaving the UK

I wouldn’t move anywhere where I didn’t speak the language fluently, so that would limit me to US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, African countries where English is the first language, and ex pat hell holes like Dubai.

None of those places particularly appeals currently. I’ve always loved the US but wouldn’t move there given the direction of travel politically. Oceania is too far away and feels a bit dull. Africa too hot. Canada is probably the best of the bunch.

If language wasn’t an issue, I’d look seriously at Denmark or Norway.

I say give it a go, but keep a property here (rent it out while you're away), because you never know what life might throw at you - elderly parents needing you to come back to look after them, grandchildren you want to spend time with, anything.

As someone who has worked in elderly care for over 15 years you'll be surprised how many people suddenly decide they want to move back to the UK once they start having health/mobility issues.

In many European countries care is given by relatives, there just isn't the same social services that we have here for elderly people who need help.

My PIL moved abroad when they retired for a better quality of life. They enjoyed it. But MIL is now on her own and she regrets not having a close relationship with her grandkids. She talks about moving back but would struggle to afford it given respective property prices.

Utopia on a 3 week holiday, but to live there it is extremely eye watering level expensive (as is the rest of the world) there is a massive housing crisis, a lot of the healthcare systems are on their knees. A few reddit posts on just how terribly grim it is to work for NSW health and QLD health is in total crisis!
The weather is amazing for a short holiday, but extremely humidity and heat gets tiring, they also get A LOT of rain.
There is a sleazy, seedy undertone, misogyny is absolutely rife in everyday life, just look at the domestic abuse levels. Youth crime is a massive massive problem, as is home/car break ins.
Racism and homophobia are real issues too.

Nowhere in the world is perfect but id say 6 weeks in to our trip we still thought it was paradise, however add another month on top of that we really began to settle in to "normal" life and see what it was like day to day.
The locals are very very annoyed over the massive housing crisis, cost of living, stories of long wait times for surgeries etc...under the surface of it all it has all of the problems that the UK has, it just has more sunny days.

I agree. Good riddance

Which countries look most feasible OP, in terms of requirements to get permission to stay?

I think it is almost everywhere now, I do understand how you feel though. I have just got home from a nice lunch in town and the state of our city centre now is shameful and as for the area I live in, well less said about that the better. I fantasise about living somewhere less dirty, less noisy, less scar. y (my city has had a spate of stabbings and machette attacks in broad daylight in areas crowded with people and it can feel unsafe even in the daytime) and people seem harassed and more aggressive lately. I think you have to be fairly wealth these days to get some peace away from the pressure of modern life so it is not a realistic prospect for most . If you can afford it and you have a specific place in mind that you know will be pleasant to live in then go for it

Surely you could go back, or do you have ties here that make that near impossible? With Irish citizenship the EU is more accessible for you too.

I'm still angry at my parents for ever leaving Ireland. What were they thinking 🥺.
It's still got its problems but it's wilder, greener and friendlier and the roads are more navigable.

We moved to Canada, albeit nearly 20 years ago, moved back after 5 years as I was very homesick.
The first thing that struck me when we got there was the newspapers and TV news were all complaining about the same stuff. Particularly problems with the health care system and a huge shortage of GP's.
It's difficult to move to Canada and Australia over the age of 45, you'd need a lot of money to offset the impact you will potentially have on their health and social care as you get older.
For me it wasn't so amazing that I was OK with being far away from families and friends.

It does sound as though those looking to move are not poor! One has a home already in the country of their choice, another will keep their home in the UK up their sleeve.

These are just the people with good earnings and assets who complain about all that is wrong with the UK but do not want to contribute their share, so are hoping to dodge this by going somewhere else .... we do not get good services with those who could contribute buggering off with greedy self-interest shining from their eyes.
My income is way way below the national average but I am happy to contribute as required.
The reason that Scandinavia has good services and contented people is that their attitude is not me me me .... they have a sense of community and shared responsibility.
I do find all this sickening.

Where is the OP? Moved already?

The other day I popped into a local hospital to use the loo. It was in a dreadful state. And no soap to wash my hand with. In a hospital! I am wondering if the people who usually do the jobs that are invisible but crucial to maintaining an efficient service have left the country because of the hostile environment.

On three occasions in the last few months, I've needed a pee while at a hospital. Every time, the toilets have been absolutely filthy, with no toilet paper save for what was lying among the pool of water that was all over the floor. This was in 2 different departments in one hospital, and at a different hospital int he same trust.

One of these hospitals has had a massive amount of money spent on extending it, has a really swanky reception area, a roof terrace and lots of interesting art all over the place, but they can't seem to manage the basics. So depressing.

Do you know any non-EU citizens who have been able to move to Switzerland? I speak French, some German and am highly skilled (degree, professional qualification and several years of professional experience) but the wording of the visa requirements is really off-putting!

I would think the most obvious question would be what are your languages? If you are restricting yourself to English then you are limiting yourself. If you spent a year working really hard on a new language before moving somewhere it would add to your focus and excitement. If you are restricted to English then Ireland might be an option. Housing is a disaster but if you have enough money you could get lucky especially if you move outside urban high demand areas. Rent out your own house and you'll have that source of income. It's not without it's own issues but I don't think the same sense of frustration is here.. UK seems to be struggling with an empire in decline but here we mostly expect things to be shit, and are happy when they work out 😀 don't get sick though, it's about £50 for a GP visit and could be 100s to see a consultant.

And that's what we complain about when people from other countries come to live here!

We have air con, swimming pools and houses built for the heat. It is a joke in the UK. I would NEVER visit the UK in the summer precisely because of the misery when there are a few days over 23 degrees. I happily live in the Algarve with temperatures regularly between 25-35 degrees with no problem at all.

I would have recommended Switzerland (before Brexit). Especially if OP already speaks German or French (or is a fast language learner)...

No, there are countries where Op does not have to deal with variations of problems mentioned in the post. E.g. Switzerland, Luxembourg. Healthcare is great, taxes are lower than in UK, op complained of people relying on state support, that is also not a problem in these countries, crime is low, there is good infrastructure. The only caveat is they are a bit dull compared to problematic countries. Moving as a middle aged couple is more difficult as these are very quiet societies, so harder to make friends, social life. Also op can’t move without securing a job there.

Op mentioned Canada but is also worried about not being close to potential
grand children. Canada is far from UK, has a lot of social problems going on, op mentioned taxes, Canada has high taxes, a lot of neighbourhood have lost their original character ( another complaint in op), healthcare is declining, salaries are lower. It’s pretty similar to UK. Op can move to Calgary and work in Oil & Gas and make decent money, can live near beautiful nature. Finding a job as a foreigner is challenging in Canada too.

Based on her criteria, other options are Dubai, Singapore. Singapore is not easy to move to and very far, poor work culture.

Good luck Op. Maybe you need to take holidays in multiple locations and talk to some local people about life there.

Both my husband and I (separately) spent some years in Europe and we would really like to move back. We seriously considered it a couple of years ago and realised that we'd maybe missed the opportunity when the kids were tiny and we are basically now waiting to be in your position. Luckily for us, everyone in the family (except me) has a dual British/Irish nationality - so the move should be easy enough. For us, it's the lifestyle that attracts us, a lot more relaxed and balanced, more outdoorsy, and more (easier) opportunities to travel and explore.

I've moved a few countries in the past and one thing I wanted to point out is the social circle. Consider how you would make friends and social life unless you're particularly introverted and dont need anyone. Each time I moved i felt like I'd made a huge mistake and felt very lonely and it took a few months to create a good variety of social connections I could rely on.it was worth in it the end, but the first few months were tough. Obviously if you're very social, it maybe doesn't apply, but my husband is very outgoing and he shares similar concerns. Especially since we have a good circle of friends in the UK.

Good luck. I know we'd be moving for certain when the time is right for us.

I went for a hospital appointment a few weeks ago. Ok it was the weekend but the place looked like a ghost town. There was no one there. A few of us were in the waiting room. No one on reception. As we sat there waiting the lights went out. Someone came out but didn’t say what was going on. After a while the lights went back on again. The woman who came to do the tests asked me how to spell one of the words she was putting in the report.

The whole experience was weird.

The other day I popped into a local hospital to use the loo. It was in a dreadful state. And no soap to wash my hand with. In a hospital! I am wondering if the people who usually do the jobs that are invisible but crucial to maintaining an efficient service have left the country because of the hostile environment.

I think the transport here is really good. Especially in London. I walk out of my house and wait 5 min for the bus. Love it

I think it’s a matter of where you are in the UK. In london and pockets of the north west I see pockets of investment, some good and interesting exhibits, thriving local markets and independent cafes and restaurants. In some parts of the south and east, I see less of it. It might just be the specific towns we are visiting too.

I’ve lived aboard (and probably will again at some point in the future) but the challenges / benefits are a lot more nuanced than the UK-bashing would suggest.