Seriously thinking about leaving the UK

In the meantime it is imposible to live or remain in the U.K. with the high cost of living and high taxes.

No it really isn't impossible. Hyperbole anyone?

Nah you can’t just stay here and fight. The remaining people are welcoming this situation. In the meantime it is imposible to live or remain in the U.K. with the high cost of living and high taxes. Plus, Reform is not the answer.

Well they are being forward on this. I have not read they will be claiming asylum or are they?

Muslin 🤣 you are clothist

Only for some people

Almost all other countries, really ..........

I don't know where you think would be better than the UK. It's so much safer, liberal and more functional than almost all other countries. But the NHS is a joke, that's true and very sad.

Exactly 💯

The number of people who moan about the UK being a "Christian country" who seldom go to church or pass snide comments about their fellows who are Christians is significant. Then they complain about other religions taking over.

Equally the number of people saying they won't have children because of x, y and z, then complain that different demographics are taking over.

Bottom line - "nature abhors a vacuum" and if you value something you have to actively contribute to its progress.

Well... If you don't like a total colappse of public services don't move to Ireland.

Ive lived for 30 years in France and have dual nationality. Its been a great place to live and bring up kids. It’s certainly not perfect and things are less good than when I arrived. Longer waiting times and the like but I can still see a doctor within a day or two. Get a smear in a week or two. My kids education was private schools and cost about €2k a year. It was absolutely excellent.
Childcare was subsidized and excellent.
Food is good.
The cost of living has increased but not to the same degree as the UK.

Capitalism is working fine.

Off you trot !

Go but not to Canada. They are experiencing the worst of the same issues in the U.K.
Trudeau fucked it badly,

I dare say a lot of people in other countries would say the same. Capitalism has failed and the wealth is held by a small number of people and politicians have no idea how to fix it. The fact that someone further down the thread said keep a small bolthole in the UK pinpoints them as being part of the problem. We personally won’t leave. The UK isn’t perfect but our family live here and that means more than anything.

I moved to Ireland in 2016. My house in London had been burgled (a nice safe area 🙄), I was caught up in a bomb hoax in Trafalgar Square … I didn’t feel safe anymore with my young children. I live on an island off the west coast. We have a healthy, outdoor life near the beach now. The infrastructure of the country is by no means perfect, it rains a lot … but it’s an hour to Stansted and I don’t need to lock my front door.

@Merlin3189 I agree with your post about the Swiss way of things. But is there any way that the UK could adopt their approach?

Switzerland is a good example of how good emigration works. Some Brits, like my sister, go there, like Switzerland and the Swiss, adapt and become Swiss (even though not citizens) and stay. Others go and try to keep their British way of life, get irritated by Swiss ways and eventually leave.
The sad difference in England is that we encourage immigrants to stay foreign and not adapt nor assimilate. They stay happily in their ghettos and gradually make us adapt to them. It works for a while, but is leading to a lot of ill-feeling and conflict.

I live in NZ in a small rural town. If you could see the number of people living here who have come from other countries you would be astounded, so there must be some sort of opportunities for them. Until recently nearly every GP I saw at my local surgery was from the UK. The young and educated have always moved overseas, it's not a new thing, and yes it is increasing but I'm sure we will cope.

I agree, I doubt anywhere is a 'utopia' especially at the moment. However, some countries do seem to have more to offer than others, and if people wish to move to take advantage of that then good on them. Lots of people move to Australia from where I am, and I can see the attraction even though I've never been tempted myself.

Just be aware op of the incredible bureaucracy that exists in some European countries. (Small example: a friend who has an insurance claim on a big leak in her flat in Paris has been waiting 6 months and counting for the insurance payout to be issued). I’m sure you will, but research, and get local input on some ‘what if’ scenarios as this may influence your decision-making. I definitely think I’d rent somewhere first whilst (if possible) keeping a foothold here just in case. I have one friend who moved abroad but now realistically can’t afford to move back due to the cost of living here. I wish you all the best in your plans and keep us updated on any decisions ! It’s definitely something I may consider also down the line.

There’s a couple of things to unpack there. Firstly your DC have successfully launched themselves from the nest so congrats on that achievement!

You’ve reached a certain stage in life where you get to consider yourself again, although no doubt the days and nights of being a parent taxi has left a hole. There’s a good page on Facebook called Grown and Flown where other parents share their feelings and experiences and what stage of the process they are at.

it’s re-assuring to read there’s more of us out there.

Thirdly you are feeling despair at the way you see UK heading. Some of the issues you mention I see in the country I live in, as well as where I grew up. You are right about personal responsibility seemingly decreasing. But is leaving the UK for a country that has similar values (for want of a better word) to the UK going to make you any happier or fulfilled?

We’ve just returned from 2 weeks in Thailand and already planning our next trip. We were in Vietnam two years ago. Both countries are doing their utmost to attract western expats to come and retire and boy have we thought long and hard about it. But it still doesn’t solve the issue that our DC are elsewhere.

to touch on that, my parents followed us around and were never happy. Dad had golf and bowls but mum never found her niche where ever she lived, yet it wasn’t up to us kids to fill that need either. It’s not fair to put that on our offspring. That sticks in my mind the most.

so what’s the answer? Frankly I don’t know but for all the faults of the country where we live, when we shut the gate we don’t have to invite those worries in. Some friends have stopped watching the news or simply changed the station of choice. They are choosing not to engage with all the negatives that are outside of their gate, or even just minimise the exposure. That’s one answer, start finding your own peace with your world.

go on holiday and see how others live. Have a great time, but as you go to board your plane home and once you arrive back in, how would you feel? Pleased to be back and energised for a new project ? Or wanting to pick up the phone and call your real estate agent in?

only you can answer that.. good luck.

You want to move yo and emerging country where there are opportunities. Plenty of choices but u have to do your research.

If you call three years of working day in day out supporting those claiming asylum, then yes. I’m not saying they’re bad people, or that I wouldn’t do the same in their situation, but the amount of Iranian men becoming Christian in Glasgow at one point was quite astonishing. Women trafficked from Nigeria told to claim asylum when discovered in brothels. Etc etc

I also think people are just more aware of the issues in the country they live in. One of the reasons we all love going on holiday is that we can ignore problems for a while. I think if you lived anywhere you would eventually see the issues. For me, speaking the language and sharing a sense of humour are more important factors than anything else.

This is my reasoning too, I feel like a lot of the UK public seem to have such opposing values and opinions to me now to an extent I don’t want to be associated with those values in any way….and yes I am thinking about reform voters views being so opposing to mine