Is the UK heading for an apocalypse?

[BleakWinter]

Hello dear Mimsnetters. I wonder if anyone can lift me out of this dreadful feeling I have of impending doom? With the oncoming energy hikes, rent increases, mortgage rate hikes and increased interest rates, I honestly feel a bit hopeless about everything and powerless to do anything about it. I'm just reading about how most countries, despite having their own particular difficulties, are starting to bounce back after Covid. They are starting to trade again, unlike us apparently. I feel like we're not Global Britain, we're Little Britain and we're falling further and further behind other countries. I feel desperately sorry for our youngsters and those in their early 20's. How are they going to afford to house themselves or run a car? I honestly love this country ( by which I mean the UK so not strictly a country but you know what I mean.) and I think this is why I feel so worried. The government has gone completely AWOL and neither of the 2 new PM candidates fill me with much confidence. I feel like we're in the worst possible position with a non existent government. Is there anyone out there who feels things might start getting better? I know things are cyclical...but the fact that things have been horribly difficult before doesn't really make me feel any better. How can I stay positive and not get overwhelmed?

The UK is a country as recognised by others as such including the EU member states, EU, USA, UN, etc.

Apocalypse? No. But tighten your belt.

No, not heading for an apocalypse.

2007 Southern Europe - style recession? Maybe, who knows.

I grew up in Spain during the financial crisis and I remember it being tough but honestly, we got through. Humans are adaptable. I of course didn’t know anything different at the time, but thinking back I remember the daily talk in the school playground was whether XYZ’s dad had lost his job. Whose mum had been let go. And so on.

I’m now in my 20s and have what I would describe as a comfortable lifestyle, but I know that if I need to make cuts it won’t be an apocalyptic disaster. I’ll just have to go back to living in a simpler way.

In poorer countries, regular outings, restaurants, takeaways, new clothes and regular haircuts or other cosmetic treatments were/are really not the norm in times of difficulty. I know for us they weren’t. They’re seem as a privilege. The UK has been fairly comfortable for decades now, and many people consider those things essentials. Or the lack of them, poverty.

It’s all about having a little perspective.

No.
If you feel a sense of impending doom I suggest you speak to your GP as it can be a symptom of anxiety.

Re your housing and transport questions - not everybody will be able to afford buying a house, or renting a decent sized one on your own / with a partner. Young adults will have to share with either friends or their parents for a longer period of time.

Cars are not essential. Young, healthy people can use their legs to either walk or cycle. Of course there are rural locations where a car is needed, but the vast majority of under 30s won’t be working in those areas. People will have to adapt and learn to be a little less comfortable than until now. It’s honestly not the end of the world.

Apocalypse? No.

A lot of businesses are going to have to drastically reduce their opening hours, restaurants and pubs will only open 1-2 days/evenings as energy bills will be too high.

There is highly likely going to be planned blackouts and energy intensive industries will be told they can’t use energy during certain times.

The government is more interested in picking a new leader than dealing with this as a priority.

An apocalypse? There's never a shortage of hyperbole in these parts.

You know, people have been living hard lives under our own noses the whole time. Children have been going hungry and cold. Social mobility has ground to a halt. Housing has been precarious. Entire areas have been allowed to fall into disrepair. In the meantime, the poor were vilified for their trouble.

But now more of us are feeling the pinch, children we know will be living harder lives, mortgaged people are at more risk, housing prospects are increasingly precarious for everyone, our children will be limited by a difficult political landscape ...and now it's an APOCALYPSE???

Wow @FourTeaFallOut there's no need to SHOUT!!! I used the word merely to attract attention and get as many opinions as possible. Calm down 🙄

Well if you insist on seeking attention by being dramatic don't be surprised if the replies appear in kind.

My question stands, where were all the threads about the appalling demise of living standards and disregard for the life chances of children living in fuel and food poverty during a decade of austerity? And do you think it's a little hypocritical that all these working class hero threads have emerged from the wood work now the newly poor are under threat?

And what do you think of those opinions OP?

You're the only poster who's felt it necessary to capitalise their response. Everyone else.. calm and measured.

Total drama! You do know some European countries like Kosovo have already started planned black outs?
That the U.K. generally has mild winters compared to much of Europe and we are best placed re Russian energy as we have at least a diverse range of suppliers and very limited supplies from Russia (4%)
Fuel prices are coming down and improving.
Yes it’s going to be tough in the short term, yes it’s tough for everyone in other European countries too - most of all Ukraine! Just like your ancestors before we will come through it. Your children are learning resilience and not to take things for granted. There are silver linings if you look.

Oh good lord 🙄 Try to push past the capitals.

No. HTH.

Yes. The four horsemen will ride. the skies will boil. It will be the end of all life on Earth.

actually, no. It will be ok. For those who aren’t already destitute, that is. We will have to stop being so wasteful, start understanding that stores and restaurants don’t have to be open 24/7, start planning instead of just assuming everything will be ‘on tap’, start walking more, start using the library instead of buying, and start making do.

the media sells fear. If it’s sending you into a spin - turn it off.

I really hope our Gov -whether sunak, truss or a future labour- surprises everyone with some decision making -ie not boris' empty piffle- and hope they've stopped infighting - certainly the Tory's will be out on their ear if this wet lettuce bunch don't shape up.

It's not going to be a fun winter and for many it won't be a fun decade, but it's not apocolyptic, unless Putin looses the plot (or the war) and starts firing off nukes.

Also the news you watch/read is biased, unless you spend considerable time reading the same story from multiple different sources and newsagents from around the globe.

Germany is going to be hit hard as they are too reliant on Russian Gas, this will hit their electricity supply for their manufactering industries, this is not good. We are no where near as reliant on Russian gas as them.

China has a demographic crisis coming their way as a result of the one child policy, they will have far far too many elderly and far too few working age people, this is going to massively impact them. We might have a lesser demographic problem looming, but UK is a popular country and English is popular second language, so we will cope.

Many other countries also have significant challenges ahead, we just don't have the same awareness as they are not our problems in the same way that Rushi and Truss are.

No of course not. I've lived through the 3 day week, power cuts, massive inflation of the 70's, then the recessions of the 90's and 2009. None of them were described or felt like apocalyptic. The more you live through the more you gets used to them

As I said to my mother who told me the same this morning in a doom-laden voice - there are thousands of people flying out on holiday, shopping for lampshades in John Lewis and out enjoying pub lunches etc etc. while you’re sitting under the stairs rocking back and forth with a pillowcase over your head, other folks are just getting on with life.

Step away from the tabloids and just get on with LIFE and LIVING. There - some more capital letters for you to froth about…🙄

The only apocalypse I see concerns the total failure of the NHS. It's a cash-guzzling, poorly managed disaster and needs to be scrapped and replaced with something better.

Why we worship a system that cannot provide the service it is designed for is beyond me, but practically any European country you can think of has a better system.

We're definitely Broken Britain at the moment that's for sure!
I don't think any service is working properly atm for a whole host of different reasons!

We will go out with a FIZZLE OP not a bang!

If you read the MSM you could be forgiven for thinking it’s all going to go apocalyptic.

We have had three years of apocalyptic type headlines with Covid/Russia/China/U.K. politics/Monkeypox/WW3 and we are all still here getting on with our lives. I do feel the media are doing their best to put us through some mental wringer.

We are in for belt tightening that’s for sure and there may be some power restrictions come the winter, so some resilience will have to kick (and some additional financial assistance for those in most need), however, people have come through much worse both historically here in U.K.and more currently across Europe/the world.

I’d advise some news free days during the week, it really does work in reducing general anxiety.👍🏻

It's not going to be a fun winter and for many it won't be a fun decade, but it's not apocolyptic, unless Putin looses the plot (or the war) and starts firing off nukes.
Also the news you watch/read is biased, unless you spend considerable time reading the same story from multiple different sources and newsagents from around the globe.
This.

As Cyw2018 says, I think things are going to be very difficult indeed but so are they in other countries. My niece in Germany says things are pretty much like here. Her husband is out of work and rents are rising higher and higher. If you listen to RTE, the Irish radio station, they have the same and problems with their health care and elderly care plus housing shortages.

The UK media seems to love to undermine everything about this country and don't tell us about the rest of the world. Globalisation was a marvellous idea while all ran smoothly, but post pandemic and with a war on, the flaws are showing.

Sadly I can't see things ever going back to as good as they were and we will just have to tighten our belts.

Actually uk exports to the Eu are at records levels despite the fuck up that is Brexit.

www.cityam.com/boost-for-global-britain-as-uk-exports-to-eu-defy-brexit-challenges-and-hit-highest-level-ever/

Virtually every country in the world has the same problems as us, many worse. But don’t let a few inconvenient facts get in the wat of your doom mongering.