Would you leave the UK now if you could?

[JamSandle]

I've been thinking this...with how things are going in the UK, would you leave if you could, or encourage your kids to?

I know nowhere is perfect but just curious of peoples thoughts.

I'm in Ireland so we still have free movement / live + work in EU but from UK friends I hear a lot of them, nearly all are trying to leave, mostly London. Some cannot - others are doing all they can. A lot trying to do Irish ancestry to access Irish passport.

Yes.

I hate the weather, and I hate the way that public services are being run into the ground, but mostly I hate the weather.

Yes.

We're staying for now, but our plans for retirement in France have become plans to get out there ASAP once various things allow.

Yes. We are currently in Portugal and if we didn't have to come back we totally wouldn't
I've looked at the news for the first time today and want to cry at the shitty place my country has become

ETA: DH is French.

Not at all.
We both have skills that would have enabled us to work elsewhere but never considered it and wouldn't consider it now.

No i have a severly disabled child in an excellent special school that meets his needs ,things might not be perfect ,but im.not willing to risk his future .

Yes

I love Britain, I love the place I live, but I am very worried about the decline of the country - which is inevitable now we have Brexited and in such a shit way too - so I would encourage my kids to look to move to Europe if they can.

It’s always a choice as two sets of passports but no

For the dc it’s up to them but also no I wouldn’t encourage it unless things changed, but we’d try to stick together in same country even when older

No. I love Britain and I love being British. Ok, so things are a bit crap at the moment and they are probably going to get worse. But it won’t be forever and there is no country in the world that is doing things perfectly, so I’d rather be here, with our seasons and our humour and a million other things that make this a pretty brilliant place to come from, rather than be homesick but slightly wealthier somewhere else.

We've just moved back but if I could have stayed in Ireland I would have done. Not because of the political/economic situation, that seems bad everywhere right now, but because I miss my house and didn't want to leave it.

I'm in Italy but British. Dp is Italian. DD has just started university in the UK. I'd move back tomorrow for higher wages, lower prices, better schools, more fundamental rights, and an NHS that is still better and cheaper than what we've got here.

No. I've had lots of opportunities to work in other countries and I don't think things are necessarily better overall anywhere else. Some things are, some things aren't.

Even places that are considered to have the best quality of life like Denmark, Sweden etc could easily change with a change in government.

No, my business wouldn't transfer overseas easily. There are some aspects to it which really suit being in the UK. I am busier now than ever and wouldn't want to jeopardise that. Besides, we are fortunate to live in a lovely area.

I'd love to move to Germany or similar.

No. I’ve worked and travelled extensively, and have discovered Dorothy was correct.

Not sure. There's plenty I loathe about this damp little island full of Tories, but I love the community I live in. I love the art and culture and history of the UK. Outside of the US, it's the best place to be for my career. If we left I'd miss family and friends.

Ideally I'd like a holiday home somewhere warmer and more laid back I could escape to when living here gets too depressing, but I'm not sure I'd want to relocate permanently. Maybe once we're retired, the kids have left home and our parents aren't with us anymore, assuming those things ever coincide!

I (...) want to cry at the shitty place my country has become

Aw, don't cry. I live in the UK and it's not shitty where I live. It's lovely and friendly. Safe. Lots of places to walk the dog. Good transport network. Can go on lovely days out by car or by coach. Loads of eateries, lots of markets, food festivals, flower shows etc. Lots of cheap UK breaks available.
But....unfortunately, I can't do anything about the weather. Although this has been a very warm October so that's something. 🙂

Where would you plan to go?

There are only a handful of countries that are arguably better, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, maybe Sweden, maybe Germany…, Finland OK in my opinion. Singapore - good country, but would not have wanted to live there during Covid. Australia - too far and hot. New Zealand too small and remote for my liking.
France, Spain, Portugal, Italy - lovely places, lovely culture, better weather, but at least as many social problems. Swathes of Eastern Europe, worse off. Wouldn’t move to the US. Wouldn’t move to the Middle East.

So only Norway, Switzerland or Denmark for me really. They are richer than the UK and quality of life is better overall.

It is indeed disappointing what has happened to the UK since 2016 - but a lot of that was in the making. New Labour also contributed to the 2008 financial crisis and it was downhill from there culminating in the Brexit fiasco and never ending mess since.
However, on a worldwide basis the UK is still one of the richest and most stable countries. So best to be grateful for what we do have rather than what we do not. I have lots of European friends in France and Germany etc. - they are also complaining. And thank f… we are not the Ukraine.

At least, there is free education and healthcare in the UK (despite the increasingly dubious quality of both if we compare it to 15 years ago), still some help for the poor and disabled etc. It is worse than it was but still better than most other places!

In a heartbeat.

I live in a nice suburb of London and am pretty comfortable. Live in a small 2 bed flat but I own it and can go on regular weekend breaks and eat out several times a week. Hopefully can upsize to a 3 bed flat in the same area and am happy with that space

But I just donated to fund someone's daughter''s gall bladder operation. she is dying but the NHS has no resources to help. If you plan to stay long term in the UK, always have £20k to fund private medical operations as sickness isn't just for the old and weak. This person's daughter was 20 and had gall stones which cause a lot of pain but have been waiting months for an operation. The NHS doctor even told him to go private! I have private insurance but private insurance doesn't pay out for everything so its probably best to have additional cash. And of course have a plan on what to do in terms of long term sickness.

If this is not an option, its just not viable to stay in the UK long term if you have other options. my DH's sisters who are lower earning have immigrated and while the country they have chosen has pretty high cost of living, they do have better medical provision so that is something. And I think it will get worse. I have kept my health insurance in my home country so we will only need to fund DH and our future child so that could be a relief.

I just donated to a fundraiser for a local friend's daughter to have her gallbladder operation. Her poor father was practically suicidal after waiting for months and his daughter was in tremendous pain. The gallbladder operation would cost £8000 privately but he has managed to raise that amount within a few days due to generous friends and family

I am shocked but not surprised. Basically we can no longer rely on the NHS.