Has the UK changed that much in 5 years?

[Faraway100]

As the title asks really. My husband and I currently live in Singapore and are debating whether to extend his contract here for another two years or move back to the UK.

We would love to be back near our families, however it seems like the UK is very much doom and gloom at the moment. Obviously when we come back we are in vacation mode and thoroughly enjoy ourselves but I wonder if we are a bit blind to the realities.

Has the pandemic, healthcare crisis and rising inflation fundamentally changed how the UK (specifically England) “feels” on a day to day basis? And even if we stayed abroad for another two years would anything change anyways? Hopefully someone understands what I’m getting at 😬

I can’t ask family as both sets of parents are retired and a bit insulated for everything and our friends and siblings would catch on to why we are asking right away!

Yes it's definitely worse. But isn't everywhere?

Mojo,

Do you know the the UK exports our "recycling" to places like China, we don't really recycle anything, we just Greenwash the whole process.

The UK is a grubby little second rate country these days. Litter everywhere, terrible roads, crumbling services and infrastructure, dire economic prospects and a government who don't give a shit about anything other than lining their own pockets and squashing all attempts at transparency. Stay where you are for as long as you can.

If you have a decent income you’ll be fine.

Otherwise it all depends on your circumstances, health and where you live!

stay away from Brum …. We don’t need more people on the drs waiting lists haha

I also honestly can't say I've noticed people being grumpy, entitled or pushy in real life.

If I read MN - absolutely.

Day to day in real life? Not noticed this at all.

Everyone's obviously got their own opinions and experiences, but I really think it does feel normal 'on the ground' - but in the way a slowly heating pan of water might feel normal until it's too late.

When I look back to diaries 5 years ago, it feels so different.

The NHS
The cost of credit (mortgages)
Food costs
Energy costs
The lack of optimisim
The sense of the country diminishing
The sheer scale of anxiety and depression and other mental health issues
The climate and environment - though global, it's impact is local

I don't know about other places in the world. because I haven't lived abroad for 7 years now and haven't trvaelled a broad for 5. But the UK does not feel like the same country as it did back in 2018 - to me.

Well, of course- if you have a very high income then you are hidden from many issues, but I feel it needs to actually be quite high at the moment.

example- if you have a large house with a pool home gym etc, access to private healthcare, private school and have just sold your IT company for 40 million then of course you’ll be fine.

but yeah, it’s just very dependent. Husband bought home just under 200 last year and we own our current home that’s approx 500,000 in Surrey and we are struggling to get a mortgage for a jump that’s worth it (if that makes sense). And even I’ve had a few moments of being like ‘bloody hell food has gone up!’.

current outgoing for cars normal bills and food comes to about 3 to 4 thousand!

doing the right thing though and doing your research. But I would stay and plan. House crash is bound to happen next year and I would get ready to buy cash if you can. I don’t understand the decision to try to return when you would end up on a 7% mortgage? That’s not fixed. From a financial point of view I would return when you can take opportunity of the impending housing crash. But that’s just me.

so yes it’s quite dependent on how high. And how consistently high. As if high now and you can save/ invest so you can buy cash next year then I would definitely do that. Personally anyways.

I think it's fine if you are on a high income. We are fortunate enough to be and most families we know are enjoying life, experience good services, have good private education and healthcare. The few times we've strayed into NHS services or other educational services it has felt very inefficient and under-resourced, but we aren't depending on it so it's been fine. The weather is nice, where we are in London the public transport works fine (won't be as good as Singapore, and strikes are rubbish but they aren't that frequent). We don't drive and love the new low traffic neighbourhood schemes and ULEZ, it makes the area less polluted. Lots to do, theatres and galleries and restaurants are thriving. Our weekly grocery shop is usually fine. Food prices have ballooned but we can absorb the cost. We probably are filmed everywhere we go but London is a goldfish bowl anyway and someone is always watching you.

Things that affect us regardless of income - dog mess on the streets and in parks, general low level rudeness, queues for things like post office.

@onefinemess Your post is crazy. This is not what most people's lives in the UK look like.

@onefinemess

No, we don't. We used to but China doesn't accept recycling imports any more.

I agree that it was terrible that it was happening but I presume we weren't the only Western country doing it.

It’s fine if you’re rich and can afford private school fees (or can move next door to a top state school) and private health care. My family has now moved over to private GP appointments, something we never thought we’d feel necessary to do. We can absorb the COL increases (food was incredibly cheap to start with; it’s just catching up with the rest of the world). But if you’re on a good package in Singapore, and wouldn’t be on c.£300k (in London) then stay put.

All being said and done, I don't believe things feel massively different if you're on a high income and have private healthcare.

However, if I was you I would wait 24 months.

It's a strange time economically right now with interest rates high, inflation still high and house prices still high.

Over the next 6-18 months I suspect it will be quite bumpy as these things get worked through and hopefully should be clearer what the future holds in 24 months time.

They want you to walk everywhere, we are being stripped of our ability to travel independently, no cars, just walk or cycle and stay within your allotted "15 minute sector", which you will be fined for leaving.

Bloody hell, where is this? I wish climate change were being taken half that seriously.

Well we definitely notice prices of food, restaurants have gone up and are also aware that our mortgage will increase in 2024 (so are frantically overpaying £1k to cushion the blow). We have one of the highest inflation rates in the world, Singapore is nowhere near as high. BUT we can absorb the costs and ads still buying the same food and going on weekend breaks overseas 6 times a year..

I mean if OP moves back, she would notice the rents in London has gone up 20%. And she would need to rent as it would take some time for her to buy. At the same time, a lot of incomes at the top end have increased..

Hope you do know that Singapore makes people apply for a certificate to own a car and this is in the tens of thousands, in addition to car tax and the car itself. My dad's car cost him the same as the price of a small house up north-£100k!

It has been in place since I was a child and has increased every year basically. The air is great as a result, I wish we had it in London!

I agree with every word of this. Omg..the recycling 😱

Where are your sources for some of this? I'm a cynic, but this is tin-hat stuff!

I wouldn’t come back. The corruption and utter contempt the government treats us with us with is depressing.

woman’s right, the pushback is obscene. You can’t even try clothes in in alight street shop without men being the other side of a curtain. I know stand in the changing room with my daughters.

water companies, the last eat news is the crash of uks water companies. They were sold off in the 90s with no debt but have now racked up billions (not millions) of debt and have paid themselves ludicrous salaries and dividends.

There is an endless taking of public money and giving it to the rich. See above re water companies. It’s endemic. At every turn or public services are being stripped to make money.

Locals councils income has dropped and they are struggling to pay the massive bill to private bus companies for oap bus rides. Why aren’t the buses run by the council anymore? See above.

The government has truest fucked up the economy. But they are all getting richer.

Sorry typos

Jeez someone drank the Koolaid didn't they

I am guessing that you will have a healthy income if you come back?

I am not at all wealthy but thankfully just about able to manage the COLC (which is hitting those on the lowest incomes horribly) without serious hardship, and I am enjoying my life in London.

Still finding a strong sense of community, lots to do that is free, cheap, affordable.

So many beautiful places to explore and enjoy, unspoilt. Moors, downs, dales, coasts.

The problems are real, but surely they or their equivalent are biting everywhere?

I look around and see many many people living a great life here. If they have enough money. Which it sounds as if you do.

Honestly, what upsets people about recyling? It's really not that hard!

In the UK most counties have:
-blue recycling bin
-black general rubbish bin
-green food and garden waste bin
some counties separate glass from other recycling I believe.
You can take some plastic wrap waste to supermarkets for recycling.
You can take dead batteries to any shop that sells batteries.

I don't know why we don't do it the European way anyway, large street bins that you take your rubbish to.

They want you to walk everywhere, we are being stripped of our ability to travel independently, no cars, just walk or cycle and stay within your allotted "15 minute sector", which you will be fined for leaving.*

What do you mean? I live in the UK and have never heard of this.

Oops bold fail,

That's cos the poster is talking absolute bollocks