Is the UK that bad?

[IsItThatBad]

Name changed for this. Just looking for opinions on this discussion at a party earlier this week. Lots of couples talking about the UK and futures etc. A big discussion started about the state of the UK, crime, services, high taxation and state education. A few of them were saying how they were actively looking for jobs abroad as there was little ambition and opportunity here in the UK.

The places they were suggesting were Brussels, Singapore, Dubai/ Middle East or Scandinavia (Scandinavia for the cheaper childcare etc).

I have to say that I found this quite upsetting as I don’t think the UK is that bad. We all live in the SW England with good links to London and I love the culture, theatres and museums. We have local nature walks. Yes, everything is more expensive nowadays and tax is quite high at the moment but surely the grass can’t be that green elsewhere?

Am I wrong? Is the UK markedly worse than elsewhere?

We never recovered from the 08 crash and productivity has been shit since then. Austerity meant little investment by business or investment but at least high prices grew.

@IsItThatBad age makes a difference. MNs is not a young platform so someone in their 50s will have a different view vs someone in their 20s

I emigrated from the UK last year due to stagnant wages, but I still think it’s a fantastic country, especially London which I will always love with all my heart.

As PP said, I think British people just like to moan.

where did you go @Crushed23 if you don't mind me asking

@balcolyGood point about age. We are all in our early/mid 40s. So, perhaps I would feel differently if I was starting out in my early 20s. Most have young kids or teenagers.

I can see the point in the posts about suggesting that one’s children to consider working abroad etc.

@AllswellandgoodA great idea about the party game. I actually think that would a very popular game!

The issue with the UK is the no one wants to fix anything. There's so many simple steps they could take just to make life less stressful for working class people.

Look at Farage this week. The only time he gave a clear indication of what he was going to do was when he said he will stop the boats. When he then got asked about housing he couldn't give a clear answer.

We need someone in government who is willing to make big changes. Whether it be changing the tax system or anything else like housing we need strong leaders.

Doing things like putting the minimum wage up and messing around with cold winter payments for pensioners is not helping anyone

Where I live is pleasant enough BUT there are potholes everywhere, half the high street is boarded up and the local river is too polluted to swim in. The people are great and there is very little crime or anti- social behaviour. You can’t get an NHS dentist and it’s hard to get a doctors appointment. If you go somewhere for a day out it is often swarming with people. I love being outdoors but since Covid beaches and parks and other beauty spots are just too busy.
The UK is not what it was but I know it’s a lot better than other places.

We’re in the south west but good links to London. We love it here and have a good quality of life despite not being on massive mn salaries. I like England. Our town centre is a bit empty re shops but the cafes are full and plenty of choice of restaurants. That’s just the nature of shopping these days. We have a theatre, country parks, a great community. People slag it off and talk about homeless (very low numbers), druggies - every town has them, but it’s a safe town and we choose to live here over the south east (where we are from). People love to be negative though.

Chernobyl is in Ukraine

I live in probably one of the "worst" parts of the UK. But actually, we have access to pretty countryside. The high street in our local town is doing OK and people are friendly. I do worry about the NHS and as a teacher, I think state education is in a bit of a mess at the moment but, on balance, I like this country and wouldn't go elsewhere.

I’m older but lots of my friends when younger due stints in Singapore/hong Kong or the Middle East for a while to earn better money than they could in the U.K.

not many of them really considered them as places to settle down and raise a family though - the one guy I do know in Singapore married a local.

I loathe this country in all honesty and if I didn’t have DC with an ex I would jump at the chance to move abroad.

that said, you couldn’t pay me to go to Brussels for a day never mind live there. Utterly depressing.

It's all swings and roundabouts, I've been all over the world and would still rather live in this rainy. miserable little country. Well in the nicer bits of it anyway.

I read a remark by someone wise once in response to something like "people are suffering X horrible thing in Y awful place while you are moaning about the length of the queue to pick up your dry cleaning".

That person would LOVE to be in a queue moaning about the wait for the dry cleaning. That would be their dream.

I have mulled it over a lot since then.

Chernobyl is in Ukraine as well

Those who are dissing Dubai - I wonder if you actually know what it’s like? If you have a decent job it can actually feel like you are on holiday all the time. Whatever activity/hobby you fancy doing and the time to do it as you have someone watching your kids/ ferrying them to activities etc.

So many countries are facing similar issues right now, high costs of living low wages, healthcare problems. Especially EU countries all have their fair share of big issues right now.
Australia and Canada have huge housing crises right now.
Gulf countries can offer money and nice lifestyle but when things go wrong there it can change very quickly, plus a lot depends on the visa you have and your employment (although i have heard how many people manage out there with no official job as such is you can stay for 3 months than either cross border to oman or fly in and out to get renewals but not sure of the ins and outs)
Also we are constantly surrounded by negative media, it's all doom and gloom let alone when you see whats happening in other places in the world.
There's no one perfect place as we'd all be there if it was. It's also easy to romanticize better times or how things look online.

So many countries are facing similar issues right now, high costs of living low wages, healthcare problems. Especially EU countries all have their fair share of big issues right now.

Things will change though as they all need young people. More countries will incentivise like Portugal are doing.

I think it depends on whether you’re a glass half full/empty person. And whether or not you watch GB news. I love the U.K.

I love the UK and the only thing I'm sad about is that Brexit/ Farage etc. really diminished us. I felt like we were attacked and it's taken a terrible financial and social toll on us. But we've always been resilient as a nation and will rebuild.

But we live in a truly beautiful country that is safe and free. You can live as you choose here and most people will be accommodating. Scandinavia is amazing but there is an expectation of conformity on how you should live.

I have mixed opinions especially as a Black young Brit.
The west is on the decline overall but 14 years of austerity means the uk is particularly worse and it doesn't feel like politicians think about young people a lot tbh.

But I wouldn't go to Dubai, it's repressive and friends have faced quite bad anti blackness.

I do quite like the Scandinavian countries

The west is on the decline overall but 14 years of austerity means the uk is particularly worse and it doesn't feel like politicians think about young people a lot tbh.

This & rather than acknowledge the issues people will blame the boat people and vote for Reforn.

I think you have to ask what would keep you in the U.K. especially if you have young children and are a high earner. Anti social behaviour and crime is rife. Cost of living, Education tax, pension IHT and I’m guessing soon to be salary sacrifice and income tax rises along with the rhetoric alongside each policy is bound to put off ambitious and net tax payers from remaining in the U.K. . People with options are going to leave.

It's a massively generous and welcoming country

https://www.telegraph.co.uk./news/2025/05/30/benefits-foreigners-near-cost-1bn-month/