Positive thread about life in England

[Mamibaer]

My family is about to relocate back to the UK after over a decade on the continent. It’s for work reasons, and to be closer to family. In a lovely part of the UK. I’m fluctuating between excited and despairing - the situation seems so bad over there at the moment from what I see in the news (I.e on MN ). Brexit, Covid cases, NHS crisis. Some days I wonder what the hell we’re thinking and others I can’t wait to come back for gorgeous British walks and pub lunches. Can you share what you find positive about life in the UK right now?

I think The UK is good for LGBTQ rights. For example, equal marriage, good employment protection laws, enforced anti discrimination laws, gay couples can adopt and have sperm donors to grow their family.

By a large, society is pretty tolerant. A far cry from some countries where homosexual acts are illegal with the punishment being the death penalty.

Another good thing specifically about England (as opposed to other parts of the UK) is that no one cares about sectarianism. People don't even know whether they're catholic or Protestant, and those who do don't seem to care.

Music
Seasons
Sense of humour
Never too far from the coast
Ancient
Green and pleasant land
Tea

I love living here. I wouldn’t leave even if I had the money and passports to do it.

We have a beautiful island. Full of mountains, bluebell woods, beaches to make your jaw drop, lakes and hills. We have beautiful seasons. There are no animals here that are going to get any more dangerous than a grumpy badger. But there are lots which we’re lucky to have, like Puffins, seals, (some) red squirrels, etc. We have cities with modern skyscrapers, just yards away from centuries old buildings that nobody bats an eyelid at. We have castles. Actual castles. We have places where you can walk down one street and hear 26 different languages being spoken. We have food from every continent and just about every country known to man. We have world class museums and they are free. I think we have the best artists, the best writers, the funniest comedians, the best actors, the best singers and some of the most inspiring athletes in the world. We have male voice choirs, Morris Dancers, we have opera, we have ballet, we have rap, grime, metal, pop and classical. We have Harry Potter and James Bond and David Attenborough. We have beans on toast and monster munch and roast dinners. We have pubs. We have the best cake on earth. Fact. We have a nation who love to queue and moan about the weather. We love to take the mickey out of people. A lot of us are really bloody funny. We have seagulls that will come for you with flick knives if you don’t hand over your chips. We have people who will fight to the death over whether to put jam or cream on a scone. We have an NHS that has saved my life more than once and I pray will still be there to save it again in the future.

Yes, we have problems. More than some countries, less than others. And I’m pretty sure that those problems aren’t going to get better in the next couple of years. But aside from the shit stuff, it’s a pretty good place to live.

@DamnUserName21

Changing seasons NHS-working well in some areas more than others Great pubs Lovely countryside British humour Diversity Online delivery--groceries, international cuisines (varies by area) Low cost private health insurance (compared to some other countries)

What would you call low cost health insurance? I’m in the US and my employer pays my premium in full, my husband’s employer pays all but $25 a week for his. My max out-of-pocket for the year is $1500 so under $150 a month is the maximum I will pay, even if I need million-dollar surgeries or drugs. And if I don’t see s doctor or dentist all year (unlikely - I always have at least my dental check ups but some people do go all year without seeing a dentist or a doctor) then I’d pay nothing. And my total tax deductions from my $125,000 salary are 9%. In the UK I’d be at 45%, I believe, with that salary plus National insurance. The problem with private healthcare in the UK is that you are still bankrolling the NHS through horrendous taxes on top of the premiums you pay to the private company. Even if you don’t see a doctor all year.

I’ll take 9% income tax and $150 a month private healthcare any day.

My love for the UK happened a while back when I returned from spending time in San Francisco. Yes SF was gorgeous but ridiculously expensive, but I came back to the UK in late August and one of the first things I did with friends was to go to a country pub.

It was just incomparable - we went from a city to a beautiful 18th century pub in about 20 minutes!

That and the amazingly fair (but stretched) NHS and Social Services is probably all you need to know.

But we're also at the top of our game culturally if you happen to look at our social media...

I’ll take 9% income tax and $150 a month private healthcare any day.

150 a month X 12 months is 14.4% of 125k
Tax from a UK person on 125k to 'healthcare' would be £11,609.25 a year.
Or about 9.29% of their income.

So a UK person on your salary pays far less
For health care than you.

From a London perspective
It's nice to have seasons, although prefer the colder ones to be a bit shorter and a tad warmer. Because hot weather in summer is not guaranteed, people tend to be in extra good moods on sunny days and it's lovely.
Outdoor screenings in unusual locations - often become pop up ice rinks in winter
Bright winter mornings
When winter starts to end and you see daffodils and know spring is on its way
Building snowmen with kids when we get snow
Cherry blossom
Beautiful architecture
Long summer evenings and BBQs
Free health service
Lots of museums, galleries, theatres, comedy
Choice of activities - no matter how random the activity, they'll be somewhere to do it
Corruption exists of course and our government seems deep in it, but on a daily level you don't need to bribe people etc. You can just get on with your job/business, pay tax and be left to it
Multicultural - a real melting pot and a variety of food to match
Tower Bridge - reminds me of a fairytale
Generally accepting and tolerant, but there is more of a racist undercurrent in recent years unfortunately, which seems exacerbated by Brexit here, but I don't think this is limited to UK
Fish and chips on the beach
People don't tend to care what sexual orientation you are or what you identify as
Buzz in town on a Friday evening before a bank holiday Monday
As it's small, it's fairly easy and quick to get to most places - beach, countryside etc
Lots of good music and venues
Beautiful parks and woods
Humour and banter
Lovely market towns
Predictability of certain areas - seasides have promenades, fish and chips, an elderly couple on a bench watching the sea, tourist tat; generic high streets will have a chicken shop, a nail bar and a charity shop
Christmas - lights, Christmas fayres,
I don't go clubbing anymore, but there are some great clubs
Drinks by the river
I love Edinburgh, especially during the festival
Holkham beach, Norfolk

Where do you live now? What part of the UK are you going back to?

Now for the bad bit, so scroll on if don't want to know!
The worst thing about UK at the moment is we seem on a bit of a self-destruct mission and it's hard to see it happening. Brexit and covid are very divisive. It's expensive and poverty has risen.

We have neighbours, a couple, who are Latin American and who are on contract with their country’s embassy, but who will have to leave fairly soon when their contract runs out.

When dh was talking to the bloke recently, he said, ‘I love it here! I love England! I even love the weather!’
(Exclamation marks added because that’s how he said it, very enthusiastically.).

We lived in other countries for 13 years and although I enjoyed it at the time, I have no desire whatever to return to any of them long-term.

Re US health care, a Dsis has lived in the US for decades, and pays a hefty whack for health insurance - she’s freelance so no employer help.
When she cut a finger very badly a few years ago, I said, ‘Well, at least you’re insured.’
She said, ‘You’re joking - there was a $2000 excess.’

I’m currently living in an EU country and cannot wait to get back to England (east London).

@thenightsky

We are actually a very tolerant nation compared to many other countries. Even though it might not seem it, the UK had persistently been ranked as one of the least racist countries across the world.

Meghan Markle might argue with that.

Coming from the US, she might argue with that? When exactly did she experience racism here? And someone speculating on the colour of her child’s skin doesn’t count as we have no idea of context or what was actually said.

Anyway sorry for the derail, I love living in the UK, the food, the seasons, so many activities and places to visit with children, close to mainland europe, the people are generally lovely, so many opportunities for initiatives to support your community and those struggling.

Those who are moaning about the inequalities, the need for food banks etc I hope you are doing things like helping in soup kitchens, donating to food banks, cooking for the homeless and not just sitting on your arses complaining.

It’s so expensive here. And conservative.
Only 2 political parties, who are basically just the same.
And monocultural.

England IS accepting and welcoming.

e have neighbours, a couple, who are Latin American and who are on contract with their country’s embassy, but who will have to leave fairly soon when their contract runs out.

When dh was talking to the bloke recently, he said, ‘I love it here! I love England! I even love the weather!’
(Exclamation marks added because that’s how he said it, very enthusiastically.).

I feel this way about the UK:) Unfortunately, I too will have to return to my home country for family reasons, but DS will go to uni here and I really hope he can stay., so I have an excuse to visit! He is working like a demon to get into a good uni and make his home here.

@BritWifeInUSA
You have excellent coverage as you know.
I pay £62pm for Bupa for one adult, one child (250 excess) All eligible costs covered. 18pm dental. Basic rate taxpayer.
And, of course, everything free on NHS aside from prescriptions.

Those who are moaning about the inequalities, the need for food banks etc I hope you are doing things like helping in soup kitchens, donating to food banks, cooking for the homeless and not just sitting on your arses complaining
^
Totally agree

@bizarrustii

Those who are moaning about the inequalities, the need for food banks etc I hope you are doing things like helping in soup kitchens, donating to food banks, cooking for the homeless and not just sitting on your arses complaining ^ Totally agree

I do, yes. Do you?

@ChocolateDeficitDisorder

The OP is asking about life in the country of England, but many people are referring to life in the 'United Kingdom'.

Life is different in the different countries which make up the union. I think it's specifically England that she's asking about.

OP seems to use England, UK and Britain interchangeably rather than three distinct places which is both inaccurate and going to piss people off if she does it when she returns!

@mowglika You said it!

Mustn't grumble
Sums up what's great about England!

A standard of living that is higher than 99% of the world

Er, no. For the average person in Britain, 90% perhaps at a stretch.

Might not go down too well here but I love the weather, I love that it can change from so much. Both scorchio and freezing fucking cold everyday become dull at some point.
I often travel to escape the weather so it's a bit...something me saying that but I love how it changes so often.

Nature is intrinsically beautiful but we do have some of the most stunning landscapes in the world.

Regardless of how the goons in Westminster appear to behave it's one of the least corrupt and easiest places in the World to do business.

The complete lack of decorum and civility in general life is by far the worst aspect of living here. There are cunts everywhere in the World but here we have more idiots deliberately acting like cunts than anywhere else I've ever travelled to. Funnily enough,the arse drops out of all of them when they are properly fronted up to. It really would have most of their ancestors turning in their graves with shame...

Nature. Beautiful beaches, forests, access to open spaces and public footpaths.

I live in a beautiful part of the country with beaches, forests and countryside.

That's the main thing really. There's a lot I don't like. The politics and attitudes mostly.

I really like that we don't tend to have extremes of weather (for now). I'm not good in a crisis so earthquakes and tornadoes wouldn't work for me.

We also don't have lots of creatures trying to kill us. I don't think I'm up for that either. 😄

Free higher education, free prescriptions, free travel for people under 21 years old coming. Stunning Scottish scenery, friendly folk, great culture. Access to all of Scotland within a few hours. What's not to like!

Even in our biggest cities, you're rarely more than an hour from lovely countryside.

Real ale, in old pubs.

Roast dinners.

Network of public rights of way across private land (a US student who stayed with a friend found this astonishing). And they're shown on Ordnance Survey maps, which are astonishing in themselves.

Never being more than 70 miles from the sea, so you can get to a beach from almost anywhere pretty easily.

The National Trust

Even quite small towns often have arts festivals, live music venues, even theatres.

Extreme weather events are rare.