To relocate from the south east up north??

[BadgerLovesMash]

Just to start I have never moved away from where I grew up so this would be huge!! But now after having our landlord decide to sell our home again (5th time in 12 years this has happened to us!) We are seriously considering moving somewhere cheaper. But some things making me wonder whether we should.

We currently live just outside of Brighton so are very used to easy and cheap public transport which is vital as we don't drive.

Our daughters are 14 and 10, so 1 heading into GCSE years and the other just about to start secondary school.

We have a good support network of friends and family here. All the girls friends are here.

However we are both on minimum wage. DH works for a company that would let him change locations. I work in childcare so could find another job in that field (I was looking to change anyway as no longer need term time once dd2 starts secondary and theres no chance of increased hours where i am) so financially we would be significantly better off.

For reference our current rent for a 3 bed is £1500 per month and this is cheap, others in this area are closer to £1800. I was looking at Grimsby and for a similar sized 3 bed it is £515. But that is 5hrs on the train from here!

So has anyone done this and what are the pros and cons?

Oh and this is all quite outing if you know me! 🤣

Housing Aberdeen is pricey but Inverness not do much.

If you are willing to go a bit further south then Fife and Perthshire are lovely and affordable.

Avoid Edinburgh though as it's as expensive as London.

Indeed the SE is noticeably warmer that the North, I am not sure why people are denying it. Sussex, where the OP is, has vineyards.

The temperature difference isn't massive.
My location in Yorkshire 5 degrees
Brighton ... 5 degrees.

I would absolutely do it, for quality of life for your family and if it meant we would be better off financially. However, I wouldn’t do it just to rent another property. I would only do it if it meant we would be able to buy a property and get on the ladder. Some absolutely gorgeous places to live in the North. Good luck with your decision.

I love living up north, after being in the southeast a long time, but I wouldn't even consider it if couldnt drive. Public transport is dire, the last time I attempted it I end up getting a taxi.

Those denying the difference in temp… might want to revisit their gcse notes! 😂

www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zpykxsg/revision/3

It’s not just about the temperature, Sussex gets a lot more sunshine hours. And less rain. And often is warmer.

www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/read-this/uks-happiest-and-unhappiest-towns-unveiled-and-its-all-to-do-with-the-weather-3531819

www.yourweather.co.uk/news/trending/where-is-the-sunniest-place-in-the-uk-sunshine.html

If the air masses are strong enough in their respective areas during the summer, there can sometimes be a large difference in temperature between the far north of Scotland (including its islands) and the south-east of England – often a difference of 10-15 °C (18-27 °F) but sometimes as much as 20 °C (36 °F) or more.

I moved with DC not long ago from London to the NW. Near several beaches, small school classes, plenty of free things to do with kids, vast opportunities to shop local (seafood straight from the sea!), not overcrowded when in town (compared to London), no smog/high levels of air pollution and all without the south price tags.

I don’t regret it for a second and would never return to live in the south.

As others have said, Grimsby and Brighton are non-comparable. Somewhere like Leeds/Manchester would be less of a culture shock, but you would be paying more than you would in Grimsby.

You’re so right.

Eastbourne is blessed!

If your oldest is 14, you need to have moved by September to start GCSE courses with the rest of her year.
That doesn't give you much time to research, make a decision and move.
You really need to visit a place before deciding to uproot your life - and don't underestimate the costs (money and time) of not having family on the doorstep.
Public transport is pretty useless outside of the big cities. For example, i live a 5 min walk from a station with a direct train to a station within 10 min walk of work. I would need to leave at 6.30 to get to work on time. And wouldn't get back home til just before 6. It's a 20 min drive in the car.
Grimsby wouldn't be high on my list of places to move to!

I think I would look much closer to home, but in a cheaper location. Somewhere that you could visit your family for the day rather than needing a whole weekend.

Most of us are not in the far north of Scotland!

It’s not so much that’s there no difference in temperature - more than for many of us clearly it’s not noticeable enough to affect our lives. I don’t spend my time feeling obviously colder than I did before.

I wouldn’t. You will struggle without a car, it’s a looooooong way from family. It’s not doable by train for a weekend. It is colder (I’m from up north but now in south east). I’m a 3.5 hour drive from family and struggle to see them as much as I would like/need, especially as they are getting older. I would consider moving more rurally into Sussex in your shoes rather than a drastic move to Grimsby.

unpopular opinion but look to earn more? You’ve said FT is now an option for you, can you do that and look to progress? Is there way for your DH to increase earnings?

I would concentrate on you and your DH'S earning potential. It's not easy but studying for extra qualifications or going for promotion would be a better way forward for all concerned.

The North isn't just one little place though. I didn't bother learning to drive until I had children as I didn't need to. Where I live has excellent public transport. I have 2 train stations within a 20 minute walk and many buses that operate until late at night. The OP just needs to do some research.

I second the person saying to look for cheaper areas that are close to Brighton though if all friends and family are there. There must be cheaper rents in areas outside of the city or in nearby less desirable towns.

Brighton to Stoke?! No thanks.

These are not cheap places to live though!

Southern softie. I bet you wear a coat too !

Maybe she should move to Eastbourne then. I'm sure it's way cheaper than Brighton

The funny thing is you never see warnings to people asking about moving south to prepare for the heat! But for me the London hot summers would be an absolute no go.

Bloomin heck… yes I do!

friends in the north know to crank the heating to the max when they know the southern contingent are visiting! 😂

Hey good point.

op… Eastbourne?

Yeah, the bits of the North that are like Brighton are not much cheaper. You can stay south and be somewhere like Grimsby - which will be cheap.

In fact, if you look at the map in the notes you linked to, you'll see the UK is divided into four climate zones and the South Eastern one covers both Brighton and Grimsby!