Relocating within UK. Need advice on where to begin

[Mummymn]

I don't even know if this is possible at the moment it all feels impossible.

Both of us are self employed but would get normal jobs. Thinking we will give up business and get something here and save up enough money to live on for a year or so until we find something in our new location. No idea how easy it would be to find another job in another area (especially as our cv is just SE) but no mortgage would be on our side so finances are good plus house prices cheaper where we are looking so looking at spending less on next house to give us some extra money.

Then there are children. Would have to find schools. In an ideal world would move in summer hols but whether that would be doable who knows.

Has anyone ever done anything like this? It's so daunting and I don't know where to start?

Start applying for Jon's and take it from there

Find a part of the country you like and scout it out. You're self employed? See where you can build a client base.

Yes I’d start with job applications and see.
Where to start there’s yearly top 10 best places to live articles.
What about friends, family and visiting them, type if work you do eg do you need somewhere commuting distance to a big city.

We will be moving to be close to family so the location is clear. Only thing that is!

Won't be taking the business with us, we have agreed we fancy a change and don't have the energy or excitement to start building it up from nothing again. No idea what jobs to look at but I think we need to be open to ideas. My issue is that I get scared if I apply now what if I get it and can't move quick enough. Ideal would be wfh but no idea how to get those jobs.

Apply for everything and say you have a 3 month notice period to tie the business up, or if extremely senior 6 months. Neither are unreasonable.

Thank you good advice.

We moved from Kent to Lancashire in the 80s. Slightly different to you as DH had a good job, and we used the equity in the house to buy a house up here and fund a business start up, with a mortgage and a business loan. We look back now and wonder how we managed with 2 under 10s but we have no regrets. We has some good years and some close to going bust, especially the early 90s with the huge leap in interest rates to 15% when we had large mortgage and loan. No we have retired we have no regrets. We were close to my inlaws so could look after them as they aged and eventually died, we were able to afford a bigger house and garden, the countryside is lovely, the schools were good and we have enjoyed living up here. We miss being able to visit London for shows and days out, but we have 3 or 4 day trips now. Manchester and Liverpool are less than an hour away, as are the Lake District and the Dales. So yes, it was tough but worth it.

Council jobs near us are often mainly wfh. Recruitment process tends to be long so would give you chance to relocate. Civil service is often same too.
If you have family in area are there any big employers with decent reputation.
Is renting an option to give you a feel for best areas.

I'm thinking most sensible course of actions based on what people have said is to build up abit of decent savings then look at wfh jobs within council type industry or similar. Then perhaps look at renting very short term while we sort out the selling and buying (this will not be popular option with my husband but sensible to me..and ironic considering how I had to convince him to buy when we bought our first ever house)

It's all just bit daunting but the end result should be amazing with family and friends closer and I think he will enjoy being rural