to feel concerned about coming back to live in the U.K.

[tropicaltailwind]

I’m an expat. I left the U.K. in 2011. I go back every year to see family and friends. I keep up with British news and politics. I still think of Britain as my ancestral home. And I’m planning to come back, probably within four years.

I am worried about the Britain I’m bringing my family back to. The NHS under severe strain, crumbling social services, cost of living, shit in the rivers and sea, the rise of hard right politics. Do you think life in Britain has changed significantly in the last dozen years? Am I BU to worry about coming home?

Depends is it better than were you are?

Where would you be coming home to? I think things probably vary wildly based on the region/city etc. Things aren't perfect but they still seem largely 'ok' public services wise where I am in the South East.

It’s changed, but it’s still better than a lot of places. Hard right politics seems to be happening over most the western world. We always have had shit in the rivers, it’s just that in recent years we’ve started worrying about it and trying to clean it up.

It's great. Get private healthcare.

Do you think life in Britain has changed significantly in the last dozen years?

The answer is yes. The data is easy to find, but basically living standards are down and public services are much worse.

I've also been an ex pat and I'll take the Uk and it's democracy over a lot of the countries I have been to or lived in. I moved back 11 years ago and I'm still happy.

It really depends on where you live IMO.

It doesn’t have any more significant problems than any other Western democracy, and a huge amount depends on your personal circumstances and where you’re going to live.

I live in the North West and have always had fast, efficient care from the NHS. If it’s crumbling, it’s not apparent in my area.

As for hard right politics, you’re almost certainly about to get a Labour government.

Where I am now - a small island, high risk from climate change, hurricanes. High cost of living. Very hot and humid more than half of the year. I have good friends in the community but not as close as my friends of decades in the U.K. DH and I have elderly parents, siblings we rarely see, DS has cousins he wants to see more of and wants to do A levels in U.K.

DH and I met in London, where we both lived most of our adult lives but would likely return to East Anglia, probably Norwich/Norfolk as that’s where DS cousins and my elderly dad are.

Where are you moving from?

And to which area?

I think it depends where you are going to live. Also left in 2011 but to Europe. If you can get private health cover, two cars and be prepared to wait ages and pay high costs for any house renovations and spend a lot of time in traffic.

You'll hear extremes from many people but the truth is somewhere in the middle as usual. Some public services, most notably the NHS, are unquestionably worse than 11 years ago. So are schools (in many areas) and social care. I'm not convinced the rivers are dirtier than they were then. The hard right have risen across the West and actually have less of a hold here than they do in most of Europe. See Netherlands for example. There are good job and training opportunities in some parts of the country, probably better than 11 years ago.

The national mood isn't great though, I don't think as a nation we've recovered from covid times. Everything does feel rather gloomy and opinions seem increasingly polarised.

Depends where you are on the economic spectrum; not relying on public services, then okay. Not much has changed.

Relying on public services, need housing, need social support, yes lots has changed and it's getting worse.

I'm guessing you are pretty well off. In which case you will be pretty ok no matter.

Can you visit?

I wouldn’t go by SM particularly, especially on here people are more depressive and negative than irl generally (ime anyway)

I dont think it's changed all that much. Cost of living is higher everywhere. The nhs is suffering but me and my daughter have different chronic illnesses (Type 1 diabetes and MS) and the care has been excellent and unbelievably cheaper than if we were in the US for example.
Not sure what you mean about 'shit' in the sea and rivers - odd contamination that's nothing new.
All depends where you want to live. I live in London and love it.

Just come home. It’s not great but we’re not all in some perilous state of anarchy just yet. Just assume there’s zero chance of finding an NHS dentist and a hip op is a hundred year waiting list and you’ll be fine.

Tbh the public service NHS is variable. I have recently had great service, diagnostic, scan, appointment on the dot and to time. My father has similar experiences at specialist hospitals. We could not pay and get better. However, for some people it seems a lot worse in terms of access and waiting lists are at record highs.

Depends on your income and what you do. The general mood isn't as good as it was back then but if you aren't struggling you'll be fine. You won't get an NHS dentist though.

I think it depends on where you intend to live.

London is impossibly expensive, resources are stretched but on the bright side, the air is much cleaner and there is less traffic in the centre.

I've lived in rural Hampshire for the last 12 years and here, nothing much has changed. We have a bit more traffic I suppose, but we still have a GP and an NHS dentist. Good local hospital. Little to no crime. The worst thing I see is the standard of schooling has dropped. The road surfaces could do with some work. I have a mortgage which is up, but not as much as those paying rent.

I’m sure you’ll notice a difference OP but if you’re coming home for family reasons, you can make it work.

It will also depend on what stage of your life you’re at or if your needs have changed since you last lived in the UK.

I need more medical appointments now and hate how much the NHS has changed. Where I live, there is no notion of a family doctor anymore and it’s a case of a nurse or GP phoning you back - usually someone you’ve never met before who has little to no knowledge about you. I find it all so depersonalised now. Grateful that I can still access services, don’t get me wrong, but if I could afford it I would go private.

Elderly parents in the UK is a good reason to return.

We may well have a change of Government fairly soon so perhaps things will improve somewhat.

Massive change since the Tories got in, COVID Brexit rise if the far right cost of living no gp dentists, the list goes on

The amount of sewage discharging is very high, many beaches have lost their clean beach status and many rivers now very badly polluted.

Well OP, it doesn't sound particularly sustainable where you are and as you haven't been gone that long, you'll be fine, except you'll be feeling the cold! Things honestly haven't changed out of all recognition since 2011. Besides, the whole world is changing at the moment, nowhere is immune. I'm not sure about the rise of right wing politics in the UK, that's happening in mainland Europe. Pretty sure the next government here will be Labour.

This is it in a nutshell. How much it impacts on you will depend on how much money you have.