To think life in England must be much easier

[Heatethelastwaffle]

I’m British but live abroad.
We are struggling a lot financially at the moment, life is hard, although the sun shines.
Where we are, if you fall into a hole, you’re pretty much screwed. Benefits exist, but you have to be very much on the breadline and even then it’s not enough to survive. There is a national health service, but it’s not great, so I’m having to pay out of my own money for private consultations. I have a chronic illness but no benefits whatsoever exist, my Dd is potentially suffering from Pans/pandas, they haven’t heard of it where we are, I’ve been to three separate Drs who had no idea what I’m talking about, There’s no help with rent, with housing, with bills and so on if you fall on hard times.

I want to go home, it may be depressing in some ways in England but you’re secure.

What a horrible thing to say to someone looking for a little reassurance!

I grew up in Germany and my parents live there, so for me moving back to Germany would be moving near family and friends. I can see how it may be different for you. Do you speak German? I think it's difficult to fit in if you don't. In terms of standard of living, medical care and education Germany is far superior though.

Don’t see the issue here - £50 a week is more than enough to buy food and toiletries for one person. This is very generous compared to other countries

my Dd is potentially suffering from Pans/pandas, they haven’t heard of it where we are

I'm sorry to hear that but it's not especially better for that here. My friend has had to go private to get her DC the help she needs and it's still been an exhausting expensive ongoing battle.

Before making any firm plans to move, look at where the UK centres of excellence are (if there are any) for researching / treating your child’s health condition.

Also, have a look for any clinical trials in your current country as well as the UK.
https://clinicaltrials.gov
There may be options in your current location that will help even if you eventually move.

Don’t see the issue here - £50 a week is more than enough to buy food and toiletries for one person. This is very generous compared to other countries

Food, toiletries, clothes, shoes, any household goods you might need (having arrived with nothing), any bus fares/transport costs, phone use (essential to have some access to internet given everything is online now). If you can do all that on £50 a week I take my hat off to you.

I dont know the great details but my nans mate moved to oz for 20ish years. Returned home and wasn't entitled to the nhs for many years, had to pay private for everything

Some countries are obviously worst - it's not news that the equivalent of the NHS doesn't exist everywhere for a start. There wouldn't be any refugiees if life wasn't easier and safer.

The UK is also a lot worst and people struggling a lot more than in other more modern and efficient countries. We pretend to be great, but we are an embarrassment. This country is designed for the super rich, and gives massive handouts to the ones on lower income or no income. Anyone in between is struggling.

It all depends where you are now. It might be easier for you.

Benefits exist but obviously it depends on earnings and situation. To rent now in my area the cost is huge compared to a few years ago. Look on entitled to, to see if you would be better off benefit wise. NHS waiting lists are pretty big in certain areas too.

Why are so many people on this thread so mean and begrudging?

What happened to you in your lives to make you want to sneer at others, and take pleasure in them being worse off than you, to the extent that you'll go out of your way to make them feel bad? Were you the school bullies? Are you literally sniggering behind your screen?

You're embarrassing yourselves.

Very well said. Some absolutely shameful comments on here.

Agree. There’s a rather large group on FB dedicated entirely to expat grumps.
It’s quite active too.
People decide to move abroad for different reasons, that doesn’t mean that they can never complain or regret their decision.

I understand OP. For a while I lived in Scandinavia, absolutely wonderful countries and lovely places to live, but it wasn't the same as in UK.
There was definitely help but not the same as in UK, and I realised from that experience that - for all the problems we experience in Britain - there is a safety net here which underpins everything which doesn't exist in other countries.

I came back and don't regret it.
However, do be realistic about returning. There are problems as others have said. Rentals are high and currently the NHS and education are going through a touch patch. You may find problems with accessing specialist help for your child, you will have to accept that it will be a slow process getting it sorted out.

Oh and cost of living has risen but it's still nothing like it was in Scandinavia!!

You probably by returning to the UK will be nearer to some of your relatives, but please don't expect it to be as good as when you left.

Massive handouts? If I left DH and rented my daughter's grotty old flat, after housing costs, I'd have £30 per month for everything else. Yes I did say £30. Benefits aren't generous.

Why aren't they entitled to benefits.

This country is designed for the super rich, and gives massive handouts to the ones on lower income or no income. Anyone in between is struggling.

Punch up, that’s where all the issues lie.

This is very true. I've lived in one of the Gulf countries for ten years now and the NHS equivalent system here is truly amazing. Same day GP appointments at the time of your choosing,consultant appointments with no waiting lists so you're seen to straight away,even major surgery scheduled pretty much at your convenience. My DH who is self employed here is able to access all of this for us for a tiny payment each month,around 10GBP. Also all prescriptions are free. When we return to live in UK the first thing we'll do is get private health cover which will no doubt cost a fortune.

I lived overseas for a few years op, and I know exactly what you mean. Much of Europe live in poverty, but because people fly in and fly out of lovely hotels and sparkling swimming pools and they simply do not see the reality behind the sunny climate.

The standard of living is extremely basic, health care is way behind what we would expect here, and schooling too in some places. There is real hand to mouth living and benefits and your housing is your problem, living on the breadline in 40c heat is no fun let me tell you.

People moan here, but we offer housing, healthcare, schooling, benefits and an incredible array of support but it is all taken for granted.

But you overlook the disgraceful way the Gulf countries treat their workers and women in general? The confiscation of passports and freedom when they arrive? The very poor standard of living for those that are not wealthy western ex pats. You are painting a very one sided picture of a place that has sky high death rates amongst construction workers for example...

Well, that’s your experience, but I do think you’re generalising a bit.
I’ve lived in Germany before. The weather where I am in the UK is much better than where I was in Germany.
Taxes are similar in both places, at least in our case.
Prices have gone up in Germany in the last couple of years, as they have in many places. Some things (like alcohol) are more expensive in the UK, both not the general food shop in my experience.
What I did find better though was healthcare provision and how affordable childcare was.

My universal credit? Good one. I don’t have a job. I do run several companies though if that’s good enough for you to allow me to have my own opinion. I do after all pay rather a lot of income and corporation tax.

You should not be allowed to use out NHS if you have not paid into our system. This is the OPs clear intention. I don’t give a toss. My universal credit you think I’m getting, also known as multiple income streams from my businesses allows me private health insurance, education…Anything I want I can skip the queue. For many this is unfortunately not the case. You might want to think before you insult someone again.

Sorry. My former Bulgarian sister-in-law has not paid a penny into the system. She then imported her sister and parents to the UK, where they immediately applied and got NHS treatment. All with proud 'Brits are allowed to seek treatment in Bulgaria, we have a treaty' nonsense spouted. And you are questioning the right of a native to come back? Beyond strange.

There is a residency requirement to claim benefits.

If you are a UK citizen you can use the NHS from day 1 if you return permanently

In theory the US doesn’t allow it, or certainly didn’t, but my sister who took out US citizenship some 20 years ago (it meant less tax to pay after her dh died) still has her British passport and was even told by the official at the citizenship ceremony that they knew that many people certainly didn’t renounce their former citizenship.