To be depressed about how expensive but shyt the UK is

[OptimismvsRealism]

God it's expensive God it's shit

Please regale me with examples of how other places are also shit and it's not just here

Nope, it usually nearer to 11/12.
My 9 year old was referred at 8 for an initial assessment as she had hypodontia, and seen within about 3 months for an initial assessment as she has complex dental needs

It is not as bad as the eighties. We had soaring unemployment with some places being absolute shitholes. We do have the impact of a lack of investment in infrastructure we had back then as the Tories always do this.

Yeah but the UK has shitter weather! I just escaped the UK to go to Spain for a week.

I felt so much happier the minute I landed here.

Sun is so necessary for our wellbeing

OP isn’t asking for examples of things that are better though is she? 🤷‍♀️

In Spanish hospitals relatives have to do much of the non medical care.

I live in the EU and I would say it is also very expensive. I wouldn‘t say its shyte though.
When I come back to UK for holiday it looks scruffier each time. Litter, depressed looking people. I do get where you’re coming from.
I do think that once the generation that voted for Brexit dies there will be a lot more gnashing of teeth.
The world is in an economic slump but UK has certainly made it worse.

No, I think it varies and some people genuinely have a good experience. Depends on area and the specific need.

I've had three years of cancer care and it's been superb. I have health insurance but they couldn't come close to what the NHS offered.

For me, I agree that London is dirty, ludicrously expensive and pretty miserable. But I live in rural Hampshire and here it is still possible to find a decent flat, and live a good life on the average salary.

I've lived in other countries and I've lived in the UK.

I do personally think that the UK has a quite a low quality of life compared to some other countries.

Problem is say in Spain you can go to the beach, play in your garden or the park etc...

You are idealising it! Spain in summer has blistering heatwaves where people are told to remain indoors and run expensive air con. There are water shortages meaning bans on refilling pools are not unusual. A massive proportion of spaniards don't live near the beach. The public parks are no better than ours. The uk has many fantastic beaches - devon/cornwall/dorset, somerset & wales, sussex, norfolk, the north east, scottish islands... take your pick!

My children play in the garden and the park year round. They wear coats and wellies. British weather is mild year round.

@ChampaignSupernova yes yes.

Most people don't see the real failure of life - capitalism.

Our education system takes children at 4 years old - moves them indoors away from nature, away from the space they need to play - which is how children evolved to learn and develop and thrive - and in particular learn social relationships - and sits them down. We take them away from the climbing, jumping, imaginary games that are so vital for their wellbeing - and we force them through ridiculous cirriculums -

The year 6 'spag' ?? please. what a load of total shit. I am a writer - I think it's a load of pointless, tedious shit - kids would literally be better off running around building dens and making friends and having adventures.

We know that being sedentary is a major health risk - yet we have created a sedentary childhood.

Children are suffering - and for what? so they can 'pass exams' - and then sit down all day as adults.

we have lost our minds.

Yes, it's fine to have a moan, and if the OP had said "tell me all the ways you think the UK has declined in recent years, I would have given an example of that, but she didn't, she specifically said "Please regale me with examples of how other places are also shit and it's not just here". I gave an example.

Yes, the UK isn't perfect, and if you are comparing UK living standards now to UK living standard 5 or 6 years ago, I'm sure a lot more people are struggling now, but if you are comparing living conditions internationally, I think on balance, the living conditions here really aren't all that bad.

I believe this country is rich.
Just walk down the street and look at the roads and pavements, the fact there is bin collection weekly, you can go to the doctors for advice and medicine, your child goes to school for free, you can learn whatever you want to learn about, we have libraries, post services, fire service.
Yes, other countries may run these services better; but if you're feeling like the UK is shite, try going to poor countries and gaining some perspective.

But with climate change, the better weather is not always a positive.

And in a lot of European countries which have better summer temperatures, the winters are often much colder than ours.

The irony of this poster harping on about standards of education. As for ASD assessments, look at the explosion in the last 10yrs of people wanting to be assessed and then think about the increase needed in qualified staff to be able to assess these and the backlog. There are so many unfilled vacancies within the NHS and the answer is not to pay more.

I've lived in Spain during the summer. It doesn't always have blistering heatwaves in the summer. I was able to go out and about as normal during the summer.

Spain is lovely to live in

Of course, your NHS experience is valid, and I genuinely happy for you that it was good, but until everyone can say the same, we have a huge problem.

I think the council tax system is really bad. That everyone has to pay council tax every month. And there's no escape from jt

I lived in Ireland. There is no council tax.

You pay to get your bins collected but that cost me 20 euro per month.

Council tax in the UK is often 100 pounds plus per month

You do realise $6 is approximately £4?

I live 'over the channel'. Houses are cheaper here, as is electricity. Everything else? No. Higher taxes on income, insurance for healthcare, tax on savings, food more expensive, used cars cost more, DIY stuff more expensive

All European democracies will have got more expensive, FFS. Not to mention the fact that most people's wages have gone up.
In fact some things (like white goods, air fares) are actually cheaper now than they were 30 years ago - and that's without factoring in inflation.

This is all perfectly normal, OP, so there's no need to use emotive words like "extortionate".

OP I will have to disagree with you. I'm European, live in the North West of England and I very regularly visit my home country (a wealthy central European country). Whilst I love it there, the prices for food are much higher in my home country, as are taxes in general, people have more money but are generally grumpier for some reason, most people live in flats not houses like here. Let me assure you, from someone who has lived in different places and travelled extensively, the UK is not bad at all (in fact I really enjoy living here).

Agree - and this is a global issue not a UK one. I especially hate the way we force education until 21/22 on the basis that no one will employ them on a decent wage without a degree - and then they spend the rest of their lives working to pay off the debt for the degree that got them that job. It’s utter topsy-turvy world.

He hasn't lost all his baby teeth yet. Getting on the list now is so he will hopefully be closer to the top when all his adult teeth are in, or he faces a 4 year wait in 4 years, our dentist said.

True. It just annoys me that so many people think we should be grateful for a terrible NHS service because it’s that or the American system, when there are a world of options in between!