Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that the UK is not that bad?

120 replies

QuickCoralMoose · 23/11/2024 14:19

My family is moving from the US to the UK next year. (One of us is British, the other American). From a religious red state to Northern England near Newcastle. But all of our family and friends are telling us that it’s a bad decision - the UK is dangerous, stabbings in every school, no one can afford anything, we won’t be able to get appropriate medical treatment if anything is wrong etc.

Bearing in mind all the issues the US has (and we wouldn’t be able to afford a super safe area in a blue state with good schools anyway), am I wrong to think that a village in the north of England is going to be a safer environment for our kids?

We are pretty simple in my opinion. Don’t need a fancy house, drive old cars, just want a community, volunteering opportunities and safe places to walk the dog plus obviously a safe school and friends for us and the kids if that makes any difference to anyone’s answer.

OP posts:
Lallydallydune · 23/11/2024 14:20

No its not that bad.

There are a lot of countries that are worse.

clickclack8 · 23/11/2024 14:20

i LOVE the Uk

but i live in a thriving part, i earn well, and my children are very happy

so i guess, well yes - love the UK

clickclack8 · 23/11/2024 14:21

i’m south east

Lallydallydune · 23/11/2024 14:21

Lallydallydune · 23/11/2024 14:20

No its not that bad.

There are a lot of countries that are worse.

Saying that,

I have moved out of the UK myself. And I'm much happier where I am now.

LIZS · 23/11/2024 14:23

Near Newcastle is a bit vague! Northumberland is spectacular and Tyneside very variable,

NotMyCircus99 · 23/11/2024 14:24

“Stabbings in every school”, wtf? 😂😂😂

Viewfrommyhouse · 23/11/2024 14:24

It's fine. COL issues are still here. The knife crime stats always get bandied around but even then, the figures are lower per capita here than they are in the US. Your kids won't have to wear bullet proof backpacks or have emergency drills for mass shootings in schools here - that's a winner imo.

Lallydallydune · 23/11/2024 14:25

Im from the UK. I moved away. I wouldn't live in the UK again myself. I visited the UK last year and I have to say, I couldn't wait to get out of there.

But I don't think it's a bad place to spend a year or two. Not forever though.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 23/11/2024 14:25

I would much rather be in the UK than the US!

ForestDad · 23/11/2024 14:26

If those are your only worries you'll be fine as they're pretty much all false or massively exaggerated.

NotMyCircus99 · 23/11/2024 14:26

We moved here. Been here over 40 years, the UK is absolutely fine. Bizarre of your relatives to say “stabbing in every school” when the schools don’t need metal detectors like the US, don’t need campus cops like the US, don’t need to do active shooter drills like the US……see what I’m getting at?

Olinguita · 23/11/2024 14:26

The NHS is a bit of a mess and the weather is horrible but honestly I don't think it's that bad in the UK and I'd choose Newcastle over the US in a heartbeat. Just think, you will be near to some of the most stunning countryside and beaches in Northumberland for weekend trips. Love that part of the UK.
I live in a part of London that a lot of people assume is dangerous but I'd rather be here than in a part of the US where it's comparatively easy to buy and own firearms.

SpamCannon · 23/11/2024 14:27

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Lallydallydune · 23/11/2024 14:30

NotMyCircus99 · 23/11/2024 14:26

We moved here. Been here over 40 years, the UK is absolutely fine. Bizarre of your relatives to say “stabbing in every school” when the schools don’t need metal detectors like the US, don’t need campus cops like the US, don’t need to do active shooter drills like the US……see what I’m getting at?

..

LIZS · 23/11/2024 14:31

NotMyCircus99 · 23/11/2024 14:26

We moved here. Been here over 40 years, the UK is absolutely fine. Bizarre of your relatives to say “stabbing in every school” when the schools don’t need metal detectors like the US, don’t need campus cops like the US, don’t need to do active shooter drills like the US……see what I’m getting at?

Schools do lockdown drills. Actual incidents are very rare though.

flyinghen · 23/11/2024 14:33

I love living in the UK

Lallydallydune · 23/11/2024 14:33

The news always makes everywhere sound like a shithole.
It makes the USA sound like it's full of gang wars and people are getting shot every day

I visited the USA and I had a great time.

I also presume the news makes the UK look terrible to people round the world.

The UK is not that violent.

It is boring and has bad weather, which is why I left the place.

Pigeonqueen · 23/11/2024 14:36

I love the U.K. but the knife crime amongst young people really frightens me, especially with a teenage boy of my own. I wouldn’t want to live in any of the main cities for that reason - in fact we moved from London to Norfolk after I was violently mugged on my way home from work.

You only have to google the recent news regarding Max Dixon and Mason Rist to know how dangerous it is. (Two teens who went out to pick up a pizza and were murdered with machetes by a gang literally outside Masons front door- they didn’t know the gang at all; the gang thought they were involved in something they weren’t at all, it took 33 seconds to kill them both). The whole case has really upset me and has made me feel the UK isn’t a safe place for teenagers now.

BMW6 · 23/11/2024 14:39

"Bad weather"?

No tornadoes.
No hurricanes.
No real extremes of heat and cold.

I'll take grey and rainy days in exchange for those thanks.

I suggest you buy decent clothing appropriate for whatever the weather is.

SpamCannon · 23/11/2024 14:41

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

clickclack8 · 23/11/2024 14:42

BMW6 · 23/11/2024 14:39

"Bad weather"?

No tornadoes.
No hurricanes.
No real extremes of heat and cold.

I'll take grey and rainy days in exchange for those thanks.

I suggest you buy decent clothing appropriate for whatever the weather is.

often i often see it shite in the north

meanwhile is beautiful in SE

Lallydallydune · 23/11/2024 14:43

BMW6 · 23/11/2024 14:39

"Bad weather"?

No tornadoes.
No hurricanes.
No real extremes of heat and cold.

I'll take grey and rainy days in exchange for those thanks.

I suggest you buy decent clothing appropriate for whatever the weather is.

Yes the UK does have bad weather.

I'm living in a place now that has lots of sunshine at this time of year

Pigeonqueen · 23/11/2024 14:43

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

That’s such an oversimplified view. Bristol is one of the worst areas for knife crime and it’s mainly down to youth gang culture and the influence of drill music. Nothing to do with “foreigners”.

Lallydallydune · 23/11/2024 14:46

BMW6 · 23/11/2024 14:39

"Bad weather"?

No tornadoes.
No hurricanes.
No real extremes of heat and cold.

I'll take grey and rainy days in exchange for those thanks.

I suggest you buy decent clothing appropriate for whatever the weather is.

"Buy decent clothing for whatever the weather is."

No i prefer to live in a country that is sunny and mild through the winter. I'm much happier than I was in the UK

clickclack8 · 23/11/2024 14:46

Lallydallydune · 23/11/2024 14:43

Yes the UK does have bad weather.

I'm living in a place now that has lots of sunshine at this time of year

get out and enjoy it then

you have spent vast majority of last 24 hours on mumsnetting whinging about an employers attitude and then getting mightily pissed off that majority of posters didn’t agree with you

Swipe left for the next trending thread