To think that the UK is not that bad?

[QuickCoralMoose]

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.

I think the US is both better and worse. As in - more extreme. It’s pretty dull and steady in the UK. Weather and culture. If you have a bit of money in the US and live somewhere with clement weather you might be better off there. It’s kind of grey here in many ways (but I do love it!).
Our houses are too small though.

Yeah, but put that up against the fact that firearm mortality is the leading cause of death in American children.

It's awful. But it's a different scale of violence.

the UK is dangerous, stabbings in every school

I'm having a hard time believing this is a legitimate post. Sounds more like the typical goady nonsense to get an American-bashing thread going.🙄

I'm in America and there's little press coverage of the UK beyond the usual political reporting. Certainly haven't seen anything that would leave the impression that there were stabbings in every school.

On the off chance that this is a legitimate thread, then I'd say go and give it a chance. What do you have to lose? Your family may thrive - who knows?

If you have good insurance in the US then the healthcare system in the UK will likely be an adjustment. No picking up the phone to make an appt to see a specialist at your convenience, etc. OTOH, if you are uninsured (or have large deductibles) it may work out better for you financially.

I love living in UK. I feel safe here. I travel alot/travelled far and wide all over Africa America Europe etc, I always feel most at home in UK
I genuinely wouldn't want to love anywhere else and wouldn't like in America ever,

If you have a decent income and a secure job, you should be fine.

There is crime everywhere, thinking of that poor murdered lass in Hexham, but thankfully it is still quite rare. Definitely no stabbings in my ds' school. They aren't even allowed to carry phones.

If you are short of money or your job is insecure, the UK is not a good place to be at the moment.

I've had superb care from the NHS over the last three years (Hampshire), but it seems to be variable so think about private health insurance if necessary.

I love it here, but I would never live in a city. Do your research, choose your village with care, check salaries and schools and house prices before you commit.

Good luck.

If you have good insurance in the US then the healthcare system in the UK will likely be an adjustment. No picking up the phone to make an appt to see a specialist at your convenience, etc. OTOH, if you are uninsured (or have large deductibles) it may work out better for you financially.

Incorrect. Specialist consultants are available outside of the NHS. You can either get a private referral by your GP if you have private medical insurance or you can arrange your own appointment with a specialist if self-paying. Private consultants tend to be based at local private hospitals.

I've lived in several countries and know some others well. There is no perfect utopia - every country has its issues. The UK is no different. There are problems, for sure, but overall it's a pretty good place to live.

I would choose living in the UK over living in Trump's US without hesitation.

You'll love the UK for its seasons!

I should have been clearer. I meant if the OP was relying strictly on the NHS vs obtaining private insurance in the UK.

Some US states (East coast) have seasons too. OP doesn't say where she's based in the states currently.

I appreciate UK (live in the North but less far up). So many people have it worse off. NHS has some wait list issues but there are amazing specialist research active clinicians especially at the teaching hospitals. It’s also free at the point of access so not issues with is insurers. You can always get private insurance on top if you are concerned about waiting lists but NHS is the best place for emergency services and complex surgery so you have both options if needed

Transwomen cops, aka men, are now allowed to strip search women. And Keir is cosying up to Blackrock.

There are worse places, of course, but the UK is going in the wrong direction.

It’s a completely different culture from the U.S. but if you lean into it you will find wonderful people and a truly great place to live. Don’t underestimate the ease of traveling to Europe!

Context is important ('not that bad' compared to what?) and in your case I think the UK would be ideal. You can find plenty of community feel, beautiful places to walk and safe schools in the NE. The NHS has suffered from Covid but it's still free healthcare - compared to the US that's amazing, but you always have the option of paying for private care if it concerns you, which you must be doing in the US anyway. The crime stats are being wildly exaggerated by your family and friends, but there will be hard data on how it compares to the US.

I've lived all my life in the UK despite options to move almost anywhere I would like globally for work. I love it here. It's definitely taken a dip lately, but I see these things as cyclical and - maybe this is weird of me - feel a bit like I owe it to the UK to stay and contribute through the tougher times, given how much I've benefitted from being raised in a free country with the NHS, good public schools, and one of the best cities in the world (London) to have a career. Plus I love the changing seasons, the sense of history and the British humour. Hell, maybe I'm more patriotic than I realised!

Some US states (East coast) have seasons too. OP doesn't say where she's based in the states currently

Most of the states have four season weather. It's really only the far south where winter is negligible. Some states have very harsh winters and others have long summer seasons. You have to remember how large some states are; Phoenix Arizona can be warm even in mid-Winter whereas you'll have snow in Flagstaff.

I don’t think there have ever been any stabbings in schools local to me (unless it’s so common that it doesn’t get reported 🤪 - joke). That’s like assuming there are mass shootings in every US school…

im not familiar with any of the issues you mention OP. As to the above comment re transwomen cops strip searching women, I don’t recall every actually speaking to a serving policeman let alone a trans one let alone been strip searched - wtf do you do to think you’re at risk of that! Obviously I’ve lived a sheltered 40 years 🤣

The US has the one of the highest per capita rates of knife murders in the world - far, far worse than the UK. Knife crime in the UK is just very well publicised. In the US shootings get the headlines.

I know it is Wikipaedia but this does seem to suggest that the UK could do better in the world rankings (142nd) for murder rates but it is WAY better than the US (57th) out of the 200 odd countries on this list
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate
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Op there are quite a few reasons not to move to the UK (weather being one big one) but it really is a pretty safe place overall . I don't dispute it may be getting worse but it really is nowhere near as violent as the US

I'd move anywhere if it meant I didn't have to worry about my children being shot in school.

It'll take some adjusting- English people are very, very different to Americans. I lived in the US for a while and was astounded at how many people want antibiotics for a cold, but don't ring for an ambulance in a serious situation.

Our produce and all food sold in British supermarkets are held to a certain standard, so limited artificial flavours and colours, meat isn't discoloured and slimy, vegetables taste like vegetables etc

The most important thing is don't rely on American news and reports to get an idea of what its's like in England- it's propaganda to the absolute hilt. We don't have stabbings in every school, children aren't all in gangs, etc.

English people are also much more reserved than other cultures. It's something that people can find hard to get used to.

I live near Newcastle again it depends where like every where good and bad bits. Actually I think knife crime etc not soo much of a worry here than elsewhere (still, is but i dont worry about going out because of it) kids have never ever had any violence issues ar school. Ditto health and schools we have relatives in other parts of the UK where waits for things/competition for school places is much worse. I have family in the states ans whilst I love to visit I'd not want to live there was genuinely shocked with the poverty I saw in LA last year and I work in front line public sector here.

Knife crime in the US is worse per capita than the UK and that's not even factoring in the gym crime in the US. It's lovely in the North East

What an incredibly idiotic comment.

Definitely a legitimate thread, and in no way meant to start a US bashing. There are pros and cons of every country but it’s my family & friends giving me their negative opinions and talking about stabbings etc not the news. Some of them are in the US too and others are in the UK, albeit not where we’re moving to.

It’s difficult when you haven’t lived somewhere for a while to get an idea of day to day life, research only tells you so much. So I really just wanted to hear some mumsnet opinions!

When you say near Newcastle OP where roughly do you mean as I think in terms of saftey any villagey type places are very similar but in terms of stuff to do varies a lot big difference between posh villages in Northumberland and the ex coal mining bits of Durham.. which can be lovely just not the same type of place