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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Moving to channel island while pregnant

29 replies

Star151 · 03/02/2025 18:05

Hello was hoping for some advice please.
my husband has been offered a job in Jersey (channel island) we would be moving from Scotland, have a 23month old and I am pregnant with our second baby.
has anyone had any experience or advice on this?
would I be entitled to free maternity care Or would I need to go private? I also have to have a C-section, any advice on this?
would be interested to know if health care is free in Jersey and what nurseries are like ?

sorry for lots of questions I’m struggling to find information online, any other tips or information you think would be helpful would be very much appreciated

thank you :)

OP posts:
Littlebrownfreckle · 03/02/2025 18:09

yes you’ll register with the local GP (which you pay for) but then when you’re referred to the hospital the entire birth is free. GP usually around £60-£70 but you may have health insurance thru work. I don’t so just pay it but then all my births including c sections were free. Only the GP visit you pay for

JerseyCrow · 03/02/2025 18:19

As the PP said you'll pay for GP appointments but not your hospital treatment.

Can't advise about nurseries but my experience is that a lot of the schools aren't great. I suspect because people who can afford it go private.

The cost of living is high so make sure the job offer is really worth it. Will you be housed?

Personally, I wouldn't do it. It's a beautiful island but a very insular place and not somewhere I enjoyed spending an extended amount of time.

Star151 · 03/02/2025 19:47

Littlebrownfreckle · 03/02/2025 18:09

yes you’ll register with the local GP (which you pay for) but then when you’re referred to the hospital the entire birth is free. GP usually around £60-£70 but you may have health insurance thru work. I don’t so just pay it but then all my births including c sections were free. Only the GP visit you pay for

Thanks so much, appreciate you answering 😊

OP posts:
Star151 · 03/02/2025 19:54

JerseyCrow · 03/02/2025 18:19

As the PP said you'll pay for GP appointments but not your hospital treatment.

Can't advise about nurseries but my experience is that a lot of the schools aren't great. I suspect because people who can afford it go private.

The cost of living is high so make sure the job offer is really worth it. Will you be housed?

Personally, I wouldn't do it. It's a beautiful island but a very insular place and not somewhere I enjoyed spending an extended amount of time.

Thank you, appreciate your honesty. We are reading very mixed reviews on moving to Jersey.
Would love to move away to give our kids a better lifestyle but can’t work out if this is the right place for us as soo mixed!
I understand the cost of living is high, we have been looking into renting as we won’t be housed and are shocked at the prices but would be happy to pay if it was worth it.

is there a lot to do? Shopping, cinema, outdoor activities?

thank you for helping 😊

OP posts:
JerseyCrow · 03/02/2025 20:06

There's one cinema and that was going to close but has apparently had a reprieve.

Loads of outdoor stuff to do and it's great if you've got sporty kids who like the water.

It's really hard to explain the attitudes there and I'm sure things have changed a bit but unless you're in a high income bracket it's not the idyllic place it's sold as. I found it difficult with outdated and offensive attitudes, money and status obsessed and just not great in lots of ways.

It also takes an age to get anywhere.

I will admit I am not in any way impartial here so you're not getting a completely balanced view.

Star151 · 03/02/2025 20:09

Littlebrownfreckle · 03/02/2025 18:09

yes you’ll register with the local GP (which you pay for) but then when you’re referred to the hospital the entire birth is free. GP usually around £60-£70 but you may have health insurance thru work. I don’t so just pay it but then all my births including c sections were free. Only the GP visit you pay for

Thank you so much, I appreciate your advice 😊if you don’t mind me asking how was your experience with the healthcare system while pregnant?

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 03/02/2025 20:12

It's over £4000 a month for a 2 bed apartment 😳

Star151 · 03/02/2025 20:14

NotEnoughRoom · 03/02/2025 20:01

Exactly the kind of website Iv been looking for! Thank you so much 😊

OP posts:
Star151 · 03/02/2025 20:23

Totally get what you’re getting at, Iv read a lot of threads with people’s opinions similar to yours.

Although we would really love to move away we want to make a rational decision as it would be a lot of upheaval for us, we have pets too. I would rather have people’s honest views 😊

Jersey was also never somewhere we had thought to move to, the opportunity just so happened to be presented to my husband through his job.

OP posts:
Star151 · 03/02/2025 20:26

LaurieFairyCake · 03/02/2025 20:12

It's over £4000 a month for a 2 bed apartment 😳

I’m realising this! Massive difference to where we stay. Do you live there or any advice on where to stay

OP posts:
Star151 · 03/02/2025 20:31

JerseyCrow · 03/02/2025 20:06

There's one cinema and that was going to close but has apparently had a reprieve.

Loads of outdoor stuff to do and it's great if you've got sporty kids who like the water.

It's really hard to explain the attitudes there and I'm sure things have changed a bit but unless you're in a high income bracket it's not the idyllic place it's sold as. I found it difficult with outdated and offensive attitudes, money and status obsessed and just not great in lots of ways.

It also takes an age to get anywhere.

I will admit I am not in any way impartial here so you're not getting a completely balanced view.

Totally get what you’re getting at, Iv read a lot of threads with people’s opinions similar to yours.
Although we would really love to move away we want to make a rational decision as it would be a lot of upheaval for us, we have pets too. I would rather have people’s honest views 😊
Jersey was also never somewhere we had thought to move to, the opportunity just so happened to be presented to my husband through his job.

OP posts:
BigBlueEyes678 · 03/02/2025 20:52

I live in the Cayman Islands and have met lots of people who used to live in Jersey and they really don't rate it. Very expensive, can't buy property, limited restaurants and bars, boring, shit infrastructure.

If your husband is in law or accounting there are much better offshore jurisdictions to work in.

marshmallowmix · 04/02/2025 19:02

The CI are tiny and strange if you are not a local, plus it is very expensive...and not a lot to do either.

Would not recommend it.

Clanke · 04/02/2025 19:09

The Channel Islands are fantastic if you are into beaches, sailing and water sports, and if you enjoy proximity to France. Jersey is expensive and overpopulated, but also quiet and beautiful. It’s not the place for you if you want busy, city life.

I would go and stay for a few weeks if I were you.

Clanke · 04/02/2025 19:10

Also if you are used to Scotland you will love the climate…

marshmallowmix · 05/02/2025 18:13

Are they helping with accommodation?

Star151 · 06/02/2025 18:09

marshmallowmix · 05/02/2025 18:13

Are they helping with accommodation?

Hey, no they are not helping with accommodation. I understand it’s very expensive to rent, do you have any advice on this? Thank you ☺️

OP posts:
Quietnowplease · 06/02/2025 18:12

Star151 · 06/02/2025 18:09

Hey, no they are not helping with accommodation. I understand it’s very expensive to rent, do you have any advice on this? Thank you ☺️

Advice? Only move there if you earn loads of money. Not just for the rent but also so you can afford to leave often for breaks.

You talk about a 'better lifestyle' for your kids. What do you mean by better lifestyle?

It can be really cliquey and competitive... Good if you like surfing, obviously.

Star151 · 06/02/2025 18:13

Clanke · 04/02/2025 19:09

The Channel Islands are fantastic if you are into beaches, sailing and water sports, and if you enjoy proximity to France. Jersey is expensive and overpopulated, but also quiet and beautiful. It’s not the place for you if you want busy, city life.

I would go and stay for a few weeks if I were you.

Thank you so much for your positive message ☺️ one of the many reasons we would love to move away from Scotland is to give our kids a better lifestyle. Jersey was never somewhere we had thought about until this work opportunity popped up for my husband. Do you have any knowledge on what the education for kids is like?

thank you ☺️

OP posts:
Star151 · 06/02/2025 18:22

Quietnowplease · 06/02/2025 18:12

Advice? Only move there if you earn loads of money. Not just for the rent but also so you can afford to leave often for breaks.

You talk about a 'better lifestyle' for your kids. What do you mean by better lifestyle?

It can be really cliquey and competitive... Good if you like surfing, obviously.

In terms of better lifestyle I mean having better weather and being able to do more with the kids outdoors and being close to beaches. Low crime rate too from what I’m reading anyway.

i am reading a lot of people find it cliquey. Have you lived there? I do appreciate the honest feedback ☺️

OP posts:
Star151 · 06/02/2025 18:23

BigBlueEyes678 · 03/02/2025 20:52

I live in the Cayman Islands and have met lots of people who used to live in Jersey and they really don't rate it. Very expensive, can't buy property, limited restaurants and bars, boring, shit infrastructure.

If your husband is in law or accounting there are much better offshore jurisdictions to work in.

I’m hearing this a lot! Appreciate your honesty

OP posts:
BigBlueEyes678 · 06/02/2025 20:17

@Star151 just wanted to also say, as someone who lives abroad, that nowhere is perfect and everything has a downside.

Living on an island especially can be very suffocating and usually very expensive. Anything you get on the mainland needs to be further imported. Schools are very expensive and not nearly as good as in a bigger city. Being far away from family gets hard. You will miss birthdays, weddings, barbecues, etc, the small things add up. And you, your kids and your DH are still the same people - any problems you have won't go away but will be magnified.

For us, lifestyle is great in that we have good weather, fabulous healthcare, shorter working hours, a 5 minute commute, a bigger house and a nanny for our young baby (for what nursery costs in the UK).

But we can't go anywhere on a weekend unless we spend £££ on plane tickets. Going to the beach gets old fast. Zero museums or theatres for the odd occasion is frustrating. Bumping into your boss everywhere as it's a small place. Your coworkers are also your friends because there is no one else. Work demands long hours and you have no choice or labour rights- if you don't do well at your job, you have to pack up your family and move countries!!! If you're bullied, harrased or discriminated against you are screwed as you'll be out of a job and stuck in an expensive place where everyone knows each other. Once baby is in primary school, we're looking at 35k per year for a very average school (in reception!!).

So for a short time while kids are babies, island life is better. But you need to consider things very carefully. Not all of the above applies to Jersey but a lot of it will.

Star151 · 06/02/2025 23:02

BigBlueEyes678 · 06/02/2025 20:17

@Star151 just wanted to also say, as someone who lives abroad, that nowhere is perfect and everything has a downside.

Living on an island especially can be very suffocating and usually very expensive. Anything you get on the mainland needs to be further imported. Schools are very expensive and not nearly as good as in a bigger city. Being far away from family gets hard. You will miss birthdays, weddings, barbecues, etc, the small things add up. And you, your kids and your DH are still the same people - any problems you have won't go away but will be magnified.

For us, lifestyle is great in that we have good weather, fabulous healthcare, shorter working hours, a 5 minute commute, a bigger house and a nanny for our young baby (for what nursery costs in the UK).

But we can't go anywhere on a weekend unless we spend £££ on plane tickets. Going to the beach gets old fast. Zero museums or theatres for the odd occasion is frustrating. Bumping into your boss everywhere as it's a small place. Your coworkers are also your friends because there is no one else. Work demands long hours and you have no choice or labour rights- if you don't do well at your job, you have to pack up your family and move countries!!! If you're bullied, harrased or discriminated against you are screwed as you'll be out of a job and stuck in an expensive place where everyone knows each other. Once baby is in primary school, we're looking at 35k per year for a very average school (in reception!!).

So for a short time while kids are babies, island life is better. But you need to consider things very carefully. Not all of the above applies to Jersey but a lot of it will.

thank you, I really appreciate your honesty.

you have given me insightful info I didn’t think about. I am finding peoples opinions regarding island life very similar.

like I explained, Jersey was never on the cards for us we were looking elsewhere so it’s a lot to think about and great to hear honesty from people. Although there could be soo may pros for us at the moment I feel the negatives could outweigh it

OP posts:
Clanke · 07/02/2025 12:01

Star151 · 06/02/2025 18:13

Thank you so much for your positive message ☺️ one of the many reasons we would love to move away from Scotland is to give our kids a better lifestyle. Jersey was never somewhere we had thought about until this work opportunity popped up for my husband. Do you have any knowledge on what the education for kids is like?

thank you ☺️

From what I've heard (from my friend who lives there), the schools are really good.