Seriously thinking about leaving the UK - AIBU?

[HonoraBridge]

I love the UK in many ways but it has been going downhill for at least 20 years and it feels as if the speed of the decline is accelerating. I no longer see a happy, or particularly safe, future here. For the first time in my life, I am very seriously thinking about leaving the UK and that feeling gets stronger day by day. When I mention this to friends, many are feeling the same way. YANBU - you are right to think seriously about leaving the UK. YABU - the UK is a still a great country to live in and you are being unreasonable to want to leave.

Does come across a bit like like”I’m alright, Jack!” Others aren’t so lucky with their environment and NHS experiences!

I would encourage my DD to try different places but not emigrate totally. It’s good to travel and take advantage of all the good bits, but like the UK, everywhere has good and bad.

No tuition fees either - if you have kids at uni !
Big positive

That always tickles me as well.

Good point. Where I live (growing city, East Anglia) could not be more different from West Dorset where my folks are !
Resources are far less strained and people seem happier .
Sadly, it comes at a cost and am priced out!

It can be harder to find somewhere that caters for their needs though, and would they be entitled to benefits in their chosen country?

By all means point out to these magical facilities that have been improved solely because of en masse “expats”

"I no longer see a happy, or particularly safe, future here. "

What is making you unhappy? What is making you feel unsafe? How are those things different in the country that you propose to go to?

Before running away, check what you are running to and whether the grass really is greener.

Not all countries get to make a choice. A lot of people have dual nationality giving them freedom of movement without the say so of the country they choose to move to. Yaboosucks.

The UK is utterly shit, but there are so many places that are so much shittier they make the UK look like the land of milk and honey.

You can thank whatever god you're hooked on you're not in their situation, ie so desperate to get into shitty UK and out of your current shit hole.

We are in the process of moving. Just bought a beautiful house. Both high rate tax payers although retiring in the next few years.

I think we would have retired overseas anyway but after Brexit, we thought sod that and we are off back into the EU. It helps that we have lived there already and in the USA so have experience of living overseas. Plus dh and dc have EU passports.

I suspect most other countries are just the same.

I have considered it due to wage stagnation, crime and mass migration in the UK, all of which contribute to a reduction in quality of life and less community cohesion compared to when I was younger. I have skills that mean I could get a visa to work anywhere. But when I looked into it I concluded that most of the places I was looking at had similar issues and that life wouldn’t be so much better that it would be worth the upheaval.

The best place for me would probably be Australia. I think the climate is brilliant for quality of life. But they also have mass migration, wild fires, economic issues so I don’t see it being worth the trouble overall. You’re better off moving to a nicer part of the UK if you can.

Is that because the place you'd go doesn't have the healthcare facilities or is less accessible for disabled people than the UK is (which could be better itself)?

For all its faults, the UK has a welfare state / health service that provides when in need. The same isn't true for other countries .

I also think it’s a bit disloyal to piss off when the going gets tough.

From experience, roads, buildings upgraded, new shops, new hospital, Marina. The whole area benefited from being a rather run down small town to a thriving one.

That’s absolutely fine - what town?

Sorry, but I had to laugh about the poster who said they would go to France. Meanwhile migrants are queueing up on the beaches to get into dinghies to make the dangerous crossing to England - away from France.

As someone who has worked and lived in many countries over the last seven decades I can assure you that every country has problems - maybe different ones - and you should hear the people who live in them moan about their country going to the dogs.

By all means head for the hills as long as you realise it ain't all sunshine and rainbows in any country. Just go with a positive attitude, or alternatively stay here with a positive attitude. It's the attitude that matters, not the country,

I totally agree - but where though? Seriously? Don't know what to advise mine. It is not that easy - mine are fluent in French and German, but in France and Germany, despite being fluent, they are immediately singled out as non-natives, I doubt if they could 'insert themselves' into the culture there, acquire real friends and have a seamless transition to a new life - so many little things they won't be able to pick up on as they did not grow up with those kids' TV, did not go to their schools, etc. Also, I hate to say that European countries are not as kind to foreigners (Brits) as the British - it is felt everywhere - try to get on the French/German/Belgian/Swedish/Finnish council housing list and see what happens - try to rock up at their hospital without insurance, etc., etc. I was entertaining thoughts about mine going to live and work in Zurich because their godmother is Swiss and right-on and liberal - and this right-on and liberal person told me that she would never employ a German, fluent in German, never mind a foreigner fluent in German because 'there two many nuances and she wants to be working with a person brought up in Switzerland, speaking Swiss German (no matter what skin colour or creed, but culturally and linguistically Swiss'.

@PostmanPatAlwaysRingsTwice No, she wouldn't be able to get a visa.

A small town in Spain is all I’ll say otherwise it could be outing.

Same for me, I’ve posted on these sort of topics before and got a bashing, my life is pretty similar, same sort of life, one son is a graduate and has got a job, another child is just at uni, doing well. All my friends are local and happy with their lot.
i can’t see I would be happier in any other country at the moment, but appreciate this might not be the case for everyone.
the world just seems in turmoil at the moment

It is also generally much harder for foreigners than for locals in any given country. So to thrive in another country, you really have to be performing above average in the UK.

CoralOP
'To say that people would be adding to other countries immigration is a bit silly, we are talking about legal migration with visa, desired skills etc.
The problem in the UK is illegal immigration. I don't know anyone who would have a problem with a skilled person from another country contributing and living in the UK on a visa.'
This isn't true CoralOp. Do a google search: 'In 2024, the UK saw both legal and irregular migration, with 1.16 million visas granted for work, study, or family reasons, while 38,784 people were detected arriving by irregular routes, and 79,000 were offered safe and legal routes.' Nigel Farage has done an excellent job of making people believe that all the immigration is illegal. He is a truly skilled populist. When asked what he'd do after ending immigration about all the vacancies in agriculture, care work, the NHS etc he has no real answer.