… To be considering leaving the UK?

[globalnomad25]

We have been considering leaving, even if only for a few years. Many of our clients have already gone or are planning it, and some of our friends too.

I’m not sure where we’d go: UAE, Portugal, Jersey, Ireland, Canada, Australia? We don’t currently want to move to the US, even though that would probably make the most sense from a business/client point of view.

For those out there who have already left, how has it gone? Was it a horrible mistake or are you glad you did it?

For those also thinking about it, where would you go?

Kids are school-aged and smart and used to international travel as our work already takes us all over, although they’d miss their friends (as would we). We aren’t English so our family is already based all over the place, although we visit them frequently.

Did you move there? If so, do you like it?

Why not? We did and have a few times. We are moving again next year and that’s exactly what we have done again this time.

I moved when the children were under one year old. I would consider their ages carefully when deciding whether to move. I couldn’t move one of my seven year olds now without severing impacting her, I suspect.

Good option and there are some interesting tax options too.

Thanks. I’m not actually new to Mumsnet (I’ve been actively posting for about 13 years, as a normal mum, and I’m not a journalist or bot or whatever you’re thinking). I have changed my username about 3 times in those 13 years so as not to be too outing. I have done a search too, of course, but hoping for replies from others who’ve gone through the same thing or are similar.

Oh go if you can!

I know 2 families in the last year alone that have gone (to Dubai) as well as someone else on my team.
We're leaving in a a few months (not Dubai), just working my notice period.

Make sure you do your research and have a job to go to. My new company is paying me a relocation allowance and helped with all the paperwork.
From speaking to others, it'll probably take at least 6+ months for where ever you go to truely feel like you've settled in. But we felt like that's a small price to pay for a better quality of life.

I am a woman and I love being an expat it really suits our family and has been incredible opportunity for our daughter.

Where you going too? Exciting times

We lived in the USA for 3 years and then back to UK for 12 years. Then we lived in Switzerland for 2 years then France for 16 years. We have now retired back to the UK to be nearer to family. It certainly helped us financially and we enjoyed it and wouldn't have changed it.

@Movingon2024 You say the summer is brutal and only going to get worse, but you also say you doubt that you'll come back.
I'm truly not trying to be goady- if you see my post above you'll see I have relatives in Portugal who are thinking of returning partly for that reason. But do you not worry that more brutal will actually become impossible to live in?
As someone who's been aware of climate change for a long time, before the phrase was even coined, nothing would make me move to a country that's hot and going to get hotter and I'm increasingly mystified that anyone would consider it or seriously think they're going to be able to stay as it gets worse.

What's a "departure" tax?🤔

Some countries will tax you on unrealised gains- so if you bought shares but not sold them they may tax the expected profit as per the day you leave.

Thanks. Yes, we’d definitely need to check entry requirements for all the countries but I feel reasonably confident we would eligible for most of the countries listed.

For clarity, I am actually British (I’ve had a British passport for many years alongside my European one, and my husband has held a British passport - obtained via ancestry - for over 15 years), but neither of us are English. One of our children was born here too.

To support the incredible infrastructure.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/international-non-residents/individuals-leaving-entering-canada-non-residents/dispositions-property.html

I clicked on this thread because I’m really interested; why did you click on it?

I emigrated last year due to stagnant wages in the UK. I have to say that I absolutely loved living in the UK! So I can’t get my head around the daily “This country is awful, where should I move to?” threads. It can’t have changed that much in the year I’ve even gone?!

That being said, the quality of life here from earning literally double what I was earning in London (for the exact same role at the same company) vs a COL that’s only 30-50% higher, has been great. I’m able to live in a prime central neighbourhood (equivalent of Knightsbridge / Mayfair in London), travel more comfortably- business class for long haul, nicer hotels etc. and still have plenty left to save, overpay on my UK mortgage or throw into my pension.

So for me it has 100% been worth it.

Good luck & keep us posted!

I would suggest you start with the practicalities of which countries you would actually be eligible for a visa for and what it takes to get one given your line of work and take it from there.

Oh Jersey is definitely one of my current favourite options and I’d love to know more about your experience. I think we may need to start off as a ‘registered’ renter though. Am I right in thinking we need 5 years for full work rights and 10 years for qualified? I hear the schools in St Helier are good too; like JCG?

Yes climate change factors into my reckoning @heldinadream
I’ve had the experience of having ash fall on me in a Portuguese restaurant one lunchtime. The staff told me it was happening lots now but they didn’t remember forest fires as children. It can only go one way. But if you’re mobile you can return if it gets worse.

What do you mean by 'standard of life'? I l know plenty of people living in the Nordics who have what I consider to be a very average quality of life .

These posts amuse me. Intricate details about reasons for leaving, but weirdly the one most important fact in providing advice is missing.

I think that’d probably true for a lot of people but, for us, this isn’t a knee-jerk reaction. We’ve made a number of preparatory moves already. We still really like the UK and have enjoyed our time here and have made great friends, but otherwise don’t have any major ties to here other than our kids’ schooling so it makes sense to maximise our quality of life both in the short and longer term.

In other words, we still think the UK is a great place; it just may no longer be the best place for US.

But I’m very aware that there will be pros and cons to moving, just like there is to anything, so really keen to hear from people who’ve done it already.

Thanks for this. I’d not considered Cyprus yet - do you live there?

I think that’s a good point. I do worry about that - things are only going to get hotter and more unpredictable weather-wise.