… 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.

My parents are in Germany and we're definitely moving there once daughter finishes school. University is free there and we're citizens

Who pissed in your chips?

I have moved yes. A couple of times.
I suppose my decision was based on an actual desirable destination, not the desire to leave without knowing where to if you know what I mean.

Agree with what you’ve said - there are pros and cons to everywhere. I’ve been here a while though and getting itchy feet. I also underestimated the cost of flights to the US! I really feel for those earning minimum wage here.

Yeah good for the rich who can afford to leave. Leaving behind those who always have their stretched out to beg for freebies. Now they will find out that freebies aren’t really freebies and the gravy train will stop.

And by the way what you plan to fight for the country with? Your garden rake?

Greedy twats. 😆 Although feel free to point out if anything I said was incorrect? 😉

We moved to Canada - Montreal, a couple of years ago and don’t regret a single day of it. It’s helped that DH is French Canadian and lived in Canada until he was 21. We’re in our mid 50’s and spent all our adult lives in London until this move. DT’s have graduated Uni and working in Amsterdam and Brussels so we didn’t have schooling to think about.

Like the 70s again where anyone with money has had enough.. loads of unskilled migrants ready to add to the benefits bill though.

Except higher earners have been doing just that. The UK has I believe the third* highest rate of wealthy emigrants in the world.

Plenty of countries are looking to attract them too, so the options are not limited.

*it appears that of as of Jun ‘25 it now has the highest rate.

The butthurt ex attitude of ‘yeah well, off you fuck then, didn’t want you anyway’ isn’t hurting the ones leaving, because they’ll be fine. It’s the ones left behind trying, and ultimately failing, to shoulder the ever increasing tax burden that will struggle.

Hey OP, I left the UK and retuned after a year. We were not the only ones, everyone I know who left has all come back or is planning to from places in Europe and one went to Kuwait.

I would strongly warn others off going now unless they truly understand what they’re going into. Or say one parent go out and try it first if you can before moving over. We went to somewhere in EU and post-Brexit it was chaos. People think they’re walking off into the sunset and it’s not like that at all. It’s not one long holiday. Culture differences, language differences, tax and residency barriers etc.

I see loads of people saying they’re off due to tax, but we lost money overall. Think very very carefully, find out as much as you can and see if you can get a range of opinions on the particular place from expats.

Oh and we’re in the 40% tax bracket. And I still wouldn’t recommend it. This is only my experience though of course.

How wonderful. What fields are your children working in? Amsterdam must be a very exciting place to live for a young person. It was my first solo trip as a youngster many years ago.

Tbf at least it will just leave the people who want to fight for what's best for the country behind.

I'm not sure those are the people being left behind, they're the people being chased out. 😢

Bali?
Only suggesting because one day a post from the richardsons04 popped up on my instagram.
They took the decision to leave the UK and have now settled in Bali with their 3 children who are being educated in a world school for at least the next 12 months.
I know they only post what they want you to see but I find their lifestyle fascinating and I’m seeing a country that I’m sure I’ll never visit.

You want to leave the UK but you're considering America??!!

WTF.

For someone quick to insult your reading comprehension isn’t great…

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.

DD works for EU as a conference translator and DS works for an engineering company looking at land reclamation. They are both enjoying their first graduate jobs. Luckily they have dual citizenship.

We're moving to Spain, wages are terrible here and our quality of life especially dc future isn't looking great.
I love Spanish supermarkets too, so much more healthier food compared to the UK shops.
Luckily my job is fully remote and dh is self employed so we can get digital nomad visas.
If the UK wasn't in such a terrible state we would stay but there you are.

I've lived in four countries and I'm currently in the UK with no plans to go anywhere again. But if I did feel the need to move now, I think it would be Australia. And only because the UK and most of Europe is going to shit and if WW3 breaks out I think it's probably the furthest, safest and most politically and economically stable place to be, because it's cushioned from much of the crap that's going on elsewhere. And it doesn't suffer from all the current issues around security that the UK and continental Europe do. And politics is not as polarised as the US, and the place is not as wackily liberal/woke and too bloody cold and boring as Canada. And I'd be okay with the language, obviously. I don't know that I'd actually like living in Aus all that much, but if safety, security, healthcare and general standard of living were the main drivers then I think it's probably the best choice overall.

I hate it when people bash the UK but even I have had to finally and reluctantly admit that we are destined for economic oblivion for the next twenty years or so, and socially we are going to hell in hand cart. It's an absolute mess with no end in sight.

The cost of living crisis has impacted just about everywhere though, since covid and Ukraine. Everyone from France to the USA complains about the cost of food and rent/bills and the difficulty of buying property for young people. I have friends and family in just about every corner of the world and the only places absolutely booming and doing well seem to be in Asia. In recent years I've had friends move to Spain and come back, move to Portugal and come back, move to France and come back. Move to the States and come back. Move to Belgium only to hate it and end up back in the ME. Two sets of friends have moved to Germany and love it but find the financial pressures there crippling after living and working in Asia and the ME for years. My Kiwi friends have been in the ME for years and will retire soon but DO NOT want to settle back in NZ. And my Scottish friends who emigrated to NZ lasted four years and came back. Nowhere is Utopia.

I am in one of the Nordic countries, and there is no way I would want to move. No way. It’s a very good life.We’re happy to pay high taxes, it is well worth it to make sure everyone has a decent living standard and free childcare etc.

I get why you feel that way but, from my perspective, we’ve always paid our taxes here in full and have contributed to our community in many other ways too. We like the UK and love the friends we’ve made here. Until relatively recently we expected to be here for quite some time. However recent experiences - like my teenage son being mugged on the tube, our car being stolen, and extremely long NHS wait times for urgent care - make me question if the quality of life here still matches what we’re putting in or if we could find a better balance somewhere else. Brexit, VAT on school fees and a bit of a ‘tall poppy’ rhetoric haven’t exactly helped convince us to stay either.

This would be a big move though so we need to think it through and where might fit the bill best for us.

I fully agree that issues like human rights and climate impact are important and should be part of the decision-making process—which is exactly why I’m looking at a range of countries, not just the UAE.

Every country has its pros and cons, including the UK. I’m just hoping to have a practical discussion about those trade-offs, especially from families who have already made a similar move, to help make an informed choice.

Can I ask where in Ireland you are?

Been once last year and fell in love with the place.

You need to do a deep delve into the visa and residency process. Spain have made it very difficult since Brexit. Someone I know was told by the government she needed to have nearly £30k in savings to remain there after she had already arrived and settled.

I’d 100% agree with this. I’ve been an expat for 13 years and am desperate to come back to the UK. Having a husband with a good job that pays vastly more than it does in the UK and children settled in schools means this isn’t likely for me any time soon and I really miss so many aspects of the UK. Friends, family, the culture, history etc. I would concentrate on moving to a nicer part of the UK if it was me rather than moving abroad - especially given visas and limits on residency in so many countries.

This is really helpful, thank you.

The thing about the UAE is you will always be an expat with rotating friends and colleagues, not settled. Jersey might be a bit stifling.

If you are outdoorsy and want somewhere your kids can actually settle in and become locals, Canada or Australia. Both expensive, but good quality of life for the money. I don't think Toronto has such terrible winters. The Prairies do, though!

(We're in the USA but our reasons were more complicated than just wanting to leave the UK.)