Seriously thinking about leaving the UK

[Tanyasfootspa]

I’m not sure when the turning point was, but DH and I have hit a wall. The DC are both at university now, and for the first time in a long time, we’re thinking seriously about leaving the UK. The only thing stopping us is wanting to be close to potential future grandchildren.

It just doesn’t feel like the same country anymore. Everything seems to be falling apart — the NHS, education, transport, basic services — and yet at the same time, there’s this growing mindset that the government should step in and fix every personal problem. I’m all for supporting people who genuinely need help, but it’s frustrating seeing how much personal responsibility has gone out the window. It feels like no one’s expected to stand on their own two feet anymore.

We’ve worked hard our whole lives, paid our taxes, and honestly, it feels like we’re constantly penalised for it. Meanwhile, the cost of living is insane, our quality of life is slipping, and every time we turn on the news, it’s just more chaos or excuses.

We’ve started looking at options — maybe Canada, or somewhere in Europe (though Brexit makes that harder). We don’t expect a perfect life anywhere, but we want to live somewhere that still feels like it’s moving forward, not falling apart.

Has anyone else made the move once the kids were grown up? Did it help? Are we just burned out, or is this how others are feeling too?

Would really love to hear your honest experiences.

I've lived in 4 countries, currently in Scotland, and I have friends in France, Canada, Italy, USA, Spain, Costa Rica, Chile, and Mexico, and I can tell you every single one of these places have their own BIG issues.

Problem is with all these British people leaving the UK is they'll spread that negativity, entitlement and unproductiveness across other countries. Much better for everyone if they stay in the UK.

Consider that it’s not the entitled, negative, unproductive brits that are leaving….

Well there are heaps of expat Brits in my neck of the woods so I beg to differ..

Hmmmm,
One key difference about France is they pay more tax. Hence the government has more to spend on infrastructure etc. They also have stricter laws about firing people. We had Thatcher etc and went in a different direction. But most of the "I'm leaving the UK" threads.on here talk about dissatisfaction with being high tax payers and having to "subsidised" the rest of society,.or with private school VAT,.or Labours changes to worker rights being an "attack" on business. In France they pay a bit more tax overall - and workers have more rights.if quality of life is still better even for high tax band people that should be a clue.
So someone moaning about those things in the UK would presumably remain unhappy in France.

They also have more tax bands, starting at 11% and flat rate - combined - of CGT of 30%... property sales taxes too, which generally speaking, keeps property prices and rents lower, a lot lower than the UK.

They also are able to build stuff without the constant corruption and fraud we see here.

France is also bring in another attempt at a wealth tax....

We've just spent two and a half years living and working in Australia - we have about 18 months to go before we come back permanently and we are counting the days. In the meantime we've just come back to UK for a three week break and we are loving it, the green lush countryside, the long summer evenings, country lanes, country pubs, village fetes, live music, historic cities, and spending time with our friends. People moan about the NHS but it is free - I had to have an endoscopy in Australia earlier this year and even with Medicare it cost me few hundred dollars. Cost of living is as high there as here and there are the same drugs and crime issues. And everyone moans about the weather in the UK comparing it to Australia but I always say we have access to a rich diversity of cultures, landscapes and climates just by hopping on a flight to Europe. Whereas much of Australia is unbearably hot and/or uninhabitable. Grass isn't always greener.

Agree with your post more than the one you’re replying to

''@CooCooCachoo

I agree! While the French are capable of complaining about the state of things as well as anyone and seem to strike at the drop of a hat, there is definitely not anything like the sense of entitlement prevalent in the UK and a much greater sense of just getting on with things. I appreciate its a generalisation but I believe there is a stronger work ethic here.''

I don't think it is about work ethics.

France has a better health system and better working conditions and childcare provision, does not have a long hour/presenteism work culture and in general believe in a socialist view of the world. One of the reasons being that unions have much more power there and people never hesitate to take on the government/bosses if they are unhappy.

The UK has a failing health and social care system, low wages, high student debts but high living costs and is enthralled by capitalism. All of that affects moral and work conditions, so no wonder our productivity is low. You can't just blame the workers. You have to look at the bigger picture.

You are part of the problem. People on benefits aren't the reason everything is deteriorating, it's the wealthy elite.
I wonder who you have voted for over the last 40 years 🤔

Carte de sejour. Then once over there permenantly we will be going through the citizenship process. Again - its an insane ammount of paperwork, only complicated by brexit. but its been the plan for many years, and i can't wait!

And they are all the negative, unproductive brits are they? All the positive, productive ones stay in the UK of course….

Why are you assuming OP is part of the wealthy elite?

I don’t think I was blaming the workers. I think the factors you have identified are exactly what would contribute to a happier work force and a stronger work ethic

@Snakebite61 I think it’s a bit of both - the very wealthy elite are indeed part of the issue - however the other end of the wealth spectrum is also part of the problem , and I don’t mean the hard working working class , I mean the ones who simply don’t want to work, find they are ok getting by with doing not much and manipulating things to maximise their ability to get by not doing much , ‘splitting up/not splitting up’ , feigning conditions on not just themselves but children, subletting housing association places etc and staying with mates - and then yep blaming all the shit on immigrants etc - it is incredibly naive to not think that vast amounts of this stuff has been going on — and I’m social minded too and not Reform/Tory. What really pisses me off is that this kind of behaviour makes it very difficult for the genuinely in need and unable to actually help themselves to get proper help

Starmer is betraying us , the country is broken .

The country was a blazing success pre July 2024 wasn't it..... not...

@OneZippyRobin absolute rubbish - it was broken in so many ways before the change of government - the gvt were actually quite lucky that the hoo ha of covid and Brexit was to the fire and masked to some extent other almighty issues - as well as emphasising how much more vulnerable we were than others. I actually think Sunak wanted to lose- he knew a big storm was a brewing and there wasn’t the cash in the system to fix in any way

We already have a real estate wealth tax (the IFI) levied on individuals with real estate assets valued over €1.3 million.

There are moves afoot to introduce a tax on the super wealthy (the Zucman tax) - a 2% minimum tax rate on the wealth of individuals with a net worth exceeding €100 million. The bill was rejected by the French Senate in June but it's only a matter of time.

Yeah, don't move to France if you think you pay too much tax in the UK!!

I asked because while the 10-year WA CDS allows you to leave France for up to 5 years, other CDS only allow you to leave for 2 years.
Bon courage!

Starmer does absolutely nothing to stop people breaking into the country he dosent even mention the boats I don't recognise our cities anymore he has betrayed all of us a very weak man .

You also have super smooth roads, far cheaper housing, outside of Paris etc

You also get a v good joined up health service and lots of free stuff in small towns and villages.

I listen to friends of mine, living there, moan about France & think "You've really nothing to complain about"

I doubt he did. And we don’t have Covid now so even the pressures are lower for Labour.

Yes it’s an issue when someone contributing is seen as part of the problem. We need more doing that not fewer.

I'm not complaining. I don't think taxes are bad thing and I can absolutely see where my money goes here in France.

But what is this free stuff in small towns and villages you speak of?