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.

Do research research research the grass isn’t always greener

our friends daughter is a nurse and went to Australia she considering coming back her big salary doesn’t go that far over there struggling more than she was in uk

No wonder you hate the UK so much when the most blatant flippancy goes sailing over your head 😂 If you took a 5 min break from hysterically screeching at various posters that they can't read, add up or acknowledge any of your raging Anglophobia then you might register the blindingly obvious love.

Now excuse me while I run and get my hard hat before you continue thrashing us nasty Brits with your rolled up copy of the New York Times.

Ps I'm a higher rate taxpayer and still think you're talking out of your arse and are VERY weirdly obsessive. Your poor in laws! I bet they're hoarding the champagne for the day you leave.

If you ask me, don't bother with Canada. As a Canadian, I don't wanna live here anymore. It's still a beautiful place but its changed sooo much, mostly for the worse, QoL is in obvious decline. Groceries seem to be going up by the week. Unless you've got a killer job that pays great it's a slog. IDK how families making under CA$100K survive! The Canada I knew is gone. We're looking into rural Italy. The dream is somewhere lowkey and out of the way. If you are dead set on Canada check out Winnipeg you'll get more bang for your buck! Otherwise I'd look into continental Europe and maybe avoid France, Belgium, Sweden or stay, move to rural England and hunker down because the problem is widespread and there's only so much running one can do. Dh is Belgian and when he visits he reports back that parts are like stepping into a entirely different world and his mother avoids. I think Belgium may be more advanced in decline than the UK.

I think what's happened is by design BTW. Not mismanagement but policy by design with the end goal being to get rid of national identity and introduce the global super-state. Trudeau brought in enough Indians to outnumber the Indigenous. All without consulting us. That wasn't a big whoopsie that just happened to concide with the rest of the West doing the exact same. There are segregated areas in Edmonton and places where no one speaks English or French! It's made Canada a stranger I'm parts. I work with an Indian dude, should say he's friendly, normal hard working guy. He told me that scamming is viewed by some as an art in India, like a sign that you are clever. I was like OMG that explains why Brampton is getting known for its scams 🤣! Loads of realtor scams and illegal basement rentals.

I grew up watching British crime shows, I remember there was one with a detective called Frost I lovvved it! England seemed so cool, polite, rainy, unpretentious, gloomy in an attractive atmospheric way. I always wanted to visit it seemed so appealing back then. What's the point of ruining that? Who gains? Why sell the Royal Mail to a Czech billionaire? Why let Qatar buy up London? Apparently our countries are for sale the the highest bidder
..

I was responding to a rude commenter actually, who was putting words in my mouth. I'm very happy with our plans thanks.

They are actually saving the champagne till we move and they can come and visit us, in a place that's actually worth visiting. You enjoy those tax rises though, ok :)

Not sure why you need to sound so aggressive if you're happy. Accusing people of being dim and unable to read isn't necessary.

"Stay and get fucked" isn't classy.

Only in the UK would someone getting a council flat and health care paid for by other people’s taxes would someone think it was unfair!

As others have said the grass is rarely greener. Everywhere has its problems.

Important things are friends and family so I'd stay close to them and just book lots of holidays if you feel so disappointed with the UK.

Genuinely curious do you speak Danish? Did you learn it while you were there? It’s always the language that stops me going overseas!

@2468135A nope - although by the end I could read a fair bit of Danish related to food, parking, shop signs etc !! Everyone spoke great English including elderly people - I don’t think I once encountered anyone who didn’t - same was true in Sweden we found and we went a lot and I’ve found the same in the Netherlands - it is not always the case in France, Germany or Spain or Italy - however those languages are somewhat easier I feel to ‘pick up’ and learn to a reasonable level. I must admit the only thing language wise I missed was picking up and being nosey about others conversations in bars, shops etc !!! You do miss out on those kind of things

Friends left the uk for Canada , he was a car mechanic um 18 years ago, did fairly well , but he passed and she came back , sold there house over there, some problems with a pension though , they did have dual passport, only mistake was they where asked to top up national insurance for state pension which they never did , talking to friend, food prices and clothes high , transport and travel cheaper, one bad experience they went to usa last year , that was bad , she Susan is back in the cotswolds and ok , it's up to the couple really she says not a bad experience, the dual passport where so helpfull

Yes very entitled couple. Lived the high life as expats, no thought for the future and resentful that their life changed so much.

The French capital gains tax system exempts primary homes, so if you own a principal residence in France and live there at the time of sale, you will not usually incur a capital gains tax charge.15 Mar 2024

Isn’t the point that in fact it can be greener? Certainly was for me. If I feel homesick, I suppose I can take lots of holidays back to the UK instead…. In the meantime, and after two years in France, our lives are so much better that a return would be very much retrograde in every regard from finances/tax, schooling, healthcare, amenities…