Is anyone else planning to leave the UK?

[AuntieMeemz]

Everything we gain, earn or get is taxed and we are not seeing the benfit we would expect from it. We have a government that is not representing all of us.
I have always taken a keen interest in current affairs, in the UK and abroad so it's not a rash decision (and i don't want to trigger a debate about my reasons for leaving). I have learned when it is time to walk away.
Even before all this, we had decided to leave the UK, but we are speeding up plans. Is anyone else doing the same?
The grass will not be greener on the other side (have lived in 3 other countries when i was younger). We will be working on line for our last couple of years before retirement.
'We' means DH, DD (18 )and DS (21). DH totally onboard. DD and DS not, so we can't just leave them.

Very rich people at top of income pay a lot less as % income, Rishi Sunak paid a lot less % than me.

The very rich aren't generally on PAYE so pay less tax

I actually am unsure of the percentage of annual earnings as this was for a few isolated transactions. Dh definitely pays all the tax he owes, even with a good accountant it’s still taxed!

@cupfinalchaosmake sure you don’t get stung by an exit tax if you wait until after the budget. Maybe not but someone mentioned it on here earlier.

I'm not sure where DH and I are fitting into the debate about earnings and taxation. We definitely don't meet the HNWI standard. We saved money in a SIPP, which has done okay. We bought a cheap house 30 years ago. We pay the council tax and water rate.

My main concern is that I do not have a scooby about where the definition of wealth starts. We have worked for everything we have, and we are comfortably off, but it wouldn't cover buying extravagant anything. Yet we are starting to feel hunted by the Chancellor because the big decisions we made 30 years ago were good ones.

EasternStandard · Today 18:43
make sure you don’t get stung by an exit tax if you wait until after the budget. Maybe not but someone mentioned it on here earlier

If an exit tax is introduced how will it be enforced? I mean if someone sells everything, moves their money abroad and leaves the country, how can the government retrieve the tax?

I watch some people's youtube videos who have done this. Everyone has a choice. There is nothing wrong with the UK but if you want to migrate, why not?!

I travel a lot and follow local Facebook pages of the places I’m staying. They all have people complaining about exactly the same things, all around the world (obviously I haven’t been to every country but many). All have people saying they’re going to leave, government is corrupt, job market crap, food too expensive, immigrants etc etc. So do let us know if you’ve found a utopia!

I don’t like the present government and the thought of a further four years depresses me.
However I don’t think I’ve got the energy to leave. Having to start again with finding among other things, somewhere to live, new rules and regulations, a doctor and dentist, a dog sitter, a plumber, an electrician, logs, new bank account etc.
I might have thought differently if I was younger.

She is not. She aint got any money to leave

why? Are you EU nationals. If you could leave just like, why not stay and leave only if shove comes to push

Actually many English people I know like it here exactly because it is not overly hot in summer and one can still have as many sea swims as one wants in the summer

I'm not planning to leave although we are planning to move away from London once our youngest leaves home. So many people we know who moved to the UK from other European countries are leaving now. They say it isn't worth it anymore. That's so sad to me but understandable.

I will be very disappointed and saddened in Reform win the next election

but I am hoping the senior members of the party will implode by then but worried Dominic Cummings may get involved with them

France is likely to have a very right wing leadership by then and Germany heavy influenced and it’s concerning what happening in Denmark of all countries

but Germany and Denmark woudl certainly provide a better standard of living

I could go to the states but have lived there and it’s just not where I have ever wanted to live

I'm married to a EU citizen thankfully, so can leave quite easily. Planning to do so in maybe 5 years, will keep our house in the UK though, just in case things don't pan out.

I know many others who'd like to leave, but there's no decent countries they can go to because of Brexit. Feel quite bad for them!

Well I will when Scotland become independent. Ok it didnt happen in 2014 and may still take some time but I would like to think it would be a Yes vote if the alternative is a Reform government!

Yes. I'll be returning home at retirement age, which all things being equal, should be in about 15 years. I'll have to experience the Reform government, unfortunately.

I had to do frying pan or fire when I reached pension age/had suddenly been made redundant. I always loved my life in London, my family close by etc. True Brit. But it was untenable to keep my little flat on without an income. I would have wrestled anyone to the ground it they had said UK was a pile of doo doo,
HEY well guess what......
A good friend had recently relocated to Latin America and posed the challenge - just get the hell outta dodge (she was in US, just after first Trump election)
After a holiday visit, I did. But it is not for the faint hearted. I felt shattered after the Brexit vote, but even if I could have lived in France I would have still been in a financial bind. I love where I live now. But moving with kids and trying to get work visas - wouldn't be easy. The powers that be realise now that giving visas like lollipops is not their policy any more since it has become a desirable country, even with all it's inherent problems - as I am retired it's easier in that respect. However I am so so so glad I made that leap. I am never ever going to endure the dark and damp from November to March ever again ! And the COL cheap as chips in comparison, No heating bills ha ha...
Tho' I do think that if you and your family are safe and sheltered - that's a big plus right now. Mine are fine and firmly behind my decision.
I wish you well with your choices. It's definitely a rock and a hard place if you have family near and dear/have care needs. 💐

An exit tax? What? Like a divorce, you mean? How ridiculous.

I would suggest if you have an accountant to manage your taxes and its always been the same person for years, there is no harm in asking another tax planner / accountant to review your plans.

Maybe as welll even one in the place you want to move to. See if you get taxed more.

No one should mind. You aren't checking their work, you are merely getting a second opinion on your personal plans.

You can still retire to Spain if you're British. There's more paperwork but the route is open. I believe Spanish gov post-Brexit had to make a choice about British retirees and decided to allow them to stay resident there and keep an easy route for those planning to retire to the costas.

I am not insuniating that he doesn't pay the tax he owes.

We should focus on % tax paid vs. absolute number (£1m). Your family is in the top 0.1% where the income is so high to have to pay a large amount. You can afford an accountant to help minimize what's owed.

Where are you planning on going?

Your children are adults I'm not surprised they don't want to follow you it's their lives so you likely need to decide to do it without them.
I actually don't think the country is in terminal decline despite social media and right wing owned media telling me it is.

I dont feel taxation is unreasonable either wealth hoarding however is and that's fuelling inequality.

What part of Australia did you move to? Would you recommend for young families?

I dont feel taxation is unreasonable either wealth hoarding however is and that's fuelling inequality

@Figgygal how much wealth can someone hoard before it is unreasonable?

Taxation is now at a level that deters entrepreneurs from starting businesses @Figgygal . Do you have a company or are you an employee?

If you start a company, whatever you do to earn money, you have to expect that you won't take a penny out of it for two years plus. That is virtually impossible for anyone who has small children.

If you are self-employed, you work through illness and bereavement and every other horrid event. Because there is no one paying for your sick day or holiday except you.