Dh says the U.K is f***** and he never wants to go back

[Chippednailtoepolish]

These were his words this morning.

We live abroad in a place where a lot of people are coming to live, escaping the uk and America.
He says with everything on the news, the way it's going and what the people coming to where we are tell him, that we'd be mad to return.
Is he being realistic? I want to return to be with family desperately and have a strange feeling that I need to do it soon

Would we be mad to return at this time? If yes, then when!

There's good and bad. Worse than it used to be, probably, but isn't that the same for most places?

Yes but it’s lower to middle tax payers who pay more there. Not higher earners. So you can have that but it won’t go down well.

So it is true? I don't understand how people's opinions can be so vastly different about the same country. This is the confusing part

You used it on another thread just this morning @DosPerros

Also Australia - women's rights don't exist.. Because men can be women. If men can be women, women and girls cease to have any single sex rights at all.

Switzerland is the only part of Europe that manages to fly above the mess. But that's because it is loaded. And being loaded protects people from all sorts of unsavoury experiences.

Op are you in a happy and healthy marriage??? It’s relevant!!

If that's his opinion of this lovely country he can stay where he is. We don't need or want more moaners.

Confusing that people have different experiences depending on their financial circumstances and where they live?

Really? That confuses you?

There are some seriously weird responses on this thread. Whether OP is happy with her DH or not is none of your business and does not answer the question she posed as her opening post.
No doubt yet another presumptuous weirdie will be along soon to insist she's s a racist money obsessed homophobe and what a grotty shithole Dubai is....😂

Does he read the Daily Mail and follow right-wing grifters on Facebook? Everywhere has issues, everywhere has crime, but the stats show huge, significant downward trends in just about everything bad over the last 20 years.

Social media has collectively broken the country's brain, and it's attention span, patience etc. As well as our ability to listen to something and say 'interesting! I should consider where that claim came from and check if it's true' instead of 'that confirms my angry view so I'll just assume it's true without checking'

It’s relevant

because if not happy marriage then what the DH thinks is neither near nor there

I’m in the same boat OP, also Spain, miss my family and friends back in the UK, DH doesn’t want to go back.

I don’t think it’s realistic for us to go back to the UK which helps my decision to stay. I don’t know what I could do for work, we couldn’t replicate the lifestyle we have here for the money we would have there.

I wouldn’t worry about crime etc though, I think that’s just the impression you get of only experiencing a country through news. Remember the UK reporting of Spain during early Covid, it was as if we were all in a zombie apocalypse. And we pay a fortune in tax in Spain too (although it’s true the services are generally good).

I think we're all f*cked long term, due to climate change, other than perhaps the very richest of us.
But while I love to bash the UK, I live in a suburb of manchester and have to say that things are broadly, fine. Social problems might be a bit worse than in the past but you wouldnt necessarily notice. I definitely havent noticed a significant increase in crime.

I'd be worried about his sourced of info tbh. I know some americans who think we live in some kind of lawless ghetto. Healthcare here is probably the biggest issue, but if you can afford private insurance that's fine and if you are properly ill, the NHS is still excellent. Education is still, in the main, pretty decent as long as you choose the right area.

It's not amazing here, but broadly similar to how its always been. Yes everything is more expensive but I dont think that's different to anywhere else. Id much rather be here than in the US!

Crime is low in the UK and major crime lower than it’s ever been in almost all cities. You’re falling for right wing propaganda.

Are you somewhere where you don't speak the language and cant understand local crime trends? The UK is very safe, generally.

There is nowhere to go. Some places in Eastern Europe might hold out for a few more years, but ultimately, every one will be hit.

what @Komints says
Social media has collectively broken the country's brain, and it's attention span, patience etc. As well as our ability to listen to something and say 'interesting! I should consider where that claim came from and check if it's true' instead of 'that confirms my angry view so I'll just assume it's true without checking

Ok closer than earlier suggestions to see family. It’s up to you, is visiting enough or do you want to be close by?

But rich complaining about immigration when you yourself are an economic migrant. Although Portugal is a lovely progressive liberal country ( although worth noting listed only 3 places above England in safest countries to live so not much better! 15 and 18.)

Tax wouldn’t make sense for the OP though as she’s said she is in Spain ‘and’ Portugal (🤷‍♀️), where tax is higher.

Out of interest where is he planning in that has lower taxes than the UK AND better services etc?

(apologies if you have already mentioned it I’m catching up on the thread…)

Personally I’d stay where you are. It’s incredibly expensive here now without any of the perks. They’ve decriminalised theft and anti social behaviour which means society is slowly crumbling but no one dare say anything. Weak government with a policy to let rapists out of jail whilst simultaneously putting potential rapists up on holiday camps. It’s a weird twisted society with punishments for those who work.

I live on the outskirts of London and have a bloody wonderful life. Green spaces, amazing schools, safe streets, nice house. Cost of living is a fucker at the moment but, all countries have their ups and downs.

Depends where you are looking at in England/UK and what income level you'd be at and what state serivces you'd be dependent on.

I don't feel unsafe - school here aren't great but my DC have naviagted through fine and my complaints about them would vary to others and would likely not be ones hitting news headlines. If we had more money we'd live accorss town in better catchment and have different problems.

It's perfectly possible where you are is better than some parts of the UK and it possible some parts of UK could be better than where you currently are.

Also where is he getting his news - there are now apps like ground news that help see a more balanced picture.

Certainly the poltical uncertainty with PM changes seems less drastic to me here - more natural progression of events - than many aboard getting details via media seem to view it.

I'd be cautious for my children's prospects living in Spain permanently. Their unemployment rate is more than double the UK's, and has been much higher than ours long term.