Heading back to UK: anyone pondering it?

[thefoggiest]

Anyone here toying with the idea of moving back to the UK after years away? I keep hearing doom and gloom stories from people back home, but... Well, there's a reason they're still there, isn't there!

There are reasons people stay where they are , wherever that is- usually complacency, ties to home, whether work, family etc.
However, I can't ever remember a worse time to live here and I am 60+
I wish I had emigrated. Think carefully....

Well, there's a reason they're still there, isn't there!

Yes, Brexit stopped my long-term plans.

Well I suppose it depends on where you're coming back to the UK from.... I guess there are still some countries left that are worse than living here!

The reason I am still here is brexit. Can’t get out.

Returning to the UK has been the best thing we ever did. Our quality of life is far superior to what we had overseas. Definitely no plans to leave.

We are also pondering it. We’ve been in Australia for 15 years. Our parents are getting older, we’re spending the best part of £50k per year coming back for visits, we run a business in the U.K. and we also would love to show our children Europe and more of the U.K. Australia is a brilliant place to raise young children but my fear is that they’re missing out on family and travel opportunities.
Haven’t fully decided yet though.

I really want to go back home. I miss my people. I miss M&S meals. I miss the normalcy of life and how everyone rubs together. I’m from the NW and it’s a fabulous place to raise children.

I had my children in the NY area and lived well but it has been such a huge effort to give my children a somewhat normal life. In the NW it’s easy to do it.

Well I'm obviously a rare specimen on this thread because I live in the UK (North) and like living in the UK. We love going to France , Spain etc for holidays but can't beat home. Its just the right temperature in summer. I love the seasons. Can't beat Waitrose,M&S for treats, empty beaches of Northumbria, rolling hills of Yorkshire, neighbours who always put my bin back after the bin men have been. Hate the government but hopefully soon they will be voted out. Hate the high cost of energy currently. Anyway it suits us.

Well, there's a reason they're still there, isn't there!

It's not so easy to get out these days.

Nope. I’ve been in Asia for 7 years and can’t think of worst time to go home. Where are you?

I’ve been thinking about it for years but now it’s just seems so dire that we really couldn’t. We’re in the US and while there are myriad problems there are opportunities to offset. Funnily my H who is the native Brit never wants to return. even though all his family are there 🤷🏽‍♀️

i guess as my D.C. get older I can’t imagine uprooting them. But I also don’t want to be stuck here for the rest of my life

Yes, not everyone gets the job offer, visa access or has the finances to move countries. It’s a big undertaking. We can’t afford to move back now we don’t have a company transferring us

I would never move back to the UK. Least of all right now. The US may have some issues (largely exaggerated or totally misreported by the UK tabloids), but at least I can afford to pay the electricity bill without having to skip meals. That’s absolutely no way to live in 2022.

Thing is, you read the press and it sounds dire but I was there for a month in June/July and it was wonderful. Everything was bustling, cafes were busy, attractions were plentiful and enjoyable, even Heathrow had no issues at all. So it makes me, from afar, wonder how much more is exaggerated.

Have lived abroad for about 18 years now. Parent getting older, my DC are leaving home. I want to come back to UK but can't afford to. Have a job here I love and love the area we live in etc BUT miss UK a lot more recently. Don't know what to do ! Nowhere is perfect but I am feeling the pull back "home"...

We have lived in a few countries, Sweden for a decent length of time, Spain for a year and Brussels. I’ve loved them all but we are home (UK) now for a good while as DC settled at school.
As pp have said on paper it sounds dreadful and I’m not a particularly proud Brit at the mo and not happy with the government. BUT we have a good life here- good stable jobs, nice home, kids go to lovely (state) school. I love the climate (and we live in the NW!) and the British sense of humour and togetherness. I enjoyed everywhere we live for various reasons but I always come back. Friends of mine from our previous lives say things are tough in different ways in their countries too- nowhere seems easy atm! I’ve never lived in the US and wouldn’t contemplate it with kids unless they changed gun laws. Do fancy Canada one day!
And despite Brexit depending what sector you work in work permits and visas aren’t too hard! Don’t let it put you off if you do want to live abroad.

come on - don’t believe the hyped up crazy press!

the UK is amazing. Great climate, beautiful countryside, brilliant sense of humour, people from all over the world, pretty buildings, great universities, lots of jobs.

(You do start to believe the press - I’ve had two interactions with the NHS this week. The nurses and doctors literally could not have been kinder, more patient or more professional. I was worried!)

We've just done it. Been here for around 5 weeks already, it's not all as doom and gloom as the media portrays. However, reverse culture shock is definitely real and we have been struggling. More so the children who have really known nothing else but living in Asia. I have to say people are really friendly here though and it is so refreshing. As far as the living crisis, mark my words, you will still find everything here very reasonable. Most things are still a lot cheaper than in the expensive Asian city that we moved from.

If you don't live here, you are not seeing the reality of living here. You came searching for bunting, and days out and sunshine and you got it. Living here is utterly depressing right now.

The present government is the worst, whipping up culture wars, stirring up anger, so much anger, barely funding schools, hospitals (do you want to wait 19 hours for an ambulance when you fall and breath your leg in your back garden?) and the rises in the cost of living are terrifying. people are so angry with each other and ground down by living only to work.

I loved being British. Now, I would be seriously thinking about moving to another country if they hadn't taken away my EU passport. Now I'm stuck here and I hate it.

@PolkaDotShoes I do think the media doesn’t help with the sense of doom and gloom. Things are tighter for us then when we first came back but generally things are still good. I think living abroad you really see the pros and cons of each place (Sweden was a great place to try as we almost hero worship the scandi countries as living ‘right’ in the UK and seeing the good and bad in the utopia that is Scandinavia was very eye opening!). I appreciate some people in the UK are reallt struggling right now, indeed they were when things were ‘good’.

@NameChangeLifeChange @pompomdaisy Loved your accounts of living in the NW, I love it here too.

We have an affordable home, good stable jobs, lots of facilities around us. The state schools in our area are excellent. The people are super friendly and I know if there was a problem there are many neighbours I could knock on for help. I have many friends here, which I have made not being born in the area. I wouldn't want to leave.

The major negative is the shitshow of the Government, but that will be sorted in time.

Yes that's probably true. My life here seems a lot less pleasant than it did a few years ago and the outlook is depressing. But if you're coming from somewhere you're tiring of living for whatever reason, then I suppose Britain could be attractive.

And if you've earnt well as an expat then perhaps you are cushioned by private schools and private healthcare. The NHS in particular is in a dire state. The individuals who work in it can't be faulted but it definitely doesn't feel like the safety blanket it used to only a few years ago. You only get the care you need in a timely fashion if you advocate loudly and persistently for yourself and even then, it's only if a doctor is available. Sick people can't always do that. It's frightening knowing you and your family can't rely on it any more.

This government though.... I am embarrassed by their actions every day. And worried by the direction they're heading in.

I do think we still have it good. Compared to lots of countries we have an amazing range and choice of food which at reasonable prices (and often cheap). After spending time in a much more expensive country you really see that we still have it very good - we just don't realise it.

@Seahorsesfly food was one of the major draws back! There is such little variety in other countries comparatively outside big cities (even if their local cuisine is amazing we are just used to having a variety of choice). The UK is brilliant for food imo!

I would LOVE to move to another country, but sadly due to Brexit I can't. I feel this country is quite toxic at the moment, we pay higher rates of tax, property in the south east is crazy, salaries are stagnant (unless you're in a lucrative industry), anti immigrant rhetoric is strong and I'm not really sure what the government is doing with the money we pay in taxes! The jewel in the crown is the NHS, we are unbelievably lucky to have it. Even when it's working poorly (government needs to sort this out), it's still incredible. I read a story the other day about a lady who gave birth to a very I'll baby in the US, the baby sadly passed and she was left with a bill for $450k (obviously she had insurance) but it just put into perspective what an amazing thing the NHS is.

Other positives, If you've got lots of close family and friends and can afford a reasonable house in a nice area, then I'm sure you'll enjoy coming back. The summers are glorious and there are lots of lovely folk. I guess it depends what the quality of life is like where you're moving back from.