How do you rate the standard of living in the UK?

[Socci]

Today my mum said that she would consider migration to another country if she was younger because she feels that the standard of living in this country is not good enough and is getting worse.

What is your view on this? What do you think is good compared with other places in the world? What would you change?

My uncle emigrated to Australia about 30 years ago and he and his wife have never been completely happy.

So is it a case of the grass is always greener?

arfissmo, I was thinking more of racism directed against aboriginal people - maybe if you are in a city you don't come up against it much but it seemed to be common in Queensland and the NT

arfissimo, it goes against everything "Canadian" to talk up Canada. It's a nice place. The food is good and cheap (particularly compared to UK restaurants). The weather is good in the summer. There are some nice things to do with kids, particularly in Toronto in the summer (Ex, islands, Ontario Place). Montreal has a unique laid-back culture that I really miss (tam-tams, the sword fighting on the mountain, the bar culture, the general attitude).

The Rockies are meant to be nice, but I've not spent any time over on that side of the country. Eastern Canada is lovely, beautiful terrain, cheap food, lots of moose.

Oh, and ms. name-changer ... I don't know why you think that's a contentious view. Lots of people on this thread have said they're happy to live in the UK. (I think I have, too? I certainly am happy to live in the UK.)

The standard of living in the UK is all right, isn't it? But skewed by house prices and the weather. I went to stay in Poland with a couple of friends. One had three jobs (full-time state school teacher, private one-to-one teacher and third teaching job) and almost no food. I am not exaggerating here. I've never been in that position and though I can imagine it's possible here, I don't know anyone in the UK who has either. It would be hard to get that low - you'd need an addiction I think.

low crime rates, still good health care and education although some problems but still good. Scenery is breathtaking, still lots of unspoiled wilderness, hiking, swimming canoeing. East coast where I am from is unspoiled beaches, camping and the people are know to be very friendly and laid back. We love people from the UK (I'ts the accents that facinate us I think). East coast has very strong irish/scottish/english roots that run deep which you will hear in the music. Toronto is more diverse as is montreal and more international. Out west, mountains, wheat fields and very nice people.If you are brave and want to face the cold, you can try some of hte best skiing and skating in the world. I live in ottawa now which has the largest skating rink in the world ( it's a canal) people actually skate to work in the winter. How am I doing, oh, and no big bugs or deadly animals except bears and they tend to stay deep in the woods. And moose, but they won't hurt you.

NQC. Shame on me, I always thought you were American. I guess your post just about sums up the Canadian ethos of not bragging. I would also find it difficult to sell the UK (not because it isn't fabulous, but it would be rude to brag).

I hadn't realised that Canadians were that way - the only thing I've ever seen about Canada is a documentary on Montreal about everybody moving house the same day.

Christie - guffaw no deadly animals except bears and moose. They're not indigenous to Sydney either (it would just about finish me off if I'd dealt with the spiders and assorted creepy stuff and a bear came blundering through the back garden and started to harass me).

You did manage to sell Canada (well, I assume that was where you are talking about!) beautifully though. Thank you.

arfissimo, did you used to have another name?

I've not paid too much attention to all the recent name changing fun.

arfissimo, you don't even have to sell me on australia, it's on my list of places to go before I die! There and new zealand where a good friend of mine lives. I met so many aussies in the UK and loved the women (won't comment on the men). They speak there mind, no games and are just decent people.

I'll throw in my vote for the UK. All major industrialised nations have some of the same problems to a greater or lesser extent. Which ones bother you and how much they bother you depends on what you really value.

I've lived abroad in 3 continents and can see many impressive things from those countries. The UK could learn a lot, although I think it has improved massively over the last 2 decades, particularly on multiculturalism (I'm not white), and customer service. On the other hand, I missed the liberal, tolerant attitude that, by and large, still prevails here to other attitudes and modes of living. I missed the humour and, strangely, the weather.

Yup, think education is heading downhill, everyone is a lot ruder and more stressed, health is a big lottery but, as I say, many places have problems in some or all of these areas. What swings the UK for me, are the people. They make my standard of living higher because, on the whole, they make life here more entertaining, interesting, multicultural, challenging than places I've lived with lovely weather and big houses. Nice as it is to live abroad and have a sunny climate and big house, that's not what swings it for me.

Happy with UK. IWe have clean, running water; we have electricity and gas to heat and light our homes; we have access to education and healthcare; food is plentiful; employment and fair wages are the norm.
Can't argue with that really.

I like living in England (although I am craving living abroad at the moment!).

I love that I don't have to pay tuition fees to train to be a nurse, I personally don't mind the NHS, I don't have a lot of money but I can still live a pretty good life here. Its fab for me that some museums are free, public transport is not too expensive. I think it does depend on where you live though, I live up north and it is still quite cheap. I can get to and from the cinema and buy a ticket for £6, thats cheap.
I have never had any crime commited against me, nor has ANYONE I know.

I would like to go to different places for a bit, but the UK will always be my home and where I end up.

Christie, you sold Canada beautifully. I guess I'm the only "westerner" on here so I'll add how awesome the west is.
I think the nice thing about Canada is how unique each place is, yet how the same as well.
The scenery is amazingly diverse, the weather is amazingly extreme and the people are just amazing!!

Saying that though, I love living in Scotland and would prefer to stay here!
That doesn't have anything to do with the standard of living. It's just the only place I've really felt is my home.

Yeah, she made Canada sound pretty good there :). I've only seen the western part - Alberta and British Columbia. That was impressive enough!

I agree 100% with kama's post right down there near the bottom of this thread. british people are a bit spoilt and love to moan.

the nhs is wonderful (OK so, france and germany's systems are better, but they pay more taxes. in spain they pay more taxes and the health system is worse)
the schools overall are good - some not up to scratch but we need to improve those, not denigrate the lot.
...and stuff.

yes there has been some nanny state stuff lately, and yes housing inequality is bad (but bad compared with which countries? you don't have many people living in caravans in the uk, and at least the is social housing.)

Think I agree with SenoraP.
I had an interesting conversation about 5 years ago. This woman was Chinese & had grown up in the People's Republic of China, was educated to a high standard in Germany, and now working in the UK.

She was adament that standard of living was much higher in Germany but she preferred English people, said they were more relaxed.

When we go back to visit California I'm struck how they are much richer for nice "things" but much poorer for quality time. The costs of living (housing, etc.) are VERY MUCH high there, except (maybe) in the most inhospitable places (mid-desert).

The thing I would change most in UK is how filthy public places are (which is not to say that many places aren't worse). You pretty much have to assume that every bit of public pavement has a thin layer of dog-sh*t on it. I'd ban dogs, chewing gum & public spitting if I could. I've got friends in Spain and their public places (not touristy) are immaculate, so clean I could barely believe it.

I do sometimes think that Britain might not be a very enjoyable place to live, but that's different from standard of living. It is a beautiful country and we moan about it far too much. But the weather really does conspire against us.

zebra: public places are def not immaculate here, and there's dog poo everywhere (because lots of people just shoo their dogs out in the daytime to wander the streets). it must vary within countries too!

Qualty of Life and Standard of Living are often different things - and mean very different things to different people.

I could easily see myself upping standard of living, but not necessarily achiveing a better quality of life.

Interesting discussion for me as we are in the throes of negotiating for dh to work for a year in Sydney. I am desperate to go, as much as anything to travel in that hemisphere as much as possible and will love exploring life in Oz. I have no doubts that I will want to come back- don't think the grass is greener just different and according to dh who does paranoia big time- full of deadly spiders!
But what strikes me about the whole thread is that people's happiness is so relative- although most people have seen their standard of living improve in relation to their parents, they are not as happy baecuase they compare themselves with other people who they percieve to have more.
Excuse typing cod has been giving me tips.

I think you've hit the spot Blu.
'Quality of life' is quite poor in the UK. Working hours are very long, family life has been eroded, we are overpopulated and overcrowded, there's too much traffic, the weather's crappy, housing is very expensive, children spend hours on end in front of the TV or computer instead of playing outdoors because outdoors is considered (and may actually be) unsafe etc etc etc.

But the 'standard of living' is quite high. It's certainly much higher than when I was a child. Nowadays, virtually all houses have bathrooms and heating for instance - that wasn't the case a few decades ago. Almost everyone can now afford a TV (and much more besides). People can afford to go abroad on holidays more than ever before (if airfares cost the same in real terms as they were when I was a child, a return economy ticket to the Costa del Sol would cost about £650, but in fact you can fly with Ryanair for les than £65).

So times have definitely changed, but not always for the better.

The standard of living in the UK particularly or even especially if you are on a low income and stuck in housing association/council situation is about as poor as it gets. Even worse when we have less money at the end of the week than people on benefits (and by that I mean those who know how to work the system and have no intention of ever getting off benefits.)

I would imagine if we had more money, actually felt like we were getting somewhere, then we wouldn't feel so negative but living in Britain is better if you have the finances. I know there are problems in other countries but here life is like running up a sand dune.

I can relate, Two.