Originally Posted by roaringmouse

Which countries would those be?

Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing

I hear Norway's doing alright these days.

Originally Posted by chris955

Yes isnt Norway supposed to be the friendliest, happiest, chirpiest or some such iest country in the world?

Originally Posted by TheEmperorIsNaked

I have not one shred of a doubt that everything you say is true.(The 'but' will follow shortly), you are a coal face social worker, and you quote the Salford area, -(and of course there are so very many areas of the UK with the same socio economic problems). I have no doubt that you know better than many.

The thread title is 'Is the situation in the UK really that bad?' It was a simple enough question, but it invites a generalized view. That question encompasses the whole of the UK. For so many in so many areas-the answer is no.

I only wish that 'compared to' had been added. What you describe (yup! here's the comparison)- is going on in Australia (and I can only speak about Australia).
The richest woman on the planet is Australian-this odious creature was wealthy enough to put a Prime Ministerial speech to camera using her own crew-suggesting that Australian workers should be happy working for $2 per hour 'like they do in South Africa'.

It wasn't just the stunning apathy here that there was little reaction to this that shook me-it's that she was confident she was right. Filthy disgustingly rich--not hard to see why. My point is-that that rich/poor gap is prevalent here-and I know it is the same in the US.

A sign of an increasingly struggling society is when private no credit check companies show up on TV offering to 'help',-when charities publicize that they cannot meet demand etc.
Queensland has now introduced a bedroom tax I believe.

Do we now say: well poverty in Australia is not the same poverty as in the UK, it is SSS poverty (sun/surf/sand), so it's a better class of poverty?

Do you realise that people can no longer throw another prawn on the barbie? They have to share the one prawn between the entire family...
(Just my pathetic attempt at levity).

Look,-I accept the question is about the UK. My point is that the question is always about the UK.
It is that what is happening in the UK is happening everywhere. Very few if any countries have full employment and prosperity.

It even sounds unthinkable to say 'Is the situation in Australia/Spain/Italy......Greece../ et al, really that bad?'

As for Macaroon and No Direction-he's a polishitun, we shouldn't mock the afflicted.

Originally Posted by feelbritish

The same here in Canada. Low wages for majority of people who work two jobs to pay the very high rents demanded. Many young people will never be able to afford their own homes and food banks are more busy than ever! The gap between rich and poor is widening all over the world. The problem with UK is that so many benefits were handed out that people got too used to them. When times are tough everyone suffers. As was said, is it wants or needs? In most cases in UK it is "wants" but it unfortunately does affect the genuine people as well wherever they are in the world!

Originally Posted by chris955

Yes isnt Norway supposed to be the friendliest, happiest, chirpiest or some such iest country in the world?

Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing

Not sure about that but I have a vague recollection of reading that they have virtually no national debt, but the trade off is probably high taxes. That being said, they do seem to get something for their money.

Didn't Iceland get themselves out of recession through sheer bloody mindedness as well? Those Vikings know their shit.

Originally Posted by chris955

Im not sure raping and pillaging is looked upon favourably by the UN nowadays

Originally Posted by roaringmouse

Which countries would those be?

Originally Posted by SultanOfSwing

It's OK if it's for oil.

Originally Posted by Giantaxe

Australia?

Originally Posted by chris955

Yep, spot on. The situation for some in the UK is bad as it is for some in Australia, America, Spain or wherever else. Judging by what I see day to day the situation for the majority most definitely is not bad and in reality that is probably the best any country can wish for. The thing I struggle with is the belief that someone will find a better quality of life in another country when they would actually get that better life 100 miles down the road.
As Emporer says Australia has the same issues, everywhere has the same issues to one degree or another.

Originally Posted by roaringmouse

Funny that, considering this question about the UK is in the Moving back to the UK forum. I wouldn't have thought anyone considering a return to the UK would be thinking much about the state of affairs in the countries you mention, unless they currently live in one of them.

Originally Posted by Almo

But doesn't that apply both ways? Should people then try somewhere else in the country to which they emigrated before moving back? For the record, I don't think they should necessarily but nor do I think everyone can find what they're looking for by moving 100 miles down the road in the UK (and I am happily settled back in the UK).



Yes. A million times this. The reason it 'always'* comes back to the UK is because that is the common denominator we have. That's why the discussion centres around the UK; almost everyone has lived/lives in the UK. It's entirely to be expected.

I'd say Australia takes up more than its fair share of column inches on this board

Originally Posted by roaringmouse

Funny that, considering this question about the UK is in the Moving back to the UK forum. I wouldn't have thought anyone considering a return to the UK would be thinking much about the state of affairs in the countries you mention, unless they currently live in one of them.

Originally Posted by roaringmouse

I don't know if that's one of the countries that the poster, chris955, obviously had in mind.

It would be interesting to know from him which countries both avoided recession and have seen a rapid increase of food banks, pay day loan shops, bookmakers and charity shops.

Originally Posted by Almo

But doesn't that apply both ways? Should people then try somewhere else in the country to which they emigrated before moving back? For the record, I don't think they should necessarily but nor do I think everyone can find what they're looking for by moving 100 miles down the road in the UK (and I am happily settled back in the UK).

Yes. A million times this. The reason it 'always'* comes back to the UK is because that is the common denominator we have. That's why the discussion centres around the UK; almost everyone has lived/lives in the UK. It's entirely to be expected.

I'd say Australia takes up more than its fair share of column inches on this board