Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
#856
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I think a large number (maybe most) of the responses haven't taken that into consideration, though - they are simply responding to the vernacular title of the thread. And the longer the thread goes on, taking on a life of its own, the further we seem to get from the original question.
#857
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I thought it was £24K, it must have gone down. I think my old grade starts at £14K now, I was only Administrative Officer (next step up from pleb level). That's NICS, of course, in England it might be different. I was on £13.2K at the highest before I left and that was after 3 years. If I were to be reinstated I'd be on the bottom again (ooer) and the pay scales are different now.
#858
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I agree with you 100% on that count (I made the same point maybe 20 or 30 pages back).
I think a large number (maybe most) of the responses haven't taken that into consideration, though - they are simply responding to the vernacular title of the thread. And the longer the thread goes on, taking on a life of its own, the further we seem to get from the original question.
I think a large number (maybe most) of the responses haven't taken that into consideration, though - they are simply responding to the vernacular title of the thread. And the longer the thread goes on, taking on a life of its own, the further we seem to get from the original question.
I thought it was £24K, it must have gone down. I think my old grade starts at £14K now, I was only Administrative Officer (next step up from pleb level). That's NICS, of course, in England it might be different. I was on £13.2K at the highest before I left and that was after 3 years. If I were to be reinstated I'd be on the bottom again (ooer) and the pay scales are different now.
(Not trying to make you move )
#859
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I would guess most people looking objectively at the exact question would say the answer is no (but I'd also guess some would add "it's not particularly great for many people, either").
The thread seems to have moved on to the more general "How good/bad are things in the UK?", which I think is a much more interesting and informative question for people considering a move back than "Do you think my relatives are exaggerating how bad it is?"
I don't think the OP has posted here in yonks so my guess is his question has been answered many, many pages back.
#860
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
It's that or roll the dice in the private sector, while keeping my fingers crossed that NATS start hiring ATC operatives again, because that job will carry a much higher salary than the silly service.
#861
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I don't think there is necessarily anything wrong with the direction the thread has taken though - in fact I don't think it would have gone on for one tenth as long if we were still discussing the very first post/question.
I would guess most people looking objectively at the exact question would say the answer is no (but I'd also guess some would add "it's not particularly great for many people, either").
The thread seems to have moved on to the more general "How good/bad are things in the UK?", which I think is a much more interesting and informative question for people considering a move back than "Do you think my relatives are exaggerating how bad it is?"
I don't think the OP has posted here in yonks so my guess is his question has been answered many, many pages back.
I would guess most people looking objectively at the exact question would say the answer is no (but I'd also guess some would add "it's not particularly great for many people, either").
The thread seems to have moved on to the more general "How good/bad are things in the UK?", which I think is a much more interesting and informative question for people considering a move back than "Do you think my relatives are exaggerating how bad it is?"
I don't think the OP has posted here in yonks so my guess is his question has been answered many, many pages back.
I could certainly apply again at Executive Officer II and have another stab at the aptitude test. That's as high up as A-levels alone will get you at entry level. That probably starts closer to £18K now. The skills won't matter as such unless they have changed their application procedures from when I last applied.
It's that or roll the dice in the private sector, while keeping my fingers crossed that NATS start hiring ATC operatives again, because that job will carry a much higher salary than the silly service.
It's that or roll the dice in the private sector, while keeping my fingers crossed that NATS start hiring ATC operatives again, because that job will carry a much higher salary than the silly service.
#862
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I could certainly apply again at Executive Officer II and have another stab at the aptitude test. That's as high up as A-levels alone will get you at entry level. That probably starts closer to £18K now. The skills won't matter as such unless they have changed their application procedures from when I last applied.
It's that or roll the dice in the private sector, while keeping my fingers crossed that NATS start hiring ATC operatives again, because that job will carry a much higher salary than the silly service.
It's that or roll the dice in the private sector, while keeping my fingers crossed that NATS start hiring ATC operatives again, because that job will carry a much higher salary than the silly service.
Different public sector jobs probably have different practices but I'd have thought you would be unlikely to be dumped back at the lowest rung on the payscale, surely?
#863
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,851
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
As you very well know, and as I alluded to in my earlier post, the lower rate of unemployment in the USA is entirely due to huge numbers simply stopping looking for work. The only statistic that matters is the number and percentage of people in work.
To refresh your memory - UK 73.6 percent labour force participation. USA 63.2 percent. Despite the higher rate of growth in the population.
To refresh your memory - UK 73.6 percent labour force participation. USA 63.2 percent. Despite the higher rate of growth in the population.
#864
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Indeed. The level of economic non-participation in the US is a major problem. Additionally, many of those non-participants don't have health insurance and hence limited access to healthcare. People tend to think that the poor get government-funded healthcare in the US, but only four states provide Medicaid coverage for adults without minor children. A lot of people end up at the mercy of getting sick, including several friends who are in the ranks of the long-term unemployed. At least the unemployed in the UK have unchanged access to the NHS. I would say almost unequivocally that being poor in the US is a much more painful experience than being poor in the UK.
#865
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
Yeah, it is. The irony is that around the time my wife started theorising on 'how would it work if we moved' was around the time I started to think it might not be the right thing to do anymore
In reality, all things considered I'd be silly to throw away a good job like the one I have now. In just under a year, I've had a 9% raise and lots more responsibility than when I started so I feel like I have to stick around to see how it goes ...
Honestly, I haven't been following it that closely since the requrement has been put into place so my understanding was probably woefully limited as it was.
We have no savings to speak of though.
It is my understanding that where I was working (NI Civil Service - I don't think the department matters but it was DHSS), they put you back on the bottom. That's what happened to my mum when she was reinstated after 15 years. Actually, she ended up having to drop a grade as well or she'd have had a longer wait for a post to come up.
In reality, all things considered I'd be silly to throw away a good job like the one I have now. In just under a year, I've had a 9% raise and lots more responsibility than when I started so I feel like I have to stick around to see how it goes ...
We have no savings to speak of though.
It is my understanding that where I was working (NI Civil Service - I don't think the department matters but it was DHSS), they put you back on the bottom. That's what happened to my mum when she was reinstated after 15 years. Actually, she ended up having to drop a grade as well or she'd have had a longer wait for a post to come up.
#868
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I'm way behind on this things though, as it doesn't affect me.
#869
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
I'm sure I read some formula - the savings amount is something like 4 x the salary amount, so I think if you were, say, £5k short of the salary amount, you could "make it up" by having 4 x £5k = £20k in savings. (I made the 4x thing up, but I am pretty sure that was the principle I read in several posts).
I'm way behind on this things though, as it doesn't affect me.
I'm way behind on this things though, as it doesn't affect me.
#870
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Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,851
Re: Is the situation in the UK really that bad?
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/si...df?view=Binary
"An amount based on the cash savings above £16,000 held by the applicant.s partner, the applicant or both jointly for at least the 6 months prior to the date of application and under their control. At the entry clearance/initial leave to remain stage and the further leave stage, the amount above £16,000 must be divided by 2.5 (to reflect the 2.5 year or 30-month period before the applicant will have to make a further application) to give the amount which can be added to income. At the indefinite leave to remain stage, the whole of the amount above £16,000 can be added to income"