MrsB

Why do you perceive England as being THAT bad? The OP mentioned immigration - but we are all immigrants here. I've even had anti-pom comments said directly to my face.

I don't think the government is any better or worse - I'm not too sure what these new workplace reforms are - but most people say thay have made working terms and conditions worse.

The housing market is as mad here as it is in England, our kids would struggle to get on the housing market here too (if we stayed, but we aren't)

I just don't know what is so bad about England???????????

eliscolin

I think many people have missed my point on here. Forget that I ever mentioned South America for a moment. I apologize to anybody if I have offended them....this was not my intention. I have had a belly full of this country in recent days and I suppose I got over enthusiastic at slagging the place off.

The whole point of this thread is for those of you who have gone through all the pain of obtaining residency and have been VERY FORTUNATE to get into good English speaking countries such as Canada/ OZ/ NZ....perhaps the US although it would not be my first choice, but I would even go there if I was given the choice.

What I just cannot understand is why anybody would possibly chose to leave a good country such as NZ and come back to Britain. I would love to have the remotest possible chance to get into such a country and I know dozens of people who would also love to have that opportunity.

In regards to Brazil, I know all the pitfalls and I have plenty of reservations about the place....crime/ corruption and the problems. Because my wife is from Brazil it has been an option, I cannot say I am hooked. However more encouraging, I have taken a look at Chile and have met several Brits who seem very happy over there and it is a beautiful place with a lot of potential.

However if I was given the ultimate choice I would take NZ. For those considering coming back to Britain, I wish you the best of luck, but if you have been away a long time you should be aware that this maybe the 6th best economy in the world but there are now a lot of issues which make life difficult here.

Desire

I am happy for you Kendodd, you have decided where you want to be.
I'm pleased for you and your family.
For me i am struggling to make a decision which path to take for our children.
We have spent alot of our money on this "ADVENTURE" we have to be very careful before we make any rash decision.
I know what my heart is telling me at the moment, but it is early days.

janeyray

Well good luck to you in your 'chosen' countries, personally I wouldn't want to live in either of those countries, a bit like you don't want to live in the UK.

I'm sure there as many if not more issues with Brazil and Chile than there are here in the UK?

janeyray

Me, like many others on here couldn't wait to get to Australia. We were excited at having been given the chance to live in 'such a country' and like you we know dozens of people who would love the chance.

But after living the life there for 16 motnsh we knew it wasn't for us, it wasn't our home and never would be. It wasn't our 'dream' country and we love the UK - There are lots of people who long to live somewhere else and then realise the grass isn't greener. Maybe though you would be one of the few that stay?
Good luck in Brazil or Chile

arkon

I keep reading about how bad the UK has become, I've been in Oz a year now and I refuse to believe that the UK has changed that much this past year. I for one with hindsight think the UK a year ago was a fine place to live, shame it took me to the otherside of the world to realise it. I for one can't wait to go back warts and all.

MrsB

Another 7 days and I'm off for a 5 week stint. I'll have a good look around and let you know! Like you, I can't imagine it's gone downhill that much in one year!!

eliscolin

To Ken Dodd....why do I think Britain is so bad?

Overpopulation.....60 million people in a country the size of NZ and the pressure on land, resources and largely Victorian infrastructure is huge. This is now having a major impact on quality of life.

Public Transport….My wife uses Public Transport and reckons the services are worse than Brazil. A peak hour train ticket from Southampton to London on the train costs around £70 for a 2 hour trip….its cheaper to commute to Spain on RYANAIR.

Attitude of the population......I am tired of working my butt off, paying more tax and seeing less value for money. Benefit should be a safety net and NOT a lifestyle. I don’t get any tax relief as a married man and due to the current housing market have been forced into expensive rented accommodation. Meanwhile many young women are falling pregnant again and again and are topped up with every benefit conceivable. A recent newspaper stated that an unmarried couple who have never worked a day in their lives have 8 children and earn £74000 of total benefit. You would have to be a professional person to earn that kind of income. Meanwhile if I was made redundant I would be means tested and due to the fact I have savings from my previous house I would not be able to claim anything even though I have paid all my NI contributions.

British Healthcare is dismal…..I am forced to pay into the NHS but had to go private on dentistry and medical because the NHS is crap, my wife had health problems and we were stonewalled by every Doctor. I had to send her back to Brazil to get the operation she needed. A Cuban friend experienced the same. When she got back to Cuba she was rushed to hospital at the airport with internal bleeding and nearly died.

Quality of housing…..need I go there….a two up two down dump of a terraced house retails at £150000 - £200000, overpriced is an understatement. Forget renovation most of it needs bulldozing. A similar house in London is probably £250000 - £400000. If I had anywhere near that type of cash I would have left this place years ago.

Yes, you may earn less in NZ or OZ than Britain and perhaps houses are expensive in relation to your wages but with a small population and plenty of space, there is still vastly more potential of expanding your lives than back here. I miss South Africa everyday so I know about Homesickness but I would never move back because that life is gone for ever. I have heard all these arguments before, I have seen all the tears of fresh faced Brits…especially the women who moved to South Africa and cried their eyes out because they missed their family.

They come back here and within 3 months the realization sets back in of what was left behind.

MrsB

That's interesting - what is the top rate of tax in Britain at the moment? In Australia its 47 or 48% and you only have to be earning $70,000 to hit that.

What is the personal allowance these days? Is it still around £4800 or something? In NZ you'll pay tax on very the first $ that you earn and every single dollar after that - there's no tax relief in NZ!

It's the same everywhere - everyone has to pay taxes!!

woodyinoz

Often the realization is that the size of your house doesn't matter and it is family that counts.

I understand fully as to why people say that the UK is horrible... Places are! However there are places here that people would say that about.

I'm with you on the benefits though! My sister is flying out to see us in a few weeks. She is stopping off in Singapore on route, has brought whole new wardrobes for her and kids and gameboys for the flight and she is a single mother of 4 :scared:

I am going back, getting rid of hubby and claiming the lot ohh I may even ask for a nice little house in the sticks to whilst i'm at it.

suffolkdino

hope you have a good time for thr 5 weeks. be intersting if you keep people updated how you are getting along.
have fun!

HiddenPaw

You think Australia doesn't have problems with resources? Try looking up 'drought' and 'water shortages'. Try researching the year-round water restrictions, future water prospects, etc etc. Wasn't the Vic state govt reporting that Melbourne's water will run out in 2010? Still, plenty of uranium around I guess.

On the housing cost:salary ratio, Australia was found to be the most expensive country in the world. Sydney was ahead of London. I hear NZ is pretty expensive too.

Poor healthacre? try looking up Medicare crisis. Or, myself and others can provide plenty examples from the news or personal tales of cancelled operations, massive waiting lists, hospital closures, bodged up surgery, staff shortages and medical staff who can barely mutter a word of English. Quality dentistry? I wish I had the link to the recent article where dentists in Victoria were using equipment that was over 40 years old!! And you have to pay for it!

And as for dole bludgers, yes, of course, Australia doesn't have scroungers does it . And I suppose you'll argue that it's just a myth that 50% of all revenue generated from income tax goes on social welfare payments. So when you hand over your 47% tax at the end of the month remember that nearly a quarter or your income is used to support others.

Good luck in your south american paradise. Eldorado, was it?

arkon

I think it might be xanadu he's off to, From his description of the UK I think he needs to move to cloud cuckoo

eliscolin

I think it might be xanadu he's off to, From his description of the UK I think he needs to move to cloud cuckoo....

I think you should go and take a look at the comments of many others on the BBC "Have your Say" topics.

ladyofthelake

Unlike yourself, who grew up elsewhere, most of us grew up in Britain, so there is a feeling of belonging which perhaps you may not have.
Nevertheless, a lot of Brits fixate on the politics and economics of the country and what's going wrong, so much so that they can't see what they do have.
It's not until they go to the percieved better country, that they realise things weren't so bad in Britain afterall. Especially as that comfortable feeling of belonging has now gone.
It's a bit like the people who spend their whole lives wishing they had more money or could win the lottery, thinking then they would be happy. A lot of lottery winners realise once they have all the money they need and can live the dream lifestyle, that that's not what makes them happy afterall. In fact I'm sure some have far more complicated lives and are less happy because of it.