Hello from the UK
 

I've just joined the forum and thought I would say hello. I've read a few posts already and there seems to be a lot of good advice.

A bit about me, my name is David, I'm 31 and I'm married with 2 children (boys) aged 12 and 8. I work in construction.
I've not been happy in the UK for a couple of years now and have been thinking about emigrating. Now my kids are getting older I've started thinking about what future they have and what the UK has to offer them. I've come to the conclusion, not a lot.

Hopefully I will get loads of good advice from this forum.:fingerscrossed:
Thanks for reading

Re: Hello from the UK
 

Hi,

Sorry to hear this. Read the threads of the pongers, ones who go back and forth from their 'emigration' land back to UK and back again.

Did you hear the story about a guy travelling to a new city? He meets an old man outside the city and inquires what the city was like. The old man asks him what were they like in his previous city? How he replies is the answer the old man gives back. i.e. how you view people now is pretty much what you will find where you end up.

What I am saying is analyse your reasons, and do plenty of research to reduce the shocks. Be realistic. Where you go will be different. They won't have the foods or drinks you are used to. I have lived in Helsinki for 5 years and Malta for 4. No pub culture in these places!

But people are pretty much constant. Finnish are trustworthy, love English humour. Maltese are friendly, open and relaxed.

Any destination in mind?:cool:

Re: Hello from the UK
 

Hello and welcome to the site.

If you let me know where you're thinking of living I will point you to the applicable forum. We read a lot of posts containing similar comments as yours and I guess if you have the opportunity to immigrate then why not give it a try...but beware the grass at the other side of the fence is always greener. As someone who's lived in the US for 14 years...I still think the UK is a great country to live and I would have no doubts about going back there to live.

Take a read through some of the threads in our Moving Back To The UK Forum...it may balance some of those immgration programs you see on UK TV. ;)

Please let me know if you need any help. :)

Re: Hello from the UK
 

Thanks for your reply

I have looked at Australia (we're going there on holiday for 3 weeks in Jan to have a look at what it's like)

New Zealand and the US interest me.
I'm not really sure where else yet as I've only just started looking into it more.

Jerseygirl I understand what you are saying but there isn't much left in Britain e.g high taxes, poor nhs, to many people thinking the world owes them something for nothing, the list goes on.

I just don't want to get to old age regreting not trying it.

Re: Hello from the UK
 

I understand what you're saying. Like I said earlier if you have the opportunity to move and you've researched it well...why not give it a go. You can always go home. ;)

Take a look at this...to move to the US you need tp fit into one of those categories. It is extremely hard to live and work here...most come here because they are married to Americans. We came here with my husband's job...he was a partner in a large international company...so it was an easy move for him. The US has high taxes too and plenty of 'hidden taxes'...you wouldn't believe how much we pay for property/council taxes each year...or cable TV, telephones, utilities etc. As for the NHS...all healthcare here is private and it is very expensive...no NHS prescriptions for mediciations either.

Re: Hello from the UK
 

I will cross US off the list then:)

Re: Hello from the UK
 

Here is the link to BE's New Zealand forums. Why don't you take a look around and ask any questions you may have about life in NZ? You may also find useful information in the BE Wiki.

We have a team of concierges who act as tour guides to help new members find their way around the many BE forums. The concierges for the NZ forums are Dewb09 or Vialstatistix.

If you have any problems or concerns please contact a moderator or admin. The mods for the NZ forums are Bevs and Am Loolah.

Please give a a shout is you need any more help.

Re: Hello from the UK
 

Thank you for all your help. I will go and have a nose around.

Re: Hello from the UK
 

Hi Blandy, welcome to BE;)
As has been said, just do lots of reading/research and enjoy your trip in Jan:)

Re: Hello from the UK
 

Hi Blandy

Welcome to BE from me too.
I hope you enjoy researching the site and finding your chosen place.

Good luck

Dread - x

Hi Flashman

Welcome to BE to you too.
Hope we see more from you - your advice makes quite a bit of sense.

Dread - x

Re: Hello from the UK
 

If you think the taxes are high in the UK and health care sucks, don't even consider coming here to the US. Our taxes are higher by the time you pay Federal, state, city, sales and extortionate property taxes. And if you're self-employed, forget it because the self-employment taxes are one more thing to pay. They're about the same as the UK's self-employment taxes and for that you don't even get an NHS.

Then there are your health care costs, if you are even lucky enough to get insurance ... don't even get me started. Financially, I would be so much better off in the UK.

All this to say -- when you're fed up, it's easy to look at another place and imagine that it would be better. But it really might not be. On your list of things you don't like about the UK, only one of them (attitudes) would be different in the US. On the other two you would be going backwards.