Hi From Expat in Germany!
 

Hi BritishExpats!

just joined, good to be here.

I'm an ex-Londoner, self-employed IT contractor. Expat for many years, mainly in Europe, principally Germany (where I am now), but I've also lived in Belgium and Portugal, as well as Far East (Thailand and Taiwan). So if you need some advice or tips about those countries, esp Germany then I may be able to help. :-)

Actively thinking now of leaving Germany for.......UK.

Not specifically because of Brexit (I have right of stay here in Germany) but the question is do I really want to stay here? I've actually been trying to move away from Germany for the last 10 years. But always ended up coming back.

Mainly because I want to escape the German high tax and high regulation system, esp their extremely expensive health insurance. Being self-employed I pay very high rates for this and Germany - and the EU in general is not good for self-employed or small startups or entrepreneurs.

Do I want to keep paying these extortionate amounts and more as I get older? Basically no. Enough is enough. And UK is far better for small business than here.

Trouble is work and residence permits for other places are not easy. Brexit complicates the issue as well - but I see opportunities for UK that EU will not have.

So I'm thinking of moving back to UK - either to an outer town around London - or else another location. Do not want to live in London - too expensive.

I've been looking at Birmingham. Never been there, but heard it has improved a lot this last few decades and there is a lot of new development going on.

Also it has a central location, not far to London, but much cheaper than London, and it's a big lively friendly city. I prefer larger places, and I need a location with lots of potential IT clients and work within reaching distance. So Birmingham could fit the bill.

Don't want to go further north. I've lived in north, many years ago. Friendly people but I prefer south/midlands, weather a bit better for one thing. Don't forget I'm basically a southerner and a Londoner! ;-)

So that's my situation right now.

Not easy with Brexit and now the Covid lockdown.... will have to see what is possible. And whether the UK economy is going to make it possible. Right now it looks worse than Germany's. UK seems to have handled this epidemic appallingly. And we now have the fallout from the lockdown. Plus the risk of a "no deal" etc with EU next year... where does UK go from here.... who knows!

Re: Hi From Expat in Germany!
 

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!
Even if you are planning to move back to the UK, take a look in the Germany forum where you could give useful info to potential expats.
Meanwhile, post again in the "Moving Back to the UK" forum where a lot of returnees can give helpful info.:)