Considering moving to the UK?

theteal · 12-03-2023 8:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347960#Comment_120347960

I'm still living here. I think you might want to put your hands up again, food prices and the state of the NHS are a lot closer to Irish levels than I think you realise. Some would argue thise particular factors are better in Ireland but that's simply not true, it is however getting very close. Its great that the NHS is free but the waiting times are scandalous, it's only a matter of time before GP visits come with a cost, they should already imo but such is the inequality over here I know full well that some simply can't afford an unexpected £10/20

Jim_Hodge · 12-03-2023 12:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348387#Comment_120348387

A recent report had the headline

The poorest Irish have a standard of living almost 63% higher than the poorest in the UK…

kind of says it all really.

Graces7 · 12-03-2023 12:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120346431#Comment_120346431

I have ALWAYS gravitated to isolated places! From before teenage years even... Wilderness creature! Where I am now is perfection. Small offshore island with a handful of older folk... Nearest neighbour is five fields away...supply lines set up and working Ocean at back and front... Not been offisland except one hospital stay ( by Rescue 118 chopper) in years and no desire to change that. lol... I am in my element. And the internet is a sheer wonder..

Orkney was more populated but good practice. Ireland somehow is freer. Less red tape. I think sometimes about going back then ... No way... Life in even small towns in the UK can be so pressured and organised. And in the UK there really is nowhere that matches West coast Ireland. I was here in the 70s for a while. Freer than the UK although still so much rural poverty that I never saw in the UK.

yagan · 12-03-2023 1:03pm

We did a few years in the UK pre and post Brexit vote and you could feel the mood chill. We moved house just after the vote and when I went to register with my local NHS clinic I was told they wouldn't accept us because we weren't british citizens. I had to explain the whole legal situation of Irish citizens in the UK, then they switched their excuse to us not have family in the local area. It was a very high Leave vote area so we moved to a Remain vote area and had zero problems registering with a clinic, although trying to get a basic check up appointment was a long wait. I ended going back to my Irish GP and getting a walk in appointment.

I saw material poverty in some parts of north england that reminded me of ireland in the 70/80s. It just felt like the society was being asset stripped.

Edit to add, we got back to Ireland just before the pandemic and I would have been front line staff if I'd been there. Every single day I counted my blessings that we were home for that.

I remember listening to a local community radio station in Manchester one night and a man who'd immigrated from Pakistan in the 1950s was talking about all his grandkids were now going to Pakistan for better opportunities.

murpho999 · 12-03-2023 1:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347960#Comment_120347960

The social welfare bonus are no where near Irish levels and nor are the normal weekly benefits.

NHS is in total crisis and will only get worse due to Brexit as freedom of movement being eliminated is causing huge staff issues.

HSE is not perfect but also nowhere near as bad as media or posters on platforms such as this try to make out. I have had some family members with cancer issues over the last few years and their care was swift, caring, top class and free.

Many people also have health insurance too

Graces7 · 12-03-2023 2:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347267#Comment_120347267

Thank you for affirming what I was starting to see in the UK even just before the new millenium.... I was working at craft trading for funding for a very good cause when I was first here and as soon as that needed i stop due to health issues I came offshore! But even the thought of he overcrowded UK. I remember flying to Ireland and watching the shores of the UK vanish and certain i would never go back. "concreted over"! Yep... Ireland is far from Utopia but far easier than the UK

maninasia · 12-03-2023 3:12pm

Universal credit ....look up some videos of people on it, especially young people, and tell me that the Uk has a better social welfare system lol.

end of the road · 12-03-2023 5:06pm

the uk is being deliberately destroyed and stripped of everything by a spiteful, nasty, fascist entity who want to undo the progress that was made during tony blare's years in power which modernised and dragged it out from being the sick man of europe, something thatcher actually failed to do dispite claims otherwise as she kept it sick all be it in a different way.

they want to turn it into a fascist hostile state where everyone is the enemy of the people bar their cult fans and donors.

it's a great pitty really, especially as a minority forced this crap on the majority and all cause dem uns, and sovereignty and take back control, and all the other crap that they actually did have but the nasty party wouldn't use it.

i genuinely thought soonak, dispite me not being of his politics, might bring sanity to proceedings but boy was i wrong, very very wrong.

pandering to a tiny minority of nutters, malcontents and degenerates at the expence of the majority.

the thing is i honestly fear the nasty party will get back in again, and while it personally won't effect me as i don't and never would live there, it is still hard to watch a country being deliberately destroyed before our eyes all the same.

coolbeans · 12-03-2023 5:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347960#Comment_120347960

That's very unfair referring to the poster for being untrustworthy and biased just because they disagree with your very out of date experience.

Fwiw, I'd agree with them for the most part as there has been significant reductions in the standard of living there the last few years. The NHS is still free but try to get an appointment to see a GP.

indioblack · 12-03-2023 5:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348844#Comment_120348844

So true. The England I knew as a child, [and even 20 and 30 years ago], is gone. I live in a market town in the West Country and the volume of traffic, the housing estates, the sheer overcrowding - is depressing. I used to walk my dog through the fields at the back of my place, and from there along the canal towpath. I might not see a soul. My dog loved it. Now the canal is full of boats parked nose to tail. The towpath has so many people on it, it'a like walking in a file!

There's no pleasure in walking along a road with streams of traffic flying past. The congestion in the town from traffic makes me wonder why anyone would bother to visit the place.

The place is just plain overcrowded.

Graces7 · 13-03-2023 5:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349960#Comment_120349960

That was my assessment as every move I made was further and further from towns etc... And yes the exact same is happening here..

But there as here you can still find oases. It was getting harder and harder which is why I moved away. The only place further north was Shetland and that is suffering much the same ... rightmove tells the story well... I keep a close eye on my homeland rentals! But I remember when I was in Ireland for 18 months in the 70s was that what we call " civilisation" is portable in Ireland. Suddenly in the wildest place there was a luxury house.... Harder now as they have clamped down on "one off housing. " Rightly so.

I love both countries but without rose coloured glasses. And both have issues from overdevelopment.

Graces7 · 13-03-2023 5:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349637#Comment_120349637

Nah!

Graces7 · 13-03-2023 5:57am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349838#Comment_120349838

lol... I stand by all I said. His figures were totally skilfully selected and deliberately skewed pro Ireland anti UK .

Not having that! lol!

Nothing I wrote was out of date either..fresh as the morning dew! As for standard of living? Try reading up on life in the UK immediately post war. See how far it has progressed. At the cost of many things of course but that is what progress is and does. It costs.

I keep a very close eye on rentals etc in both countries.

NHS beats HSE hands down. Trust me on that. And read some of the threads in eg Long Term illness..... You are free of course to think as you wish.. But as an English person living here of course my view is different. So why cavil? Widen your horizons a little..

Basic living in Ireland is far more expensive than the same in England which is why benefits etc SEEM higher here. When they are not in real terms of what they can buy.. which was the point I made.

That is right and good.. Why do you not get that simple fact? Nothing amiss there. Do you not understand that simple arithmetic? It is not criticism just statistics and fact. Reality.

As for taking a long time to see a dr? Tis thee who are out of touch. With the situation in both countries.

Over and out from me on this.. Bless you!

Graces7 · 13-03-2023 6:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349960#Comment_120349960

I would never go back. I do look....carefully and closely. And watch many themes on youtube and eg the Can't Pay won't Pay and similar series that show the reality in a different way. But it is interesting to see these things. Objectively and dispassionately. Still have dear friends there too. But the past is past. The England we knew is gone forever. Far too little freedom now. As you rightly say

Thank you for this thread. It has given ciarity and peace. We are each and all different in experience so of course we see things very differently. Off to check rightmove! Oh and long term French rentals... The world an oyster... Have a lovely day...

coolbeans · 13-03-2023 10:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120351833#Comment_120351833

Ending a condescending diatribe of nonsense with 'bless you' does not make it any less nonsensical or condescending. You accused the poster in question of anti UK bias just for posting their contribution. You should watch that as it's not a way to disagree with someone honestly as it comes across as a low blow.

Btw I lived in uk for ten years coming back during covid. My data and experience is way more up to date than yours.

Antipathetic · 13-03-2023 12:11pm

For all those saying, the UK has changed negatively in some aspects recently I do agree with you however, I do try and remain hopeful that the UK will eventually improve in those negative aspects.

Then again us Irish can't throw too many stones considering the amount of problems that we are currently having at the moment.

Lastly, for those who mentioned customers are becoming increasingly aggressive and a tolerant towards staff in businesses and public services it is never acceptable. However, it feels like recently at least from my experience dealing with some companies that customer service has degraded since before the pandemic. I'm not sure why this is, perhaps there is a lack of staff or the staff they do have are demotivated due to low pay and increasing inflation.

But that's just my theory.

Slightly Kwackers · 13-03-2023 12:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120344797#Comment_120344797

Who decided who was the worse for drink?

I can imagine that being the subject of debate in itself.

I suppose private heath has certain advantages sometimes. The chance to make a profit out of a good drunken rumpus in the ER must be a big incentive for the health investors :-)

Like the commercialism of the ambulance chasers in the US, maybe if they put adverts for competing ER facilities in the local pubs, maybe with free pints instead of the peanuts :-)

Graces7 · 13-03-2023 1:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352582#Comment_120352582

Wise words. Thank you.

dxhound2005 · 13-03-2023 1:25pm

I fear they will have to remain in Ireland, if they are depending on hope to improve matters in England.

Graces7 · 13-03-2023 1:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352870#Comment_120352870

There are fewer and fewer places in the UK where you can live as you choose.

end of the road · 13-03-2023 5:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352582#Comment_120352582

to be fair, while we do indeed have issues, they are nothing compared to the current uk and even the uk of a few years ago.

the aim since 2010 has been to undo everything achieved between 1997 and 2010, ramping up hugely since the coalition between the nasty party aka the tory party and the liberal democrats ended.

BattleCorp · 13-03-2023 5:30pm

It's not a decision to be made lightly, either by the OP's parents or the OP themselves. The OP needs to ask an awful lot of questions in order to be able to weigh up the pros and cons of such a move. If I was the OP, I'd be asking the following:

Why do his parents want to go to the UK? Do the OP's parents think they'll be better off living in the UK?

Does the OP think they will be better off living in the UK?

Will the OPs parents need to be looked after? If they are elderly, will they need someone calling in every day to do odd jobs for them and to check on them?

The OP says his parents are thinking of going back to the UK? Are they from the UK originally or did they used to live there? Do they have somewhere to live if they go over there? I'm assuming they have a support network here, i.e. the OP, friends, colleagues etc. Would they have similar in the UK? It's not easy to move away from your support network when you start to get elderly.

The OP states that they are in a sh1t job here. Is it a low skilled job or is it a job that they just don't like? I wouldn't be going to the UK unless I had a skill that was very much in demand over there. The cost of living varies wildly in the UK depending on where you live. It can be cheaper but the wages aren't as good over there and, no matter what @Graces7 says, social welfare is better here than in the UK. The HSE and the NHS aren't a million miles apart either. Both appear to be rather chaotic at the moment.

While things can be sh1t here, they can be worse over there, especially if you are poor.

Coincidentally, while I was in my Mam's at lunchtime, she was on the phone to my Uncle who lives in Stevenage. I chatted to him for a couple of minutes and, with this thread in mind, asked him what things are like over there? Told him I had a friend thinking of moving over and would he recommend the place. He has lived there for over 50 years and he said the place is falling asunder and there's no way he'd recommend it. Absolutely not.

Just my 2 cents.

Graces7 · 14-03-2023 8:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354322#Comment_120354322

The two countries are DIFFERENT is all. That was and is my point/ In many ways you cannot compare them. I found that when I came here from the Uk. re benefits etc was and is " swings and roundabouts" .. some things are better, some are worse and coming here emphasised that difference. Moving country is a great adjustment. And re social welfare; it depends what area you are claiming in. My area of need is disability and the UK was/is streets ahead in some aspects but far from it in others. Ireland has done some catching up these last years but that was not the case when I came and in my area of need.

Graces7 · 14-03-2023 8:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352159#Comment_120352159

A diatribe that proves the truth of what I wrote. Thank you. For affirming my truths. Everyone here has had different experiences of both countries is all but unless you recognise that you will make false judgements of those who think differently, and that is what is happening here of course. We have all had different experiences.. and I for one would never ever return to the UK to live. Not for any reason.. Acid test . Watched the shores vanish from the plane window with a huge sigh of relief ... Rest easy in your assessment as I do in mine. There is room for both. Enjoy the UK!

coolbeans · 14-03-2023 6:05pm

I'll leave it.

hoodie6029 · 14-03-2023 6:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354180#Comment_120354180

‘The beatings are to continue until morale improves.’

Sardonicat · 15-03-2023 2:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120344797#Comment_120344797

There is no separate room in UHK (Tralee General Hospital)for drunk people. There never was. Ever. Complete and utter BS!

maninasia · 15-03-2023 2:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120354180#Comment_120354180

This statement is so generic. The Uk has far more housing availability than Ireland and has a lower cost of living. Ireland's renting situation is nothing short of horrific. Also wider variety of jobs by far. All depends on your individual setup.

end of the road · 15-03-2023 4:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120360171#Comment_120360171

those are only the case based on numbers.

in reality the wider availability of anything in the UK is wiped out by having multiples of the population of ireland and lack of investment to keep up with supply of anything.

as for a lower cost of living, in part yes but it also has low wages and has some of the most expensive bills in the world so it really does depend on the individual.

in short though looking at it objectively, ireland for all it's faults is just a safer bet because while the housing situation is crap at the moment along with a couple of other things, they are easily solved.

whereas the UK'S issues aren't because of years of underfunding of services, decades of underinvestment and decline of large areas and the huge possibility of a spiteful viscious government coming to power who will undo absolutely everything that a decent government might do to try and fix issues.

maninasia · 16-03-2023 1:26am

The housing sotuation is easily solved?Healthcare easily solved?

That's not true.

How do you easily solve the housing crisis in Dublin?

16-03-2023 2:03am

lived in Durham for 2 year’s, lovely place. Near Newcastle city, visited London a few times but would never wanna live there.

Cant see why anybody would go from here to there.

same **** weather

lower wages

traffic everywhere, very busy roads

Same type of ethnic minorities

ejmaztec · 16-03-2023 2:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120360145#Comment_120360145

Yes, I second that, I've witnessed the drunken shenanigans in the Tralee A&E. 😬

Count Dracula · 16-03-2023 2:09am

Op you will probably find somewhere suitable for you in the north of England? Lefties like yourself, who blame the gubbermint for everything about their own existence, tend to end up around there bitching and moaning about everything and going on the piss at lunchtime?

Most lefties end up living in cheap toilets like Macclesfield, Stoke, Rochdale or Stockport? These are essentially ghost towns which prospered in the industrial revolution and have managed to just about survive on state handouts ever since. Their town centres resemble something you might see in dystopian novels written by Angus Wilson, Evelyn Waugh or Anthony Burgess. I forget to mention Kips like Blackburn or Burnley, you might enjoy wasting your life complaining about successful achieving people there?

The north is full of high rise council estates full of bigoted English morons who have survived on state handouts initiated by Tony Blair and his cronies to buy themselves into Downing Street 20 years ago pretending they weren't capitalist Tories running the Labour party.

Let me know how you get on. I am a self centred git, not unlike much of the rest of the population of the UK, who would think of nothing to ignore you at the bus stop, call you a Paddy chunt down at your local, or even worse, smile to your face blandly every time they have the discomfort of unexpectedly meeting you under an awkward unforeseen circumstance they wished to christ had never happened?

Whatever you do, don't make the mistake of working you tits off for 5-10 years and making a small fortune and settling in Bournemouth, Exeter or Bath. That's where all the cool, attractive and friendly Brits live. You wouldn't like those, they never bitch about politics or complain about their lives for starters, they are to smart to and actually realise that no one listens anyways?

Good luck.

murpho999 · 16-03-2023 10:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364562#Comment_120364562

It is easily solved. Build more. Tax owners of dereliction. Tax empty houses. Tax people who own empty land waiting for it to be rezoned.

Have profits made from rezoned land go to councils who did the rezoning and not the owners who hoarded the land.

None of the above is difficult just requires the political will.

Also, heathcare in ireland is good, despite what many say. Capacity needs to be increased and it systems and organisation/management needs to be improved. All very doable.

16-03-2023 10:19am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364599#Comment_120364599

That’s Durham to be fair, you’re basically in Scotland. London weather is consistently far better than here, it’s not even close.

maninasia · 16-03-2023 10:38am

No. Healthcare in Ireland is terrible now, seen it and experienced it first hand, shortage of GPs, consultants, high fees, massive waiting lists, disastrous A&Es. Its shite. You can't even get a GP to see you in lots of places.

And housing shortfall is so bad it could take decades to catch up.

end of the road · 16-03-2023 3:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364599#Comment_120364599

the ethnic minorities are fine, non-issue, there are good and bad like any other group.

the rest i agree with though.

end of the road · 16-03-2023 3:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364602#Comment_120364602

to be fair it was maggie milk snatcher who created the sink estates, ghost towns and large, terminal decline of areas.

tony blare for all his faults knew it would be hard to fix the damage and realised that people would need support.

theteal · 16-03-2023 3:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364992#Comment_120364992

I was just going to call up on that. I've been in East London/West Essex for soon to be 12 years, it is notably warmer here than Dublin and I'm fairly sure there's less rain. Similarly when I lived in Dundee for a few years, that's notably colder than Dublin - wind coming in off the Tay in winter cuts right through you!

indioblack · 16-03-2023 4:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364602#Comment_120364602

An entertaining post. I live near Bath. Wouldn't describe myself as either cool or attractive - friendly, though. Nice of you to think of me as smart, [wish a few more here thought the same!].

You're right, though, to say we're too smart to complain as nobody listens.

Thelonious Monk · 16-03-2023 4:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120366358#Comment_120366358

Yep, London and the South East get a proper long summer, and they're getting hotter by the year

Considering moving to the UK?

Comments