Living in Britain

By DickMoby, on August 25th, 2009

Review a country? Who am I kidding? This “review” is mainly for South Africans considering a relocation. That’s because I lived there for 27 years before returning to the U.K. at the end of 2007. The topic could easily merit an entire website itself, and of course there are many sites you can Google, but a few more personal observations may be helpful.

Firstly, let’s look at living costs. We all know they’re high compared to SA (compared to pretty much anywhere for that matter!), but you need to stop converting costs to Rands as quickly as possible, or you won’t sleep at night and will probably starve to death. So long as you’re not on a fixed and limited income, it will usually be enough to have a reasonable life. A major new cost will be energy – heating your home in winter. These costs have risen dramatically in the past year, though if you’re 60 or older you get an annual payment from the government of £200-£250 towards these costs. There’s also fairly healthy competition amongst many energy suppliers, and you can easily change to make savings.

Another cost which can easily be substantial is transport, so bear that in mind if you plan to live quite far from work. Petrol costs are higher than SA, and public transport is also expensive – though it is generally excellent, and you may not even need a car. Food costs are fairly steep, but again there’s lots of competition amongst the major supermarket chains, so good deals are available. But best forget throwing steaks on the braai (remember it’s a “barbecue” here). Talking terminology, your cellphone is a “mobile” – possibly logical, but a little obscure.

One cost that South Africans will appreciate is Broadband internet. And it’s not just cost – it’s choice of packages, high speeds, and often unlimited downloads – allowing you to watch TV or anything else online.

Overall, whatever costs you’re looking at, there’s good competition, and there are many price-comparison websites that can save you a fortune on anything from broadband to car insurance to holidays and air fares, etc. Don’t just walk into a store to buy furniture, electricals, or anything else – check online.

Next, housing costs. These vary dramatically from one part of the country to another, with the south-east of England generally being most expensive. The credit crunch/recession has reduced prices a lot in the past year, though obtaining a mortgage is still difficult. But you’ll still find prices “ridiculous”, and standards lower than SA. But guess what? No burglar bars and security systems! And remember something that many people overlook, or don’t fully appreciate: lower interest rates means you’re paying off the capital cost of your home much quicker.

Now to education. Here I’m in difficult territory, as my family are married themselves. But quality of education seems to vary a lot over the country, with many couples choosing a home in an area with “good” schools. It’s a sensitive subject, with many schools insisting on local residence, so I can only advise that you check more deeply if this is important to you.

Next, climate. You know already that it’s a whole new ballgame from SA! But – perhaps surprisingly for a small country – temperatures can vary a lot from Scotland to England, as can rainfall and other conditions. For example, average temperatures in Central Scotland are generally 4-5 degrees lower than Southern England. But often, choosing the latter will result in higher house costs and congested roads, so like many things it’s down to trade-offs and personal preference.

Thus far, I haven’t mentioned job opportunities and salaries. These are clearly of huge importance to most people, but in the midst of global recession it’s dangerous territory. I guess I should restrict my remarks to saying that in normal circumstances there’s a massive range of opportunities, but moving to the U.K. “on spec” at this time could be highly risky. Personally, I’d recommend an “interview trip” initially, after hopefully setting up a few via online recruitment sites. As to salaries, these vary enormously like anywhere else, but the U.K. has some very high earners, and like I said at the beginning, converting anything to Rands is not a good idea.

So, anything good about living in Britain? For sure, there’s the NHS health system, so you don’t have to pay high contributions to medical aid schemes, but know you’ll be taken care of if things go wrong. That can be particularly important in later life. And the social security system goes far beyond the NHS: this is a country that will not leave you homeless or starving, for example; I’d describe it as a caring society. The government is non-corrupt, and accountable – they appreciate that they work for us, and not vice versa. Employment and other policies are not hamstrung by such things as BEE.

A major reason for many people leaving SA is crime, so a few comments on that is appropriate. I guess most people will have already researched this if it’s important to them, but let’s start by saying that guns are illegal in the U.K., and only the most extreme criminals have them. Hi-jacking is unknown, and murder rates are a tiny fraction of those in SA. As I mentioned before, you don’t need burglar bars and security systems, as house-breakings are not a major problem. The U.K.’s major crime problem relates to drunkenness, street fights and knife attacks, but generally it’s not too hard to avoid that. One reason for the reduced crime levels is the attitude of society and the police services – serious crimes are frequently solved in days – rather than NEVER.

So that’s my quick summary. I’d only add that if you’re considering re-locating here, I believe it takes up to 3 years to adjust. You may accomplish it sooner, but that’s a good rule of thumb.

City: Helensburgh

Country: Scotland