Why do we put up with living in UK?

Question

I am a UK male in my early forties. I am not dissatisfied at 'my lot' as I am financially comfortable, own my own home and my not ill. However, excluding loyalties to the Country one was born in or friends and family, can anybody please tell me why we put up with living in the UK.

Taxes and duties are high (income tax, VAT, duty on petrol and alcohol etc, inheritance tax, even tax on the cost of flying out of the Country!)

We have put up with terrorism in one form or another for forty years

The cost of living etc is ridiculous with young people being unable to afford a house

Cost of running a car is astronomical (insurance for 18 year old for a small car £5k+, petrol £5 per gallon

Everywhere we drive there are traffic jams

If you are ill you cant get treatment as waiting list are long and getting longer

Crime rates are high, sentencing is weak (not enough prison places!)

Weather!

etc etc

Without telling me to 'stop moaning' can somebody please tell me why we stay in the UK.

Answer 1

the grass is not always greener on the other side been their done it , other countries seem perfect , because when we visit we are in holiday mode , if you lived elsewhere you would soon find faults with the place which you are in its "normal ", the uk isn't all that bad , take a step out of the box and count your blessings for having what you have , because in a blink of an eye it can be gone , and then you would have something to moan about xx

Answer 2

I am from the USA. Honestly, as bad as it seems, you will probably find the equivelant or worse in most other civilized countries.
We may only pay $3 per gallon for gas (£1.5) but there are plenty of other expenses. One hands about 20% of thier money to the government before we recieve our paycheck. Thats more than my church gets from me.
Then they take another 5-10% when we buy something for sales tax. If we try to earn interest with it, that is taxed.
We also dont have enough prisons to hold criminals, and they get off with parole more than they should.

I only tell you this, cause I am thinking about moving to the UK to get away from this garbage. lol

Answer 3

It is a very stable and safe place to live, crime is nothing in comparison to where i come from , Johannesburg, and believe me the UK is a very good country to live in, it has bad weather and can be dull and all of the above that you listed, but you can have a very nice life here if you work hard and take advantage of the great education and opportunities for everyone, anyone born in the UK is very lucky and is automatically given an advantage in life..a british passport,the most sought after citizenship along with usa

Answer 4

We stay here for the same reason that others from many nations clamour to come here, namely the attempt by our Government to create a just, moderate democracy with the added benefit of our long history, heritage and traditions. We are proudly British with strong traditions of fairness, justice and equality. Oh yes, there are some horrible injustices and some memorable ****-ups but all in all a place to bring up children in one of the world's great democracies. In our street, we have a working friendship going that takes in many nationalities, beliefs and classes but we all pull together and when needed, there is help there for everyone. We'd all like it better but that is what our democratic system is there for. If you want changes, you can lobby for them and no-one will put you in jail as is happening in Pakistan today.

Answer 5

Well its everywhere not just UK but I believe if we boycott those things which are dear to us and get some pressure groups to do some serious petitioning etc we can show them its because of us they are in business they would get idea and stop applying ridiculous mark ups to basic items and blaming everything on the cost of oil.

United we stand divided we fall

Answer 6

I'll tell you what someone once told me why he prefers living here than in the country he moved here from - the drug policy here is very lenient, especially for marijuana - unless you're caught with a huge amount on you, you will probs only get a tap on the hand from the police officer. If you're caught with something like cocaine or heroin, you don't get the death penalty like they do in South-east Asian countries, you'd probably just get a warning... and even if you get caught with a large amount, you may go to jail but the jails in England are far less violent and horrible than say, the ones in other countries like America. And drugs here are quite cheap... in short, England is a recreational-drug user's paradise. Plus the Brits themselves aren't really that uptight about drugs it seems - save the ones who are, which aren't that many. They seem to just close one eye and look the other way if they see something wrong going on in the streets. A girlfriend of mine nodded off to sleep whilst travelling home from work on the Tube one day in a carriage which wasn't full, in broad daylight. Someone just nicked her handbag from her like that, and all the people sitting next to her didn't even bat an eyelid (or at least, no one bothered to wake her or inform her about it). That's just very typical British behaviour these days. Yes it means criminals have a fairly easy ride in England these days, but in exchange for that, those who like using classed drugs don't mind the higher taxes, etc... Far easier for them to get hold of a dealer here for supplies and not get arrested for that. Honestly I find the "soft policing" in England quite rubbish at upholding the law on the streets, but many people don't seem to have a problem with it.

Answer 7

Because I can turn on a tap and drink the water.
Because I can walk less than 10 steps and be consumed by lush green grass and the most magnificent oaks.
Because I do not have to smell raw sewage anywhere in the land.
Because the hospitals are (although not perfect) there.
Because my family are here.

Answer 8

I love living in the UK. It is one of the greatest democracies in the world. We have freedom of speech, democratic elections, the minimum wage, help with fuel costs for older people, Family Credit, for low income families, a healthcare system that puts other countries to shame

There are plenty of opportunities in the UK. I am a working class woman who had the opportunity to study. I have 2 good degrees (and other qualifications) and I have a job that I love, working to support older people to live a good old age.

Answer 9

Hi....

Tell you what!!

Try going and living in Sudan for a week, you will be begging to come back to Britain!!!!

Its very easy to see all the negatives for living here, but try to pull out the positives!?
You might make yourself feel better too!!

I am quite happy here, I'm not rich, but i know things are 'much' worse in 'many' other parts of the World!!!

Answer 10

i know just where your coming from
all we do is complain about all the above
but then again there are a lot of people leaving
my brother being one of them he left for aus six months ago and now he's loving it just wish i could follow him
then again just why should we leave i would be rellay happy here if they sorted all the problems out
the only thing we should be complaining about is the weather as we cant change that