Would you like to continue your education in the UK? This article takes a look at the advantages and disadvantages of living in the UK that you would better know before making your decision.
The UK has one of the strong economies in the world; the immigration attraction rate is high. Łince the Industrial Revolution, the UK has been one of the leading industrial and developed countries in the world. The country has a worldwide reputation for the healthcare system and holds some of the oldest universities and schools.
What is it like living in the UK?
Itās been a while since Brexit, and the advantages and disadvantages might be a bit unclear yet. But in case you have made up your mind, the UK has lots of opportunities that Brexit is not a big deal. But some believe that the drawbacks are more than the advantages and the UK is not a good place to live. Well, how do you define good?
England is among the most beautiful countries in the world. There is a reason it attracts thousands of immigrants each year. There are deep jungles, woods, spectacular beeches that are amazing for every tourist. The sky is almost always cloudy, but itās not that big issue, the opportunity hunters.
You can enjoy the four-season in the UK and pleasant sunny weather in spring and summer. On the other hand, having a closet of warm clothes is a must for snowy and windy winters around Christmas has become people’s lifestyle. A change in weather patterns is a hot issue for people talking on the bus stations and filling their coffees.
You can see the most beautiful villages in Cornwall, Cotswold, Yorkshire, Cumbria all around the UK. Enjoying a cup of tea is a fun activity that provides you with all the pleasure you need that is when you can understand why the British enjoy it as the most popular of their habits.
It might have been around these cafes that K.K Rowling, Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Jane Austin, Virginia Wolf, and so many other writers got inspired to write their masterpieces.
Not only literature but also entertainment is one of the fields that the UK is highly active in it. The UK holds the oldest news channel in the world. Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, the Office the magnificent documentaries such as Planet Earth and Blue Planet are worldwide famous.
Historical tourist attractions? Yes, the country has seen Vikings, Romans, and Anglo-Saxon, and each one of them left its footprint in the country.
Diversity and beauty are combined in one piece of land. The attractions scattered across all the country are at their peak in York, Salisbury, Cheltenham, and Chester. You can visit most of the Uk tourist attractions on a two-day trip, and you wonāt have to travel hundreds or even thousands of miles away like the US, Canada, and Australia. You have a two-hour ride from London to the beach city of Brighton UK or with a half an hour ride get to Devon, the capital of whales, with amazing weather.
The UK is a multicultural and diverse country. If you are into food and want to try something new, you have plenty of options in the UK. What type of restaurant do you want; Italian, Chinese, Indian, Persian, Caribbean, Asian? Everything you want is available in the UK. Cafes serve great coffee and drinks that you can rest at the end of the day from a tiring day at work.
You are animal lovers and like keeping pets? The Uk is your option as it is a good country for having pets and taking care of animals. The lifestyle of having a pet is better than in other EU countries, and there are special considerations regarding it. Parks cares, restaurants, buses, and trains allow pets and dogs to enter for free.
You might have had some trouble with immigrants, but there have been improvements that make it a perfect destination for them. The UK is one of the leading countries in recognizing the rights of LGBTs that other countries have taken it their role model.
The advantages of living in the UK
There are 68 million people living in the UK, and 56 million live in England, which is higher than Scotland, Ireland, and Whales. The benefits of living in the UK are as follows:
Access to (almost) free healthcare
One of the leading advantages of living in the UK is its National Health Service (NHS). It dates back to 1948 and consists of two-part free and paid. A few other foreign countries have taken the health care system and implemented a domestic model for their country.
The first part is free for everyone and covers most of the expenses, even dental costs. The second part is paid and covers insurance with paying a small fee. The NHS has been criticized a bit that will be explained in the next section.
Access to free education
In case you are immigrating to the Uk with your family and children, the free education service of the country is ideal for your children. In case your child is fluent in English at some level, it would be perfect because he/she can study in one of the great schools in the country. The following interactions schools are so famous that it is every parent dream so their children can study in:
- London International School
- Halcyon London International School
- Dwight international school
- Hill House School
Art, sport, and culture
London, Liverpool, and manchester are the venue for some of the famous international events. Some of the most famous art festivals and concerts are held in the UK. You can hardly find a nation stricter in football than the British. Not only England, but the whole Uk are fanatics about football. Some people think that Scotland bot England was the birthplace of football.
Cultural diversity and immigration-friendly
Cultural shock, cultural conflict, and not being able to adapt yourself to the new country are some of the disadvantages of an immigration destiny. The UK has welcomed people of different cultures and backgrounds, and itās been going on. Moving to the Uk and especially large cities such as London, there is no isolation and loneliness. Due to the large groups of immigrants, you can socialize with them and put up the new world better than other countries.
Close to the European countries
How far to the nearest European country? Only 30 kilometers. Thanks to the always crowded airports and the Channel Tunnel, also referred to as the Chunnel, from the Uk to the North of France, you can easily get to Europe. One of the many benefits of living in the UK is easy to access the EU that even international students can afford it.
A very welcome to highly skilled workers and experts
You might have heard that the Uk immigration officials are strict over issuing a visa, but that is not the case. If you are a skilled worker and have the required skill set, moving to the country can not be much of a problem. Despite the fact that the UK is not a large country, the economy is huge and is always interested in attracting skilled workers and experts.
Strict rules in supporting workforce
There are two scenarios in terms of moving to a new country. First, you have enough money to cover your expenses and have no worries over employment and finding a job. Second, you are either an international student, worker, or employee and have worries over employment and job offer. The second is not the case for the UK. There are supporting rules for employees and workers, and employers can not violate employeesā rights. Working legally for five years in the country, you can apply for permanent residency.
Holiday for the workers
Eerie workers in the Uk have the right to have 28 days off from work. Combined with the national holidays, itās the perfect opportunity to have a trip and enjoy your time. There are 8 national holidays that get known as Bank Holidays which means even banks are closed. The national holidays are a bit longer in some EU countries, which can be counted as a disadvantage.
Reasonably priced quality produces
Agriculture and horticulture are strong in the UK, and it provides reasonably priced quality fruit and vegetables from production to consumption. Immigrants can have no worries over buying high-quality food even in small countries, and the opportunity is available in such places. There are some companies in the UK that receive fresh produce from the farms and deliver them to people in their palace of residence.
The disadvantages of living in the UK
Besides many advantages and good points, there are some drawbacks of living in the UK, and it is true for every country you wish to move to. The followings are some of the drawbacks of living in the UK, but it is up to you how to face and accept them.
Strong healthcare but a bit slow
We mentioned the National Health System of the UK as one of its advantages. However, some of the immigrants indicate that it is a bit slow, as the Canadian health system. It might take weeks or months to take turns for free services. So it is recommended for people who have a particular health problem to spend money and consider private health care coverages.
Quality of education
There are different talks over the quality of the UK education system. To conclude, you can say it is good, but you need to know that the quality of education is not the same in all schools. There are thousands of applicants for top schools, and the local students are a priority. It is recommended to the immigrants that pay close attention to finding a school for their children and check the quality and background of the school.
Gray sky and dark clouds
The British people regret having a sunny warm day, and itās a drawback for some immigrants. The country has a pleasant summer and spring, but it often rains and gets a bit cool. If you do not like the rainy and cloudy sky and are used to warm and sunny climates, you might find it difficult putting up the weather of the UK. The climate of the Uk is so unpredictable that it might rain on a sunny day without even one cloud in the sky.
Not much of a choice food option
Food choice is a personal option, but some of the immigrants complain that the Uk does not have a varied and delicious range of food, unlike France, Spain, and Italy. You can not find other food options except fish and chips (French Fries) and the English breakfast. However, the trend is changing thanks to the restaurants in large cities.
Brexit and visa challenge
Brexit has had its effects on the UK visa and immigration rules. The shortage of fields, lack of skilled workers, which is good for immigrants, and the entrance rules to the EU are some of the rising problems after the Brexit. The British complain about moving to Europe and getting back to the country. The British see that there is no easy going in and out of the European countries, and there are delays behind the borders. They might say a few bad words to people who voted āYesā for Brexit.
The highly competitive employment market
The employment opportunities support the employees, but employment is not that easy in the UK, and it is highly competitive. There are large companies and industries that monitor the job market and try to hire the best high-quality employees. It requires high levels of skill and experience to get hired by one of the mentioned countries, and you must be one of the best.
The expensive London
Living expenses in the North of the UK are less expensive than in London, but the income is highly low in such areas, so people prefer to stay close to London. A full-time worker or employee gets 25% higher for the same position in the North of the country, but the living costs are high.
Elegant but extravagant houses
The high housing price in the UK that is higher than in the US is one of the drawbacks of living in this country. According to the average prices, it costs you 178.000 pounds to buy accommodation in the UK while it is 178.000 pounds in the US. This is while the average income is 30.000 pounds, so it is not that easy to buy accommodation.
Introvert people and lifestyle
The British culture is more of an introvert people, and they are not eager to start a talk with every stranger. It might not be that easy for immigrants and interactional students to find a friend. It is not always the case, and you might have less challenge finding a friend in large cities due to the higher number of foreign people. It is different in small cities, and it is not that easy to find a friend. You like football and are friendly-outgoing, you have less problem finding a friend.
A better work-life balance
We mentioned the holidays and the off days in the UK, but it is higher in other countries. For instance, the French have 30 days off, which is compulsory, and 11 national holidays and the total number for the Swedish is 41 days. The British believe that work-life balance and the time to relax and have fun is decreasing in the UK, particularly in large cities like London. The situation is better in Italy, France, and the Scandinavian countries, and there is no palace for working on the weekends in their countries.
Delays and costly trains
Compared with Germany and Italy, the train system in the UK is one of the disadvantages in terms of quality and cost. The price of a train ticket is high. If you fly to Barcelona from London, it is cheaper than a train ticket from London to Peak District National Park. Due to heavy rain and repairs, delays have become normal for people.
Pets and renting
It might be hard for tenants who keep a pet because landlords are a bit fussy. They have become strict on people who keep a pet, and it could be a bit hard for pet lovers to get a house in the country.