Moving from Texas to the UK in October

Hi everyone.

My parents have lived in the UK for a bit over 10 years, and I'm about to move there to be closer to them and help out with my dad, who's 92. They live in Lincoln. I'll be staying with them for a few months while I settle on exactly where to live. I'd prefer Scotland, but I'd like to be reasonably close to them, so that's a bit of a quandry, especially after all this Brexit stuff.

I've appreciated your posts before, but didn't actually sign up until now, because I'm rather confused at this point how Brexit will affect me. I've moved up my timetable to October so that I can both avoid whatever stupidity is going to happen when Trump does or doesn't get elected, and so that I can get into the UK before Brexit fully takes effect.

I should probably post this next somewhere else, but am not really sure where as yet, so I'll ask here:

I've read a lot about what the rules are (or are changing into) for expats and British citizens living in EU countries, but it's hard to find what's relevant to me, as I'm a dual citizen (US and British), but I've never lived in Britain. I've visited, but never tried to work. My main concern is if and in what I'll be able to work, as well as what better places to live (within the UK) might be, due to my glaring American-ness. I'm also a lesbian and an artist, so I'm wondering where that might be more OK, with more resources available, what with the fair amount of xenophobia going on.

Though I've done a great deal of research, any information would be helpful.

Thanks,

Painter

Welcome to the forum, and all the best for your move .

I live in Lincoln too (though I'm a UK citizen only) .

Hi Painter, welcome!

I think it's fabulous that you are going to be able to spend time with your parents especially dad at 92.
I agree that staying close to them makes the most sense.

As a citizen planning to live in the UK, Brexit won't affect you any more or less than any other UK resident UKC.  You will be able to take any job or set up as self employed even.

Best of luck with your move.

Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but Brighton sounds like where you want to live.  You can't swing a stick without hitting a lesbian artist! (And I mean that in the nicest possible way).   The beach is fun and there's a lovely vibe.  You'll be wonderfully insulated from the small mindedness that Brexit exposed.  It's a bit far from Lincoln, 4 hours according to Google but you've got to be happy as well.

Don't worry about anti American sentiment, for every 1 cold shoulder or snide remark there's 100 people that want to know where you are from and let me tell you about my holiday. 

Hiya... much nearer to Lincoln than Brighton, you might want to look at Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, which has at various times been called the 'lesbian capital of the UK', and has got a fairly artsy/music-y kind of scene going last I heard.

Good luck with your plans!

Hebden Bridge

I am a bit nervous about this sort of talk, but had to look up Hebden Bridge. Found a BBC article titled Why is Hebden Bridge the Lesbian Capital? The article starts off as usual with national statistics but then turns a bit Truman Capote halfway in:

"The approach to Hebden Bridge by train is what you'd expect of any other Yorkshire town at this time of year. Stunning hills punctuated by leafless trees glistening in the winter sun. Yorkstone houses with smoke billowing out of their chimneys. Old bridges crossing trickling streams.

But there are signs that something is slightly different...."

Good lord.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16962898

I am a bit nervous about this sort of talk

What 'sort of talk'?   

I don't feel qualified to make recommendations on areas which may be gay friendly. I mean for instance, here in Cambridge, there is a pretty active community, but I don"t know that it could be considered a hotspot.

That's ok, you don't need to be 'qualified' to make a potentially helpful suggestion.  Or else we'd ALL be in trouble!

I would second Brighton as a great place to be LGBT as a LGBT person myself.  It is often said to be the San Francisco of the UK for its strong LGBT community.  If I wasn't particular with work and not wanting to do the commute to London from there again even without the current train disruptions, I would head back to Brighton myself.  Most of the UK's  larger cities have a decent LGBT scene so you have quite a few options to pick from so it might be worth if you haven't done so visiting a few of them to see where you would prefer to live.