Why do People Immigrate out of the UK?

Boston is ridiculously expensive,take my word for ,I live here ,I know. For years its had the distinction of being the 2nd most expensive place in the country only to San Francisco and its all due to the high-tech industry. I grew up in Cambridge (almost in Harvard's back yard) and whatever Harvard, M.I.T, or Radcliffe does'nt own by this point would still cost $400,000 and up, and even then we're talking an 800 sq. foot condo. Prices in surrounding communities depending on how far youre willing to commute are somewhat less. The further youre willing to commute, the more bang you'll get for your buck. Lovely town, lots to do, great culture and night-life but EXPENSIVE. If ya can make the kinda money that supports that kinda lifestyle then Massachussetts is a great place to live.

Hopefully, we could...but if we couldn't, then we'd have to think about somewhere else to live.  I don't want my standard of living to be WORSE than it is here!

Ya want a lovely, inexpensve New England state right on the coast ...........Rhode Island!.................come to think of it.......do we HAVE any members from Rhode Island?

Ya want a lovely, inexpensve New England state right on the coast ...........Rhode Island!.................come to think of it.......do we HAVE any members from Rhode Island?

Yeah, Rhode Island is nice, but I've only been there once...briefly...in 1989.  I don't really know much about it but if anyone's from there, tell me all about it!

I know you can get the commuter train from Boston in one hour to Providence. Hubs took me down there in April. Nice city!

Well, I can think of LOTS of reasons.....

1. massive increase in street crime, not just murder - I read in the largest selling national newspaper that the crime rate average across the UK has TRIPLED in the last 10 years.

2. lack of police officers to address crime increase.

3. court system that fails to put the real criminals in jail for any serious sentence (murder carries a 'life' sentence which is 12 years, yet US say 25 is 'life' and have 'natural life').

4. HUGE rate of tax (25%) on £40,000 or below - this is one of the reasons why the colonists left England hundreds of years ago 'unfair taxation'.

5. a failing NHS, which is overburdened and underfunded - and cheated by MILLIONS of illegal immigrants, so much so they are now having to think of ways to TRY stop all the fraud.

6. a goverment which cares nothing for the opinions of the 'majority' and a system which votes in a Prime Minister who nominates his 'cabinet' AFTER he is elected. Lack of any kind of control over the government.

7. a MASSIVE overflow of assylum seekers (MOST bogus) and illegal immigrants and a government which is doing very little to reduce the numbers.

8. an economy which is heading for a rise in interest rates, which will in turn cause a huge recession - thanks primarily to GORDON BROWN and his poor accounting skills.

9. a general attitude amongst the law makers that flying the Union Jack (the British NATIONAL flag) is racist, so therefore has been banned in most places around the BRITISH country.

10. The fact that the police can not protect you and you can not protect yourself without going to jail.

11. the fact that the UK allow people like Abu Hamza (I think this is his name) the evil hook-handed cleric in East London to incite attack of the government, the murder of her soldiers and then when they FINALLY start the process to strip him of his illegally gained British citizenship, he is allowed to fight the Home Office's ruling with tax payer's money (estimated cost 1.2 million) - even though he is a MILLIONAIRE.

12. the fact that there is no stigma attached in this country to being on 'benefit' (i.e. the woman on wife swap who didnt work, nor her husband, kept churning out babies, 6 going on 7 and made £64000 a year + their housing) - there are so many cheating the system yet the government does NOTHING to stop these people.  This is a country where the few support the many and it gets worse evry year.

13. at system which takes 60% of any inhertence you receive from your family and 40% Capital Gains if you make any money on stocks or real estate (in a bid to try to better your life for yourself & your family with wise investment and smart savings & financial risk taking).

14. a overburdened school system, which often sees 38+ children in classrooms and teachers that are barely living above the poverty line.

15. a system which has taken away almost all tax relief for hard working, law abiding, tax payers.  A system which means that many are better off on 'benefit' then they are with full time jobs.

The list goes on and on. The whole country has really been going down hill for the past 5 or 6 years and I think it is going to get a LOT worse before it gets better. :'(

At least in the US, if you work hard you can get ahead, here you work too hard and they will raise your taxes.  I am so glad to be getting out before the really bad times hit - we are trying to sell our properties quick, before they introduce the new tax on selling a house (the one thing left that you did not have to pay tax on).

I just could never get over the   unfairness of the whole system and the huge failures in services - at least in the US I felt like I mattered and that working hard was getting me ahead and that there were plenty of opportunities out there if I was willing to work hard. There are MANY things that I will miss about London, but not enough to make me want to stay and I have lived here in London for 12, almost 13 years .

It of course all boils down to the person and I imagine where you come from and where you are going.  There are many, I am sure, Americans who love it here and would NEVER want to go back to the US.  Like I said it is such a subjective question  .

It of course all boils down to the person and I imagine where you come from and where you are going.  There are many, I am sure, Americans who love it here and would NEVER want to go back to the US.  Like I said it is such a subjective question  .

I'm one of those - never plan on living in the US again.  Not enough money in the world...

Boy Rosey...you don't like those immigrants huh?  Where are you planning on living in the USA that won't have that same problem?

Or people abusing the welfare system?

Or strange injustices in the legal system...

Or tons of kids in a classroom...

Or people dying of staph infections in US hospitals (or any number of infections they get IN the hospital)...

Or gun violence. . .

Or people getting light sentences...(case in point is the case of Druv Sjodin where her murderer is a 3 time sexual offender that just got out of jail.)

I know you said it was all subjective and you are entitled to your opinion and right to live where you feel best.

It's just that I see those same abuses you mention here in the USA and in many other nations I have lived in.

Being a child of an immigrant I guess maybe to me this is a bit more personal.

I don't think there should be 'stigma' attached to being on benefit. Just cos some people abuse the system, it doesn't mean people in genuine need should be treated like lepers..

The tax rate in the UK is 22% not 25%. Actually taxes here are comparable to the US except we get the NHS, in the US if you can't afford health insurance you're on your own and if you get ill you may have to declare yourself bankrupt and lose your home.

There are millions of illegal immigrants in the US, that's why they want the country to be officially bi-lingual english/spanish. No signs in any other language but english here (except in Wales of course).

I'm actually quite proud that people who visit Britain and get ill can get medical treatment without being asked for money first. Now if people come here specifically for medical treatment, it is only right that that is stopped. But you know, it happens in the US too. Lots of illegals get medicare treatment.

Quote -Well, I can think of LOTS of reasons.....

1. massive increase in street crime, not just murder - I read in the largest selling national newspaper that the crime rate average across the UK has TRIPLED in the last 10 years.

- You believe the newspapers

2. lack of police officers to address crime increase.

 
This applies to every country.

3. court system that fails to put the real criminals in jail for any serious sentence (murder carries a 'life' sentence which is 12 years, yet US say 25 is 'life' and have 'natural life').


- MMMMMM seems like you havent been taking notice of sentencing etc in the US

4. HUGE rate of tax (25%) on £40,000 or below - this is one of the reasons why the colonists left England hundreds of years ago 'unfair taxation'.
 

- Well if you want all the things in life like Free NHS service, a pension, free education etc etc then you have to pay for them somehow.

5. a failing NHS, which is overburdened and underfunded - and cheated by MILLIONS of illegal immigrants, so much so they are now having to think of ways to TRY stop all the fraud.


  - Would you rather deprive anyone of medical treatment.   Believe me i wouldnt having had a bill for over $800 for treatment in an emergency room. - something that wouldnt happen in UK.

6. a goverment which cares nothing for the opinions of the 'majority' and a system which votes in a Prime Minister who nominates his 'cabinet' AFTER he is elected. Lack of any kind of control over the government.


 - Our system of government has been running for a little while longer than in the US, so please dont tell us how to run our country.

7. a MASSIVE overflow of assylum seekers (MOST bogus) and illegal immigrants and a government which is doing very little to reduce the numbers.


 -  I suppose this doesnt happen in the US (get real)

8. an economy which is heading for a rise in interest rates, which will in turn cause a huge recession - thanks primarily to GORDON BROWN and his poor accounting skills.


- Well at least it may be because of some mistakes and not by some fraud by governers of states etc.


9. a general attitude amongst the law makers that flying the Union Jack (the British NATIONAL flag) is racist, so therefore has been banned in most places around the BRITISH country.


 - and that doesnt happen in the US again - what about this in the court over the God thing?


10. The fact that the police can not protect you and you can not protect yourself without going to jail.


  -  Not true - get your facts right.


11. the fact that the UK allow people like Abu Hamza (I think this is his name) the evil hook-handed cleric in East London to incite attack of the government, the murder of her soldiers and then when they FINALLY start the process to strip him of his illegally gained British citizenship, he is allowed to fight the Home Office's ruling with tax payer's money (estimated cost 1.2 million) - even though he is a MILLIONAIRE.


 - We have freedom of speech that is seen not just percieved.


12. the fact that there is no stigma attached in this country to being on 'benefit' (i.e. the woman on wife swap who didnt work, nor her husband, kept churning out babies, 6 going on 7 and made £64000 a year + their housing) - there are so many cheating the system yet the government does NOTHING to stop these people.  This is a country where the few support the many and it gets worse evry year.


 - there are people who abuse any system but there should and isnt any stigma to anyone who has to be on welfare - its their right.


13. at system which takes 60% of any inhertence you receive from your family and 40% Capital Gains if you make any money on stocks or real estate (in a bid to try to better your life for yourself & your family with wise investment and smart savings & financial risk taking).


  - Just the same in the USA.


14. a overburdened school system, which often sees 38+ children in classrooms and teachers that are barely living above the poverty line.


- Lol maybe you ought to look at the American school system.   Its far worse


15. a system which has taken away almost all tax relief for hard working, law abiding, tax payers.  A system which means that many are better off on 'benefit' then they are with full time jobs.

 - thats not the way its supposed to work but like everything its open to abuse.


The list goes on and on. The whole country has really been going down hill for the past 5 or 6 years and I think it is going to get a LOT worse before it gets better.  

  - If its that bad why are you there??

At least in the US, if you work hard you can get ahead, here you work too hard and they will raise your taxes.  I am so glad to be getting out before the really bad times hit - we are trying to sell our properties quick, before they introduce the new tax on selling a house (the one thing left that you did not have to pay tax on).


- Thats called spreading the load evenly - if you earn 100 pounds a week and i earn 2000 pounds a week would you think it fair if i were to pay the same tax as you - no way.


I just could never get over the   unfairness of the whole system and the huge failures in services - at least in the US I felt like I mattered and that working hard was getting me ahead and that there were plenty of opportunities out there if I was willing to work hard. There are MANY things that I will miss about London, but not enough to make me want to stay and I have lived here in London for 12, almost 13 years .


- Nope your right in one way in the USA you dont matter unless you have money or connections.


It of course all boils down to the person and I imagine where you come from and where you are going.  There are many, I am sure, Americans who love it here and would NEVER want to go back to the US.  Like I said it is such a subjective question  .


Like someone said its your opinions but it sounds like you have never liked anything. its about time you really looked at everything in the US that you thinks so fine.    You will also see flaws there and its just a case of its always greener in the fields your not in


   Why not go to live in somewhere like India then you would know about hard luck, hard work, no money and no help.

Rosy, I don't want to get into an argument...you raise some good points.

Unfortunately, you've just described my thoughts about the US government.  I guess things are tough all over, huh?

And btw...the President or President-elect also does not nominate or appoint his cabinet until after he is elected.

And - the colonists left England because of religious persecution.  The "taxation without representation" came later, AFTER they'd settled in the Colonies and were being taxed by the government but had no say in how it was run or how it affected them.  Hence, the American Revolution.

And if you want to talk about "taxation without representation" - I'm less than thrilled about what the US government (no matter who was president) has been doing with the tax dollars I've been paying since I started working at 17.  And exercising my right to vote doesn't seem to have changed that situation much...