Why does everyone living the UK hate it?

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VariationLiving4963@reddit

I used to love it here. Then 2020 happened.

It’s swings and roundabouts tbh.

The Food is absolutely beautiful. Best food I’ve ever had and I’ve tried a lot of different places.

The weather is absolutely terrible 10 months of the year.

The People often moan or are unhappy a lot. Most people don’t even come out unless it’s for football and even that’s been less and less.

Prices for houses are ridiculous and overpriced. Travel costs are ridiculous and overpriced.

The wages are absolute trash. Work the same job in the US and get paid 3x the amount.

Holidays are good. Lots of time off and a general relaxed nature to work which is really nice.

Humour is again one of the best in the world. We have a lot to complain about so we often produce the best comedy shows and stand ups.

The countryside is beautiful and very accessible. No paying for staring at a view.

Surprisingly technology is really good here in the uk. Although most don’t use it there are plenty of new technologies here in the UK.

Can be very peaceful, sometimes too peaceful. Generally if you want space you will get plenty of it in the uk. People don’t hit you up much or come and check up on you unless you’re old or injured.

I like the way cars and pedestrians are set up in the uk. In the US you are second class to the cars. However in the UK you have the right to walk as a pedestrian wherever you want. You can cross whenever you want and the cars have to yield to you.

The traffic can be a nightmare sometimes but in herbal there is far less traffic in the uk. Outside of London most street’s are relatively quiet and you can get from Scotland to the south of England in like 12 hours.

Chippy’s and kebab shops are the backbone of the country. A good old kebab after a night out with mates is one of life’s greatest joys.

Sport in the uk sucks compared to US. If you’re into football it’s amazing to live in the UK. However if you’re into like basically any other sport good luck trying to find anywhere to play it lol.

Gyms cost arm and a leg unless you go pure gym. Even then you have to share with loads of people and it’s just overall far worse gym culture than the US.

Coca Cola and other soft drinks taste way better here tho. Most food and drinks still constant real sugar so it tastes far better. However I don’t like this new trend up putting sweetener in everything. I really wish we get rid of that trend as sweetener tastes disgusting and has ruined a good few of my favourite drinks. (Like Blue Pepsi. Was one of my favourites until they added the dreaded sweeteners).

That’s all I can think of tbh. If I had to rate the Uk I would give it two ratings. One for pre 2020 and one for after 2020.

Start of civilisation - 2019 UK = 10/10

(Absolutely Perfect)

March 2020 - 2025 UK = 5/10

(Very Mid)

Peace brothers 🤙

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Nice-Ad-5744@reddit

I think it's obvious why people hate it here It's not a age thing I'm 27 have a full time job people are leaving the country employer's can't retain people anymore nhs failing a broken benefit's system.

Housing is also poorly built and outdated depressing if you ask me.

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RavDP@reddit

It’s a horrible country. High crime, absolutely awful public services, culturally nobody cares about community, cost of living + high taxation, a “drag me down” mindset, zero innovation or growth, and the pillars of education and healthcare are declining so fast they’ll be bottom 50 in the world in the next 5 years.

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Careless-Recording52@reddit

Honestly if you've ever lived outside of the UK u will understand how shit this country is.

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Celena133@reddit

Things I hate: Cost of living is insane. Quality of what you get for what you pay is terrible, particularly in housing. Weather is incredibly miserable. Difficult to socialise and consistently meet your friends. Underfunded NHS means a crappy health system. I’ve seen an increase in rubbish in the streets and in crime in the last four years. This again is probably related to cuts. Maybe things will start getting better now.

Things I love: multicultural, excellent restaurants from all over the world, loads of activities for children (if you have family or thinking of having one in the future), good working conditions, people are generally very non judgemental and very nice (my husband is British and I tend to really like brits).

I’ve been here for 12 years and I do want to move away. I’ve lived in three countries and the UK is not for me, despite the things I certainly enjoy that I will miss. My suggestions is, if you are young, come and try it. See it for yourself.

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Dull_Cut_8431@reddit

I moved to the UK in 2018 and everyone told me the same before moving. After graduation I got a good job and things were going well in London but due to some family emergency, I had to return back to India.

Number 1: British people have a big self-depreciating humor. Even if everything is going good, they'll find some reason to complain.

Number 2: it's a social media trend to hate the UK.

Number 3: most people in India who advise you to not come don't even have an ounce of knowledge what is happening in the UK. Some guy told me that I can easily earn 50 lakhs as an entry level software engineer in India so why move to the UK? I told him if that's the case, then why even move to the US, then he told me that US is good, UK is bad, it was literally this. Some people tell me that current inflation in the India is very low and in the UK it's very high, some guy told me that Indin inflation is 1-2% and UK inflation is 15-20% 😂. I told him official figures that Indian inflation is 6-7% and UK inflation is 2-2.5%.

Yes living in the UK has its own problems but it's definitely worth it if you have/develop the right required skills and make good connections and a big network with people, at least for me.

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suchweirdmuchadorbs@reddit (OP)

This is very helpful! Thank you! 🙏🏼

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Opposite-Scheme-8804@reddit

I genuinely wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Lived in US, Italy and Thailand here.

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Ok-Media-1597@reddit

Serious question but how on earth are you enjoying the UK more than Thailand ?

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Pargula_@reddit

What makes you prefer the UK over those other countries?

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CheesyLala@reddit

In my experience those people who bang on how terrible the UK is have never actually lived anywhere else.

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Opposite-Scheme-8804@reddit

100%. We've had a rough few years (probably longer) but the UK is genuinely an incredible place to live. And it is significantly better to be poor in the uk than to be poor 95% of the countries around the world.

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Mushroomc0wz@reddit

Everyone’s saying “we don’t” but the vast majority of us do and I don’t know anyone in real life who actually enjoys living here

I live in wales and we can’t even afford to stay in our own country because tourists keep retiring here or buying second homes which has caused a major housing crisis. My Irish, Scottish and Cornish friends have said the same thing.

I am extremely grateful for the NHS but it’s insanely strained and I’ve nearly died multiple times which has left me suffering life long effects because of the amount of under funding and waiting lists. I am not the only one in this position.

The weather affects my mental health really badly with seasonal affective disorder. The cost of living crisis puts me on the edge of homelessness (have been homeless multiple times) very often.

I do not want to live here

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CPH3000@reddit

I've just looked at your post history and you seem to love complaining about anything and everything.

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Mushroomc0wz@reddit

That’s what Reddit is for

Some of us aren’t miserable in real life

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CPH3000@reddit

I agree some of us aren't miserable in real life but you do a great impression online of pretending your real life is awful!

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Mushroomc0wz@reddit

Or maybe I just take my frustrations out on an anonymous account because it’s healthier than taking them out in real life lmao

My real life is awful sometimes. Especially in the context of me being homeless because of second home owners and housing crisis for young people as mentioned in my comment.

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CPH3000@reddit

It isn't healthy and I don't believe you were laughing your ass off whilst writing that.

You sound really troubled so I won't keep responding.

Have a great weekend. Don't spend it all on Reddit.

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Ok-Customer-5770@reddit

The dissonance is incredible, its like a spouse defending their abusive partner. "I really love him, even though he keeps trying to kill me". The NHS really is a religion to some people.

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Mushroomc0wz@reddit

Yeah the only reason people in the comments are desperately defending the issues with our country is because an outsider has criticised it and they feel weirdly attacked

If a British person made this post people wouldn’t be so defensive

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Ok-Customer-5770@reddit

“Mum hasn’t washed her again and I think she is putting on weight” Vs “Your mum is fat and has greasy hair”

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KowakianDonkeyWizard@reddit

This is perhaps the most stupid analogy I've come across today.

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CPH3000@reddit

The issues you have are with the government. Governments are not the country.

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suchweirdmuchadorbs@reddit (OP)

Thank you for your honest input.

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Tulikettuja@reddit

Choose a country with a high salary, lots of respect for doctors and a good standard of living. Don't choose a country with very low salaries, a less than functional healthcare system, no respect for doctors and a standard of living that will barely scrape beyond a 1 bed flat above a shop.

You have so many options. Here you've just got disrespect, stress and so little money you'll be on the poverty borderline. Pick somewhere with decent doctor salaries.

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suchweirdmuchadorbs@reddit (OP)

Where do you live now?

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cagesound@reddit

Because they've never been to 90 percent of the rest of the world and seen what a hard life actually is.

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oblongunreal@reddit

We don't all hate it... but the salary to housing cost ratio can suck the joy out of life.

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the_dancing_spinach@reddit

As someone who works for the NHS, the junior and starting doctors have it quite rough. The pay is not enough. It’s even worse for the locals because of all the university fees they had to payback which cost thousands of pounds. You have to at least reach the registrar level to feel the difference, and that will take a few years. If you are single and have no other mouths to feed, you can still live in a junior doctor’s salary. But if you are, you have to reconsider especially if you are starting from scratch.

You can look up the news about Junior Doctors doing strikes; what are their reasons and how a lot of them are leaving the workforce.

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the_dancing_spinach@reddit

I forgot to mention, the junior doctors recently had a strike from 27th of June to 2nd of July. Every few months they announce strikes hoping the government would do something about the current disparity regarding a junior doctor’s pay.

To be honest, I like living here in the UK. I do have to work a lot of extra shifts to make sure I have more than enough every month. I’m not even a doctor myself. I’m a nurse, but I honestly feel like the junior doctors have it harder than us.

There you have it. Honest opinion from someone who knows what it’s like inside the NHS.

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suchweirdmuchadorbs@reddit (OP)

Thank you so much for your comment. I was waiting for this. ❤️ I have heard the same from others working for the NHS.

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the_dancing_spinach@reddit

I saw a lot of comments here saying it’s not that bad. It’s not, really. Especially if you are working in another profession that rewards with good salary. Unfortunately, if your goal is the NHS, it’s an entirely different thing. It has been left in tatters for many years, and the whole institution is barely breathing after the pandemic.

Unless you are a senior consultant, then you will have to work for many more years to reach good financial stability. And even then, since it’s on the high tax bracket, a big chunk of your salary will be taxed anyway.

For context, I am dating a registrar from another trust. I am on the top nurse band 5 scale. Since I work a lot of night shifts and weekends, I have enhancements that help my salary. If I compare my monthly pay with his, he gets only around £400 more each month despite his annual salary being £20K higher than mine. All because of tax.

If you really want to work for the NHS, I commend you. I feel the same way because I’ve only ever known what it’s like to look after people and be a nurse. But you really have to weigh in the pros and cons and if you are ready to leave everything behind to start anew in another country where the public sector has been left out for so long.

Good luck, and I hope you find your calling. 😊

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drewbs86@reddit

I think there could be a few reasons.

For one, a lot of Brits are self-deprecating by nature.

It might be the fear of coming across as arrogant, or to disassociate ourselves from our Empire past, or a safe way to make humour without offending anyone.

But it also comes out in other areas.

I think there is an expectation that things could be better here, that stems from an idea that things are better elsewhere and we should have that too.

It is true that certain things are better in other countries, but conditions are different in other countries.

It's also easy to think that 'better' countries don't have their issues too, because we don't face them everyday in the news media reporting.

As expected, each country's news focuses on it's own issues the most.

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money2502@reddit

1 - full of people with no British values 2- we care more about overseas issues than what’s happening in our local areas 3- wasting cash left right and centre 4- lack of good policing

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smellyfeet25@reddit

I love the UK . JUST the weather that is shit

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welly_wrangler@reddit

Do we? Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

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suchweirdmuchadorbs@reddit (OP)

I didn’t get these reviews from the internet. These are people I’ve had a conversation with (either friends or relatives). Their main reasoning is that, the savings are minimal and the cost of everything is sky high.

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Remarkable-Echo6391@reddit

I mean that is true. The trouble is, the price of things have gone up exponentially in quite a short space of time and wages haven’t. So that’s why everyone is moaning. Rent and house prices have shot up too. Where were you thinking of going?

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suchweirdmuchadorbs@reddit (OP)

Haven’t got a place in mind yet. I’m good with the suburbs as well. Do not need London to be my home.

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Remote-Ad-411@reddit

Move to North Wales then, the NHS is struggling most places but in North Wales at least the houses are cheap, and the country side is the most beautiful in the uk

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Mushroomc0wz@reddit

No they are not

We spent 20 years in a mouldy two bed flat that’s £800 a month and it’s the cheapest non council property in that town

Gorgeous country

Zero cheap housing

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Ronsona@reddit

Suburbs? ah you mean America then?

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Remarkable-Echo6391@reddit

Good shout. Cost of living will be cheaper up north and surrounding suburbs, but even then it’s not cheap. That said being a doctor, you’re not at the bottom of the salary range so you’ll be ok.

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CriDuck@reddit

Where is the cost of living very low?

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Few_Run_4351@reddit

Depending on the weather 🌦️

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amyisunited@reddit

We’ve all got seasonal affective disorder, that’s all

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No-Computer-2847@reddit

Don’t listen to people on Reddit. Joyless misanthropes.

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BppnfvbanyOnxre@reddit

We don't hate it. We or at least I know it was better in the past could have been improved then and could be improved now. Moaning about the weather is a national pastime and you can ignore that.

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another_online_idiot@reddit

I love the UK, have always loved the UK and would never want to live anywhere else. The negative voices are often the extremely loud minority.

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Pargula_@reddit

What are the things that you live the most about it?

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another_online_idiot@reddit

The countryside, the weather and the variety of people.

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RandomHigh@reddit

Yep.

Think of it like a customer service job where you get feedback from random people.

Virtually everyone who gives you feedback will give negative feedback. Because those that are content with things rarely feel the need to go out of their way to say it.

So negativity becomes over representative of things because people are far more likely to give feedback when they want to complain about something.

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LittleSadRufus@reddit

Yes indeed. I'm very happy here. If I wasn't, why the fuck would I still be here?

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windol1@reddit

I don't hate the UK, just the majority of the inhabitants here, just seems to be so few with any common sense.

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NotDavid-Jatt@reddit

We don't all hate it. It just there's some very miserable people online who hate everything.

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EvilTaffyapple@reddit

NOOOOOO

WE ALL HATE IT! THE INTERNET REPRESENTS THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE OF BRITAIN!! NO CRITICAL THINKING ALLOWED!!!

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Game@reddit

Oi, stop with the reasonable and realistic answers. You're not allowed. It makes us all sad and angry.

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Sea-Still5427@reddit

We don't, but if you're the credulous type you'd best stay at home because you're going to struggle with our national characteristic of irony.

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suchweirdmuchadorbs@reddit (OP)

Well said.

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Sea-Still5427@reddit

And, of course, complaining, which is another one!

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monxmarx@reddit

Depends who you talk to and what is the topic of conversation. I absolutely love so many aspects about living in the UK - communities, love for animals, humour, history, countryside.. However I remember living somewhere horrible and none of the above applied on a day to day basis and made me miserable.

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pencilrain99@reddit

I love it here

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defylife@reddit

It's just people moaning. Mostly those who've never lived abroad. Having lived in over 5 different countries, including some of those the moaners say are better, I can comfortably say, the UK isn't bad at all, and has a number of things going for it.

The problem is, there are many 'low hanging fruit' ways it could be better, but then that's true of many countries.

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suchweirdmuchadorbs@reddit (OP)

Thank you for your input!

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morecbt@reddit

I don’t hate it all. Same as London is not shit, but you would think so from reading Reddit everyday.

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mythic_hypercurve@reddit

It really depends on what you like and where you’re be in the UK. I like being cosy and wearing layers and drinking hot beverages so it suits me. This summer we’re not even really having a summer but if the weather is rubbish it just means I can eat more soup or crochet another cardigan or blanket. A lot of it is mindset dependent. Some people will hate life wherever they are. Sometimes when it rains you have to put on a coat and go out anyway. Those days you might see a rainbow or find a pub with a great seasonal pie and IPA and it’s all worth it. Life is what you make of it my friend.

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XBumheadX@reddit

Can we stop with the bullshit ‘everyone’!? What you mean to say is that in your personal experience with the small group around you. This does not reflect the entire nation.

Are some people unhappy? Sure. Cost of living for the average person is a problem, local services have been slashed and the general standard of living has declined.

However, there is still a lot to like about living here so maybe just take it easy on the click bait doom and gloom classic Reddit approach and take a look around.

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UnicornStar1988@reddit

Love the UK, it’s my home and heritage.

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Expert-Sir-4328@reddit

They don’t. There , that was an easy one.

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No-Cable-7088@reddit

Most people have a habit of referring to their local area and schools as shiteholes. Force of habit for some reason here.

Am from glasgow, lovely place to be.

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JocastaH-B@reddit

I agree! Everywhere I've moved to the locals ask 'why did you move here, it's a shithole?' Every single time, and they're not shitholes, even Slough was fine, I miss the Indian sweet shops a lot.

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DangerShart@reddit

I don't hate living here I just know how much harder it is to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle than it was for my parent's generation.

My household income is multiple times the average and while I don't struggle, that's only because I live a pretty modest lifestyle. People in my situation 30 years ago were able to afford frivolous things, like having children.

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Unusual_residue@reddit

Yawn

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ukbot-nicolabot@reddit

OP or a mod has marked this comment as unhelpful. We expect our users to provide sincere and genuine answers to questions. Comments which contain no value or relevance to the question being asked are likely to be removed.

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DavidRellim@reddit

It's telling that most people are going "no, it's fine" and the one HNS worker is not.

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StickySteev_@reddit

I think it’s just a British thing, we don’t really hate it in fact we’re very proud and love our country. It’s just that we as British people love to moan.

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CPH3000@reddit

If anybody says they hate living in the UK they usually mean they hate their life, and that's usually because of the terrible life choices they make for themselves.

The UK has its problems but is not inherently out to make any single person's life miserable.

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scarydan365@reddit

We don’t. I love it here.

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Past_Actuary_4077@reddit

It's cultural. British people are self-deprecating. I am British and currently living in USA. The Americans culturally big up their country and eachother. In Britain it's frowned upon in the main, we are encouraged to play ourselves down.

Especially in England there is a big thing about "English arrogance" around the country shouting about itself that America doesn't suffer. England "controls" Wales, Scotland and N.Ireland so the English are encouraged to downplay England and big up the other nations. This doesn't apply in some sport which is the rare time you will see England autonomously cheering for itself, and this causes serious venom from the other home nations (see "anyone but England".

In short, our culture is to downplay things. Our history demands we act humble. We admit to our issues and keep quiet about what we do well.

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SnooApples2720@reddit

They don’t, but it’s usually people who have never lived anywhere else that have no clue what they’re on about.

Of course there are some countries which do offer similar or, in some ways better conditions.

But for most of us who have lived in other countries, you don’t know how good it actually is until you’ve left.

I mean I’ve gone to restaurants and been told they won’t serve us because my kids and I are foreigners — even though my kids aren’t as their mother is a native.

In what developed countries is this behavior remotely acceptable?

It’s really a matter of people’s lives being quite good, and that which is bad sticks out like a sore thumb.

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IndoorCloudFormation@reddit

I'm a doctor in the UK

Hahahahahaha....mate, it's shit here. We're all running away. Wait 6 months and you'll realise your mistake.

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CheesyLala@reddit

Sounds like what you're saying is it's shit being a Doctor here rather than the entire country is shit.

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Valuable-Wallaby-167@reddit

As the OP wants to be a Dr here that's hardly irrelevant.

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CheesyLala@reddit

Sure, but the headline question was "Why does everyone living in the UK hate it?"

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IndoorCloudFormation@reddit

Oh, yes very much so.

I quite like the UK in general, given it's the country I was born and raised in.

But if you're moving for work then you're experience will be completely linked to that work. And at the moment being a doctor in the UK is shit. And despite how much I like the UK and all my family are here, being a doctor in the NHS is so shit I'm probably gonna leave.

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suchweirdmuchadorbs@reddit (OP)

Tell me why?

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IndoorCloudFormation@reddit

Read through the doctorsUK subreddit

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KindRoc@reddit

Stay where you are then. Your family sound like they should go back to India too if they hate it here so much. We could use the housing they are taking up. Seriously what are you looking for here?

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RattyHandwriting@reddit

I don’t think we do, but we do have a dry and self-deprecating sense of humour which perhaps can come across as a genuine dislike of our country sometimes. I know I’ve replied “really? why? is it the rain? fog?” to people saying they want to come and settle in the UK but that doesn’t mean I actually hate it here.

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xParesh@reddit

What makes you think everyone in the UK hates it?

I hope you are a more informed with your medical practice than you are of your UK opinions.

No one is here to 'sell' life in the UK to you. Come to the UK if you want to, dont come if you're not sure.

I'm sure India, the country that trained you, also has people who need your skills.

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suchweirdmuchadorbs@reddit (OP)

I don’t expect any country to “sell life” to me. I know that every country demands hardwork and connections to make life better. I’m just expecting a decent wage to work ratio.

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