Chuckanut
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Most likely, the OP meant it was inexpensive compared to visiting the UK a few years ago when it took about $1.40 to buy a pound-sterling.
UK a great place for Americans to retire.....if you can get in
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Most likely, the OP meant it was inexpensive compared to visiting the UK a few years ago when it took about $1.40 to buy a pound-sterling.
Lsbcal
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Are you remembering this nostalgically? The weather report today for London is 42F high and 29F low. The 10 day forecast shows low to mid 40's highs most days. But it does get up to 50F further out ... with rain.
I admit I am just looking at this from a Mediterranean climate perspective. It's at least 10F lower then where we live.
Caveat: I really like the UK, admire the people and culture, and am a bit of an Anglophile. Just not crazy about the weather.
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nun
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Yes, and also comparing the cost of living in the North East of England to New England.
The fall in the pound to around $1.20 makes UK stuff cheaper.....as an example the Christmas checks for my grand nieces and nephews were larger this year.
"Winter is coming".....
I've never driven an automatic in the snow before so that is going to be interesting. We bought an automatic last May as DW has driven a stick shift since leaving in 1987 and didn't want to have to re-learn to drive a stick shift as well as driving on the left.
In 1984 I was working on a project in London and we had some hot weather for several weeks. I'd get the train down (3 hours back then to the center of London from where we lived ) and spend 2 or 3 nights in a small hotel, no A/C. I'd spend the nights laid on the bed with covers off wearing only shorts as it was hot & humid. Window open meant lots of noise as the traffic never seemed to take a break. It was so refreshing to get back "up north".
Of course during the winter I'll have to get used to the snow coming in horizontally off the North Sea when the north winds blow but it nevers get cold like it does in northern US States, the Gulf Stream ensures that.
ShokWaveRider
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Remember once you are a resident you get healthcare too. I am a British Citizen as well as Canadian and the USA. (My friends call me "OO" LOL.) I am considering the Cornish Coast as an Option. DW and I have been Marries for 30 years so I am sure I can get her in. She is Canadian and USA from a Citizenship perspective.
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nun
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Length of marriage won't make any difference to whether you get a spousal visa. How much money you have and your income will. Also your spouse will have to pay the NHS surcharge of 200 pounds a year.
We love the Cornish coast, fantastic coastal path just about the entire length of it. We spent 2 weeks there in 2013 staying at a vacation apartment on the southern end of Fistral Beach. Glorious weather the whole time, we got the train down and managed without a car easily except one weekend when we hired a car to drive to some of the more less accessible spots like Tintagel Castle. and Saint Michael's Mount.
Lsbcal
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This reminded me of a TV show DW and I viewed by the BBC: The Secret Life of a Cat. All these university types and helpers descended on a village and followed cats around with GPS collars and lots of gear. They studied about 50 cats. They even had an incident room somewhat like the detectives on those shows.
Here is a nice synopsis on this: BBC News - Secret life of the cat: What do our feline companions get up to?
The link includes some fun clicks about various cats in the village. Also includes videos (cats wore cameras).
Here is the info on one cat in the village:
We watched that at the time and thought it was excellent.
I believe it's only as long as the spouse would be on a visa, and is required only when applying for a visa. Once the spouse has ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) there is no surcharge. It takes two visa cycles to obtain ILR (2 x 30 months, or 5 years total).
Anyone resident in the UK presently is about to embark on the longest roller coaster ride, 2+ years, of their life.
Yesterday (?) £ was at $1.20. Now it's almost $1.24.
The PM gave a speech this morning; no more Brexit means Brexit, but now Out means Out. Out of the single market and Out of the Customs Union. The upwards movement in the Pound Sterling was surprising to many, and seems to indicate that the currency exchanges, like most markets, favour certainty. A Hard Brexit was always assumed to cause the £ to continually devalue. Of course, the ride is a long ways from being over.
Hey ho, interesting times.
Yesterday (?) £ was at $1.20. Now it's almost $1.24.
The PM gave a speech this morning; no more Brexit means Brexit, but now Out means Out. Out of the single market and Out of the Customs Union. The upwards movement in the Pound Sterling was surprising to many, and seems to indicate that the currency exchanges, like most markets, favour certainty. A Hard Brexit was always assumed to cause the £ to continually devalue. Of course, the ride is a long ways from being over.
Hey ho, interesting times.
ShokWaveRider
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200 Pounds per Year is peanuts compared to the $1700 PM, which is what we would pay if the ACA subsidies are repealed.
Nemo2
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Watched her speech, thought she was excellent.......not easy to address a variety of opposing factions and give each of them the vague impression that they're getting the nod while the others are getting modestly hustled. Very well done.
daylatedollarshort
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One of our extended relatives in the U.K. National Health Service just had a house call from a doctor. We were amazed at that. I've never had a doctor here in the U.S. my entire life that made house calls. There's no potential for medical bankruptcies as far as I know in the U.K. and long term care seems to be about half the cost of the U.S.
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Major Tom
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Heh - I can relate to that, being the proud and happy Dad to 3 cats. I used to have an alternate plan for retirement, which involved living for a few months at a time in various different places, and seeking out medium term rentals, to keep the cost of accommodation affordable. I thought it would be a great way to live, for at least a few years, before settling back down again.We love visiting the UK so much that we could cheerfully spend several months there every year. I'd do it now but the problem is the damn cat. DW can't bear to be away from it for more than a week or two.
Then, in short order, I met and fell for, 3 kitties. You're lucky you can get away for a week - I don't like being away from mine for more than a day. Now my alternate travel plan in retirement is living with the furry gals in an RV
It's a Band F property, so for Guisborough that's max. £2,465 Council Tax per year. (Council Tax being property tax for those in US.)
http://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/...043DDB9/$File/Council Tax charges 2016-17.pdf
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daylatedollarshort
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Heh - I can relate to that, being the proud and happy Dad to 3 cats. I used to have an alternate plan for retirement, which involved living for a few months at a time in various different places, and seeking out medium term rentals, to keep the cost of accommodation affordable. I thought it would be a great way to live, for at least a few years, before settling back down again.
Then, in short order, I met and fell for, 3 kitties. You're lucky you can get away for a week - I don't like being away from mine for more than a day. Now my alternate travel plan in retirement is living with the furry gals in an RV
One interesting thing I've noted with family in the E.U. with RVs is they can and do travel around to other countries. I don't know if they take their pets but I guess they could. We also have a pet we don't like to leave for too long.
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nun
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The NHS is having big issues right now with costs, funding and resources. However, the care my mum received a couple of years ago was fantastic. She had a low level diabetes that was controlled with tablets and diet. When I was home I noticed she had a small ulcer on her foot......very bad for a diabetic. I called the doctor's office and told the receptionist. the doctor put us on his rounds and he was there with the district nurse early afternoon. He looked at the ulcer, told my mum to call if she got any more cuts that weren't healing and left the nurse to dress the ulcer. She came round for a two weeks to dress my mum's foot and make sure it healed
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nun
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Yep a decade of low growth and currency uncertainty.
Here is an example of one issue.
I have a friend in the UK who does cancer research and is funded by EU grants. Those are now frozen and replacement money can't be found. Several researchers are moving to the US or EU where current funding is available. The UK Government has done nothing to replace scientific grants that have been lost because of BREXIT. My friend has a husband and two kids and is quietly looking for a new job, but the drug companies where she's applying aren't anxious to hire given the uncertainty......she's worried.
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nun
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The property I linked to is actually in North Yorkshire, Scarborough Borough Council and the F band rate is £2398 (~$3000). But I'm single and there is a 25% discount for that so I'd pay £1800 ($2250).
Council tax - North Yorkshire County Council
However, theOAP, it will be a while before I qualify for the free bus pass and have to worry about its value for US tax purposes ;-)
Well, what do I know, anything North of Brum is the out back. Nice countryside, though.
I was a bit mean with my comment. The property value for council tax purposes based on the listed price, today, is Band F. It's been nearly 25 years since I bought or sold a property, but I believe the tax band would probably be the band put on the property circa 20 years ago. I would be surprised if the occupants of the property you linked to are paying more than in the area of £1,000 today. (Which is why I said Max. amount.)
Yep, or more than likely considerably less than that. The increase in Stamp Duty on the purchase of a property has become another area to be aware of.
I understand your comment about the scientific/academic side. It's a worry and is being talked about, but I don't know what is actually being done to save the situation. There's many research facilities in the UK for all types of industries.
The 'Passporting' problem for the City is the one issue the PM sort of avoided discussing in her speech.
Someone from the States or EU relocating to the UK today with mainly US or EU sourced income will be making out like a bandit (as Alan well knows). It's assumed inflation will be much higher in the coming months. It's up from 1.2% in Nov. to 1.6% in Dec. with petrol rising 10%. But the increased value of US/EU source income is offsetting the inflation, and then some.
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nun
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The academic side of research has become heavily dependent on EU grants. Of course the UK pays in and the EU distributes that money, but the uncertainty in annual budgets and visas is making a lot of talented people think that the UK is not the place to be doing research. It's a crying shame........literally, my friend has cried about this.
