Immigrating to the UK

[killerbyte]

Young driver. 21 this year. Car isn’t that special either.

Then again mine isn’t - it’s a 8 year old Seat Leon worth about £6k. But I have had my license a long time.

And here I was thinking of buying my Mrs a Alfa Romeo Stelvio when she needs a car (we need a weekend car that I can drive more comfortably on long distance drives), but I am thinking that I insure it under my name and register has as the second driver. She will be 23 when we get it and I know thats going to hurt in terms of insurance. I am hoping that being a married woman will help reduce her risk.

 

[Priapus]

And here I was thinking of buying my Mrs a Alfa Romeo Stelvio when she needs a car (we need a weekend car that I can drive more comfortably on long distance drives), but I am thinking that I insure it under my name and register has as the second driver. She will be 23 when we get it and I know thats going to hurt in terms of insurance. I am hoping that being a married woman will help reduce her risk.

Good luck. Add her on to your cover.

My insurance was £1400 a year - as soon as I got UK license - that came down to around 600. So get her license swapped out as soon as you can.

 

[killerbyte]

Good luck. Add her on to your cover.

My insurance was £1400 a year - as soon as I got UK license - that came down to around 600. So get her license swapped out as soon as you can.

My insurance on my little 2011 Corsa D didnt change after I got my UK drivers.

 

[6spdmanual]

Apologies for hijacking. Any truth to this? Keen to hear from those that side.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1851339601941581991

“
I know tons of South Africans that emigrated to the UK since Covid started for a “better life”.

They put a brave face on it but without exception not a single one of them, not one family, is by any objective measure living a “better life”.

They are all far more miserable than they were here, and just about the only benefit they have is the odd cheap weekend somewhere on the med.

They can barely afford heating after paying ridiculous prices for accommodation, have to wait days to see a GP, their kids have to carry decoy cell phones because they get mugged so often, can’t drive anywhere without getting massive fines for ridiculous reasons - plus congestion fees, and working in a corporate is more like being in school than working as an autonomous adult.

It sounds like hell, but as they will tell you at least they don’t have to worry about getting hijacked (while their kids are getting spiked in nightclubs and some yobs are hacking out the headlights of their car in the street outside).”

 

[Messugga]

Well, buying a house in the UK is the pits. After 7 months, I've told them I'm pulling out of the deal. It went from no chain to a chain of 7, at the last minute. My mortgage offer and its extension expired with no end in sight and the seller's solicitors simply not responding to anyone for days on end. Took that as a sign to move on. Strangely, the property is still showing as sold STC, so I wouldn't be entirely surprised if they had multiple buyers lined up here. Unethical bunch of wankers.

 

[Messugga]

Apologies for hijacking. Any truth to this? Keen to hear from those that side.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1851339601941581991

It's better here than SA, for me. I'm earning well and am enjoying the country. I've not had much chance to travel over the last couple of years, with post-grad studies, a divorce, etc. But all in all, things are pretty damn good and I'm significantly less stressed than I was over there.
That being said, SA does have its perks that I miss, but I won't be going back if I can help it.

 

[6spdmanual]

It's better here than SA, for me. I'm earning well and am enjoying the country. I've not had much chance to travel over the last couple of years, with post-grad studies, a divorce, etc. But all in all, things are pretty damn good and I'm significantly less stressed than I was over there.
That being said, SA does have its perks that I miss, but I won't be going back if I can help it.

If you don’t mind me asking - what was your reason for leaving? Work opportunity? Or just general reason to leave SA?

 

[Priapus]

Apologies for hijacking. Any truth to this? Keen to hear from those that side.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1851339601941581991

“
I know tons of South Africans that emigrated to the UK since Covid started for a “better life”.

They put a brave face on it but without exception not a single one of them, not one family, is by any objective measure living a “better life”.

They are all far more miserable than they were here, and just about the only benefit they have is the odd cheap weekend somewhere on the med.

They can barely afford heating after paying ridiculous prices for accommodation, have to wait days to see a GP, their kids have to carry decoy cell phones because they get mugged so often, can’t drive anywhere without getting massive fines for ridiculous reasons - plus congestion fees, and working in a corporate is more like being in school than working as an autonomous adult.

It sounds like hell, but as they will tell you at least they don’t have to worry about getting hijacked (while their kids are getting spiked in nightclubs and some yobs are hacking out the headlights of their car in the street outside).”

Utter nonsense. All of it. Just nonsense.

 

[prod]

Apologies for hijacking. Any truth to this? Keen to hear from those that side.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1851339601941581991

“
I know tons of South Africans that emigrated to the UK since Covid started for a “better life”.

They put a brave face on it but without exception not a single one of them, not one family, is by any objective measure living a “better life”.

They are all far more miserable than they were here, and just about the only benefit they have is the odd cheap weekend somewhere on the med.

They can barely afford heating after paying ridiculous prices for accommodation, have to wait days to see a GP, their kids have to carry decoy cell phones because they get mugged so often, can’t drive anywhere without getting massive fines for ridiculous reasons - plus congestion fees, and working in a corporate is more like being in school than working as an autonomous adult.

It sounds like hell, but as they will tell you at least they don’t have to worry about getting hijacked (while their kids are getting spiked in nightclubs and some yobs are hacking out the headlights of their car in the street outside).”

Sounds like the MyBB experts on here, I wonder what his username is?

 

[6spdmanual]

Utter nonsense. All of it. Just nonsense.

So all of it is a lie?

 

[Messugga]

If you don’t mind me asking - what was your reason for leaving? Work opportunity? Or just general reason to leave SA?

I didn't see a future for myself in SA. Every year it felt like I was falling behind the rest of the world and that didn't sit right with me. I had an opportunity to move and did an internal transfer with my employer at the time. About a year later I was headhunted by a large US tech company and the rest is history.

 

[Sinbad]

Apologies for hijacking. Any truth to this? Keen to hear from those that side.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1851339601941581991

“
I know tons of South Africans that emigrated to the UK since Covid started for a “better life”.

They put a brave face on it but without exception not a single one of them, not one family, is by any objective measure living a “better life”.

They are all far more miserable than they were here, and just about the only benefit they have is the odd cheap weekend somewhere on the med.

They can barely afford heating after paying ridiculous prices for accommodation, have to wait days to see a GP, their kids have to carry decoy cell phones because they get mugged so often, can’t drive anywhere without getting massive fines for ridiculous reasons - plus congestion fees, and working in a corporate is more like being in school than working as an autonomous adult.

It sounds like hell, but as they will tell you at least they don’t have to worry about getting hijacked (while their kids are getting spiked in nightclubs and some yobs are hacking out the headlights of their car in the street outside).”

Is pretty much all rubbish. Sounds perhaps like this person only knows people living in the shittier areas of London.

Yes, the NHS is in a bad state. Maybe labour can turn it around - they have a history of improving the NHS where the tories have a history of making it worse.
But, there's still private health cover. I can get a private GP appointment in minutes to hours for a remote consult. Haven't needed an in person consult.



"their kids have to carry decoy cell phones because they get mugged so often, can’t drive anywhere without getting massive fines for ridiculous reasons - plus congestion fees, and working in a corporate is more like being in school than working as an autonomous adult."
This bears specific mention - even if they're getting mugged every day, in SA they'd be stabbed or shot for that same phone.
Massive fines for ridiculous reasons? Weird, in my cumulative 9 years of living in the UK I have received 1 (one) traffic fine - for parking on a double yellow line. It was £50. Massive? Nope. Ridiculous? Nope. Try obeying the ****ing rules, you're living in a civilised country now.
Congestion fees - yup, London. London != UK. The life experience/quality there is completely different.
Corporate more like being in school? Bollocks.
This all sounds like some entitled twat whining because they can't do "whatever they like" regardless, like they could in SA, because there are boundaries, rules and structure here.

 

[Tman*]

Apologies for hijacking. Any truth to this? Keen to hear from those that side.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1851339601941581991

“
I know tons of South Africans that emigrated to the UK since Covid started for a “better life”.

They put a brave face on it but without exception not a single one of them, not one family, is by any objective measure living a “better life”.

They are all far more miserable than they were here, and just about the only benefit they have is the odd cheap weekend somewhere on the med.

They can barely afford heating after paying ridiculous prices for accommodation, have to wait days to see a GP, their kids have to carry decoy cell phones because they get mugged so often, can’t drive anywhere without getting massive fines for ridiculous reasons - plus congestion fees, and working in a corporate is more like being in school than working as an autonomous adult.

It sounds like hell, but as they will tell you at least they don’t have to worry about getting hijacked (while their kids are getting spiked in nightclubs and some yobs are hacking out the headlights of their car in the street outside).”

"without exception not a single one of them, not one family, is by any objective measure living a “better life”.

Who made this Karen the spokesperson for all Saffas?

If its so horrible, why do Saffas keep flocking to the UK and other countries?

Rather than listening to a facebook post of a single disgruntled person, look at the actions of thousands of people that move world wide and make a success out of it.

Having lived in the UK for 2 years plus I can tell you what type of person should NOT move:

1. if you have no professional qualifications and experience. And you assume King Charles is going to welcome you with open arms, simply because you were born with a British passport.
2. If you dont have a job lined up with career & salary progression - you are not going to have fun working minimum wage at the Checkers.
3. If you are moving from SA with the intention to rely more on state services in any way shape or form.

The above implies for anyone wanting to leave SA to ANY country, not just the UK.

 

[Priapus]

So all of it is a lie?

Pretty much all of it, yes.

 

[Paul Kemp]

Apologies for hijacking. Any truth to this? Keen to hear from those that side.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1851339601941581991

“
I know tons of South Africans that emigrated to the UK since Covid started for a “better life”.

They put a brave face on it but without exception not a single one of them, not one family, is by any objective measure living a “better life”.

They are all far more miserable than they were here, and just about the only benefit they have is the odd cheap weekend somewhere on the med.

They can barely afford heating after paying ridiculous prices for accommodation, have to wait days to see a GP, their kids have to carry decoy cell phones because they get mugged so often, can’t drive anywhere without getting massive fines for ridiculous reasons - plus congestion fees, and working in a corporate is more like being in school than working as an autonomous adult.

It sounds like hell, but as they will tell you at least they don’t have to worry about getting hijacked (while their kids are getting spiked in nightclubs and some yobs are hacking out the headlights of their car in the street outside).”

That may be someone’s reality but they seem to have the worst luck. A lot of that stuff is real but it’s most certainly not normal to experience it all. Perhaps a false view based on news articles.

We live a long-ish way from big cities so experience very little of the bad. It exists I’m sure but just to a lesser extent.

For us, adults and kids, we have nothing to complain about. Quite the opposite, we have a lot to be thankful for.

 

[Priapus]

"without exception not a single one of them, not one family, is by any objective measure living a “better life”.

Who made this Karen the spokesperson for all Saffas?

If its so horrible, why do Saffas keep flocking to the UK and other countries?

Rather than listening to a facebook post of a single disgruntled person, look at the actions of thousands of people that move world wide and make a success out of it.

Having lived in the UK for 2 years plus I can tell you what type of person should NOT move:

1. if you have no professional qualifications and experience. And you assume King Charles is going to welcome you with open arms, simply because you were born with a British passport.
2. If you dont have a job lined up with career & salary progression - you are not going to have fun working minimum wage at the Checkers.
3. If you are moving from SA with the intention to rely more on state services in any way shape or form.

The above implies for anyone wanting to leave SA to ANY country, not just the UK.

It’s the same for people who move to the UK and then go back to SA because they can’t take the winter / weather here.

If so then you had no business emigrating to start with.

 

[PsYTraNc3]

7 months in Scotland now.

It's been tough! but we knew it would and that it will take a while to settle.

I got started a new job as soon as we got here but wasn't happy with it and fortunately starting with a new role in December which is way more in line with my experience (Managed with no professional qualifications but tons of experience)
Wife is starting a what looks to be a decent job in 3 weeks time.
We moved into a home recently that is not anywhere close to what we had in CPT but still better than what we expected after just a few months here.

Our goal now is to live below our means and save for ILR and other costs while also paying rediculous nursery fees for the next 2 years.
Once that is done, we will be in a very good place financially and then will be able to visit SA often enough.

 

[Tman*]

That may be someone’s reality but they seem to have the worst luck. A lot of that stuff is real but it’s most certainly not normal to experience it all. Perhaps a false view based on news articles.

We live a long-ish way from big cities so experience very little of the bad. It exists I’m sure but just to a lesser extent.

For us, adults and kids, we have nothing to complain about. Quite the opposite, we have a lot to be thankful for.

Sounds like someone that was told everything is magically better once you get on the plane, its just God save the King and tea with Diana every Tuesday.

Then they arrived with some crappy job and R5.50 in their pocket. Clearly didn't do any research or budgeting, didn't adhere to local laws (BRUH, I have to pay fines!?) and now EVERYONE IS HAVING A KAK TIME - ALWAYS!

SA > UK is a soft landing, I'd like to see this pansy go live in Kampala for a year and write another review.

 

[Priapus]

Our goal now is to live below our means and save for ILR and other costs while also paying rediculous nursery fees for the next 2 years.
Once that is done, we will be in a very good place financially and then will be able to visit SA often enough.

Nursery fees are crazy. Fortunately we get help from the government. £200 each month towards it and from Jan we get 15hrs free - then from September it’s 30hrs.

So by next year this time, our fees will be 90% less.

 

[PsYTraNc3]

Nursery fees are crazy. Fortunately we get help from the government. £200 each month towards it and from Jan we get 15hrs free - then from September it’s 30hrs.

So by next year this time, our fees will be 90% less.

We're looking at £1350 pm for 3 full days and 2 half days per week term time for the next 18 months.
Thereafter, 3 full days will be covered and we will pay for the remaining 2.