The choice of leaving America behind for the United Kingdom is made thoughtfully and with due care. There are romantic, professional or health reasons for leaving America behind and relocating to the UK. But when everything is unpacked and the charm of speaking like a Brit fades away, the next question arises—is life better? After interviewing over twenty Americans who have settled down in the UK from a banker in London to an educator in Glasgow, the following portrait unfolds. Life in the UK is much calmer and safer, but it requires you to lower your standards regarding living space, weather, and pay. Here is how life is in Britain.
Now consider how you would feel on your first day there. The time change would leave you sleep deprived, you might be freezing because the heating system is set on timer and you have a meeting on the other side of town. As one expat from Boston put it, being thrown into dependence on public transportation and hired cars was an adjustment process. As opposed to suburbia in the United States where the only thing you needed was to pick up the car keys, now you suddenly found yourself booking a Taxi to Heathrow Terminal 5 early in the morning. Initially, it was a shock but soon enough it turned into freedom from parking fees, road rage, and defrosting car windows.
It’s not the left side driving and “colour” that surprises Americans the most. It’s the social code. In America, friendliness is loud, direct, and instant. The cashier in Ohio is going to ask you how your day was. The neighbor in Texas will give you some pie. In Britain, politeness is soft and subtle. Brits will say “sorry” after they bump into you. They will not say that you annoy them. One expat from Seattle pointed out: “I thought that everybody hates me for half a year, until I finally understood that they are simply British.” On the positive side, once a Brit likes you, he/she will be your friend forever. On the negative side, it takes patience, drinking, and complaining about the weather.
Ask any American that is employed in the UK about what they like the most about it, and everyone will give you the same answer – paid time off. In the US, having two weeks of holiday is considered a luxury. In the UK, however, people have to take 28 days off annually by law, not to mention bank holidays. Taking sick leave does not even cross the mind, and one can have maternity leave for up to a year. One expat from Chicago, who was working in finance, says that after he quit work at 5 o’clock on Fridays, and stepped outside, he noticed that there was still sunlight outside. He admits that he almost burst into tears because “in New York, I never saw any sunlight between Monday and Friday.” However, the downside is that the salary is lower by 20-40%.
The National Health Service is a gift but also an annoyance. For US residents, it is a lifesaver. There are no deductibles, co-payments, or any other costs involved in using the system. For instance, a lady who immigrated to the UK from Florida mentioned that her daughter had to have an appendectomy which cost her nothing. On the contrary, her sister in America had to pay $11,000 in order to undergo this procedure with the help of an insurance company. But there are long queues. For example, a hip surgery may take up to six months. Mental care services are poorly financed, and there are not many dentists within the NHS. Nevertheless, in response to the question whether they would swap it for the private system, 90% of Americans would say “no”.
Also read: What Kind of Foreigners Are Welcome in England UK
When Americans move to the UK, they tend to have an immense passion for their personal vehicles. But it does not take much for them to give up on this luxury. Although public transport services in the UK might not be ideal since there are no train strikes or high ticket prices; there is transport. It is possible to exist in a small town without having a driver’s license. A success story would involve an American business executive living in Hertfordshire. On one occasion, the executive needed to leave for an early flight. Rather than driving and paying for expensive parking, they chose to take a taxi from Hemel Hempstead to Luton Airport. This compares to the hassle one encounters with the I-405 of Los Angeles or the BQE of New York. In the UK, you can be anywhere in London, the countryside, or international airports in an hour. An expatriate from Texas said that in Houston, “a 40-minute drive can get you to another strip mall or Paris by train.”
Whereas one certainty about Americans is their constant complaint, it would have to be the cramped nature of homes in Britain. Where an “open-plan” three-bedroom apartment would constitute a small cottage in the United States, refrigerators are small, washer dryers are both incorporated, and they take three hours. Closets are unheard of— you’ll come to appreciate wardrobes. Central heating systems are weak while double glazing is considered a privilege. An American expatriate from Arizona put it bluntly when he commented that his Phoenix bathroom was larger than his entire London flat. On the other hand, you get the advantage of having your home in a lovely Victorian townhouse within steps to a local pub, butcher and train station. Such a luxury is only available in very expensive neighborhoods in the United States like Georgetown or Beacon Hill.
The truth is that the weather in the UK is terrible for many months. Overcast clouds, rain, and 4 PM sunsets in winter can make you sad. American citizens coming from sunny states like California and Texas will face the biggest struggle. An expatriate from San Diego had purchased a special lamp against seasonal depression and taken vitamin D pills after her first winter. “I never understood what seasonal depression was until I moved to Manchester,” she admitted. Nevertheless, the compensation for that comes with summertime when the weather turns out to be amazing – long days until 10 PM, moderate temperature, and good vibes for everyone. Another positive feature about the climate is that there are no natural disasters.
For American citizens, the UK is simply objectively more secure. Gun-related crimes do not happen in the UK; there are no drills at schools. Kids start using public transportation by themselves at an early age. One immigrant from Philadelphia said that “I would let my 10-year-old travel on the London tube to visit his friends. My parents in America think I am nuts, but it is all fine here.” The quality of education in the country is good, although it is quite different because exams begin earlier in Britain and college tuition fees are lower in comparison with America. The only bad thing about studying here is that universities in the UK are less prestigious than Ivy Leagues in the USA and success is usually punished under ‘tall poppy syndrome’.
After interviewing dozens of Americans who took the plunge, the answer is a resounding yes—with some important qualifications. The UK wins on balance between work and life, healthcare, public transit, and safety. The US wins on salary, living space, varied weather, and sheer hustle. American expats who have moved to the UK do not look back, but they do not fantasize either. They feel nostalgic for their breakfast tacos, sun, and space. But they do not pine for health care bills, fear of gun violence, or the toxic culture of overwork. As one expat from Denver succinctly put it, “In America, I was working to live; in the UK, I’m living to work. And when I need to get to the airport, I’m relaxed because I just arrange transportation and arrive.”
What, then, is life like for Americans living in the UK? The deal is simple: You give up square footage for sanity; give up salary for security; and give up sunshine for being disconnected from work. And when you are standing in a pub in November on a drizzly Tuesday evening and order a real pint after not thinking about work for four hours—you will know that you chose wisely.
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