Cost of living in the UK

Guest101

mem79 wrote: »

Yes true, where we used to live in the uk we had to have two cars, here we can cycle to school work, shops on our doorstep and Lovely lake to swim in only 10 mins in the car and outdoor swiming pool 10 mins in the other direction.


Though energy bills are extortionate, Insurance is cheaper in the UK, food is expensive unless you shop offers all the time and any activities (zoos etc ) are pricey compared to the uk. Swings and roundabouts like you say.

Whats your job sector(s) ?


It will influence where you live and your wage


E.g. healthcare would be national so you get a bit of choice


But financial would be limited to the centres


Engineering would be quite open, but the big employers like BAE would be on set sites (mostly in the cheaper north)

AdrianC

mem79 wrote: »

I work in the nuclear industry

OK, that puts things into perspective.

Academia or paperwork-shuffling or power stations or...?

If you end up working somewhere like Harwell, or a home-counties Uni, are probably about the only way you're likely to be based in a high-cost area. Most nuclear power stations are, well, not near big cities. Can't think why... That means you could be in some quite nice areas - Suffolk coast, Severn estuary. Or you could be in the back of beyond, and thinking rural Sweden looks like a lively, bustling metropolis.

mem79

here you get 12000kr allowance and if you work you get an additional 30000kr allowance on top. Then you pay a flat rate depending on what area you living of approx 31%. So according to a website here the tax is 24% of the total amount you get paid.

Guest101

Oh we have a nuclear power station about 5 miles away in Heysham.


It's nice area for the most part, cheaper than most (in fact my city was recently accredited with one of the cheapest places to buy compared to avg salary etc)


Good job security too as I believe they've announced a further reactor in next 10 years.

mem79

Hi thanks for the tip looking at their website now

Kynthia

As has been discussed some of the biggest things to compare are salary, tax and childcare. Quality of life differences are difficult to compare and much will depend on exactly where in the UK you'd move to. Another thing to consider is further education for your children. From the little I know going to university isn't expensive in Sweden yet fees here are extortionate now.

jamesmorgan

Another consideration is tax credit payments in the UK. A couple with 3 children with one partner working full time could receive up to £13500 in tax credits and up to an additional £210/wk (£11K/annum) in childcare costs. These payments would reduce by 41p/£ for any salary over £6400, but on the average UK salary of £26000, could still provide an additional tax free payment of £5600 + 70% of childcare costs up to £300/wk.

There are current discussions about reducing these payments for non-UK citizens so you would need to do careful research to verify that you are eligible.