For many people, the UK is associated with continued prosperity, security and peace of mind. For most Russians, foggy Albion (as this country is sometimes called) is associated primarily with polite English, dressed in black tuxedos and enjoy talking about the weather with a cup of tea. Of course, we understand that it is simply impossible to meet such a picture today. However, many people still like the way of life of the population of Great Britain. That is why England is one of the main countries chosen for immigration. What is it like, life in the UK, and is it worth it to decide to move because of this country?
General information
Great Britain is a kingdom that unites four states at once. Many perceive it as a separate country, calling England. But in reality, England is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain along with Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Foggy Albion is located near the northwest coast of the European continent. The area of this kingdom is 244.8 thousand square kilometers. On its territory, 53 million people live. The public holiday is the Queen's Birthday. It is celebrated on the second Saturday of June. The national currency is the pound sterling.
Great Britain holds under its control 15 foreign territories in which approximately 190 thousand people live. Among them - Gibraltar, Bermuda, Anguilla, as well as a number of islands in the Pacific Ocean, located off the coast of Central and South America, as well as Africa. Great Britain also has territories located in Antarctica.
The British monarch is the nominal head of the Commonwealth, which includes most of the dominions and colonies of foggy Albion. These are 54 countries with a population of 1.7 billion people.
Economy
For many foreigners, the UK was and remains a country of prosperity and prosperity. A similar attitude exists in London. It is no coincidence that immigrants choose this city, considered the financial center of the world, to live in the UK.
The state is included in the list of the most economically developed countries of our planet. In this list, it takes fifth place, passing ahead of the United States and Japan, Germany and France. At the same time, the share of Great Britain in international trade is about 5%.
In London, a huge amount of financial transactions. By this indicator, the capital of Great Britain is second only to New York. In addition, in the capital of England is a fairly large stock exchange. In terms of the volume of its operations, it is second only to similar organizations in Tokyo and New York.
The largest share of insurance transactions passes through this city. The main part of the international exchange market for oil, metals and other strategic goods is concentrated in London.
In the structure of the economy of the Kingdom, the service sector has a significant share (71%). The manufacturing sector accounts for just over 17% of GDP. In the country's mining industry, a large share belongs to the oil and gas industry. A slightly smaller volume of production is in the coal industry.
In the industrial sector of the country today, the role of the latest high-tech industries of electronic and chemical, electrical and aerospace industries is significantly increasing.
British pharmaceuticals have rightly earned world fame. The level of biotechnology development in the UK is in second place after the United States.
High mechanization and efficiency is distinguished by the country's agriculture. It provides 63% of the population of foggy Albion with food.
The transport system is well developed in the UK. The country's territory is covered by a dense network of railways and highways. There is also sea transport in the country, which is served by numerous ports. The insignificant volumes of all transportation of goods and passengers account for river transport. But at the same time, aviation is developing rapidly. The country has 450 airports, receiving passengers and a wide variety of cargoes.
One of the fastest growing areas of the UK economy is communications. This contributes to the high computerization of business, education and everyday life of people.
The UK tourism industry is well developed. According to the level of development of this sector of the economy, the country is in 7th place in the world.
Now consider the pros and cons of life in the UK from the point of view of Russian emigrants.
Native people
According to researchers, the character of the British left their mark on the tribes who tried at one time to conquer the territory of foggy Albion. Among them are Saxons and Utes, Scandinavian Vikings and Normans, Celts, Romans and Angles. In connection with such a multifaceted intervention in the history and life of England, the population developed a special character. In it you can find Anglo-Saxon practicality, Celtic reverie, Norman discipline and the courage of the Vikings.
Residents of Britain consider an important element in the formation of the character of a growing person to bring up social responsibility in him. From a very young age, they teach their children not to focus on the atmosphere of the family alone, which allows young British people to confidently and actively participate in public life. In the UK this is facilitated by the educational system adopted in the country, as well as the wide distribution of various types of voluntary labor.
Today, more than 300 thousand emigrants from Russia have chosen life in Great Britain. Moreover, this figure can reach one million if we include Belarusians and Ukrainians, Latvians and Latvians, as well as representatives of some other peoples living in the territory of the former USSR. However, despite such a significant figure, immigrants indicate that they cannot feel at home.
What do our compatriots say about life in the UK? Judging by their reviews, this country at first glance is quite friendly and welcoming. On the streets, even strangers to each other smile. With any careless movement, “sorry” or “excuse me” will certainly follow. This allows you to create the impression that everyone treats you very good-naturedly.
However, reviews of Russian emigrants suggest that quickly enough this illusion disappears. It becomes clear that the British apologize automatically, and their cordiality is nothing more than a polite mask that does not carry any emotional stress.
Our compatriots have the opinion that most of the indigenous people of Great Britain do not treat foreigners very well. They sympathize with one, while others express contempt or even disgust. In any case, they believe that the British nation is the best in the world.
Often, a Russian person becomes an object of irony among the indigenous inhabitants of Great Britain. At the same time, a peculiar English humor is expressed in rather unpleasant moments. For example, in a bank, our emigrant may be offered to cash out his check in Russia, and the apartment owners, after an approved viewing, are able to offer to rent completely different housing.
However, one should not assume that any foreigner in the UK is an outcast, although he does not have to wait for a warm welcome. Judging by the reviews of our emigrants, only the person himself is able to form a positive and good attitude towards himself. But to do this does not work right away. Everything will come only with time. At the same time, for active inclusion in the social life of Great Britain, first of all, you need good knowledge of English. And only after the ability to speak and understand your interlocutor is perfected, you can expect a respectful attitude towards yourself.
By the way, some emigrants believe that the British are sympathetic to Russians. This is due to our man’s non-aggressiveness, his industriousness, law-abidingness, the ability to realize and accept the lifestyle in the UK, and also to quickly integrate into a new society for himself.
Salaries
A cloudless and prosperous life of people in the UK seems only at first glance. In order to understand this, it is not enough to go to this country on a tourist visa. It is necessary to look at this life from the inside.
Of course, people in the countries of foggy Albion, as well as in other states, are born and attend kindergartens, study at schools and higher educational institutions, get married and have children, get a job and travel. Differences can only be identified when considering living standards in the UK. And it directly depends on the material remuneration of a person for labor.
It is worth noting that wages in England have their own characteristics. Its size depends entirely on the region of residence. So, in London, the amounts paid by employers are the highest. But at the same time, the prices for what a person needs for life are quite high here. On the periphery, cash payments to employees are less. But the prices here are much lower. If we consider the percentage ratio of salary and cost of living, then in the capital and in remote regions it will be the same.
Minimum in this country for one hour of work you can get 6.19 pounds. This amount does not include tax payments. Thus, in a month, net income will be 884 pounds. Judging by the experience of Russian emigrants, for that kind of money you can rent a small room on the outskirts, eat potatoes and bread and still leave it for small expenses.
Taxes
Contributions to the treasury from earnings in the UK are directly dependent on the amount received. The higher it is, the higher the percentage. For example, annual income of 20 to 38 thousand pounds is taxed at a rate of 20%. If the same amount reaches 38-70 thousand pounds, then the state will need to give 35% of it. With a further increase in income, the tax will reach 42% and even 50% (with annual earnings of more than 300 thousand).
Salaries of representatives of various professions
The highest incomes in the UK are financial workers, lawyers and doctors, as well as private business owners in various fields. The size of their salaries is from 50 to 100 thousand pounds during the year. Large amounts are received by those people who are in senior positions, as well as business partners. The salary of teachers is 30-50 thousand pounds. Talking about some kind of average income is very difficult. The fact is that in the UK it depends on the gender of the employee, the industry in which he works, length of service and city. According to statistics, the average monthly salary in England in 2017 was 2, 310 pounds, which corresponds to 2, 630 euros.
Expenses
If we consider the income level of the middle class, then in the UK the annual salary of representatives of these social strata will be approximately 30 thousand pounds. If you subtract taxes from this amount, then per month such a person will get £ 2, 000 “clean” in his hands. If we take into account the fact that England is the most expensive country in Europe, then this will turn out to be not so much.
To rent a house or apartment you will need to pay 600-900 pounds. The exact amount will depend on the location of the housing. In central London, housing costs are higher and in the provinces lower. To this must be added utilities. In the summer they will be 130 pounds. In the winter months, housing will cost more due to heating. You will also need to pay real estate tax. In a month it will be 100 pounds.
The expenditure part of the income must also include the need to pay for transport. This amount may be in the range of 50-200 pounds. For example, a ticket that pays for travel only in the central areas of the capital of England will cost 100 pounds. A large amount will have to be paid due to the paid arrival of cars in central London, the high cost of parking and one-time travel in public transport.
As for nutrition, the cost of food will average 200-400 pounds. It is recommended that you take into account many other costs. Among them are car insurance and medical care, as well as deductions for communications and cable TV. To pay each of these points from the salary you will need to pay approximately 45 pounds. As a result, nothing remains. Judging by the feedback from our emigrants, it is simply impossible to postpone for the future in Britain.
The property
Buying your apartment or house in England is quite difficult. That is why the life of young people in the UK together with their parents is not uncommon. Indeed, in order to purchase not the best apartment in London, you will have to pay more than half a million pounds.
It is difficult for young people to rent their homes. To do this, you will need to receive at least the average salary in the country, but young specialists have a small income. And this applies even to doctors, accountants or teachers.
Healthcare
In the UK, medicine is both paid and free. Based on the income level of the majority of the British, they naturally use the second option. State medicine at the expense of taxpayers provides almost the entire range of services.
Turning to doctors, the British pay only for medicines purchased with a prescription. Dental and optometrist services are also payable. But in the latter case, there are benefits for citizens under 16 and over 60 years old, pregnant women, students, people with certain types of chronic diseases and low-income groups. For them, an appointment with an optometrist and a dentist will also be free.
As for the quality of medical services, judging by the reviews of Russian emigrants, it will depend on the area in which the clinic is located, as well as on the professionalism of the doctor. Sometimes it happens that in a remote British village, medical care will be much faster and better than in a clinic located in central London. The explanation here is quite simple. The more the area is populated, the greater the flow of patients to one doctor, the less time the specialist has to properly approach the patient and discuss a problem with him.
Retirement age
How long people live does not least depend on their home country. So, the average life expectancy in the UK exceeds the same indicator in Russia by 20 years. And this is directly related to its higher level. In addition, the great ecology of this country has a direct impact on life expectancy in the UK. After all, here is clean air, and people can drink water right from the tap.
Life expectancy in the UK, as well as in highly developed countries such as Japan and Canada, is a little over 80 years.
