A
female
age
,
anonymous
writes:Hello there.Me and my husband have been discussing retirement plans, as he's retiring in July. Looking forward to that.What he wants to do is retire to London, and spend time enjoying the city; he also wants to spend time with American expats there too.He said his love of London's been around since he was 18 in 1982 when he visited with family and saw a lot of the city, and he's revisited in 1993, 2004, and with me, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2018.I've had a look online, but there's no retirement visas, and although we can support ourselves financially, it's concerning me. There used to be one for people with $32k and over, but you can't get one now; we earn well over that.What about when it comes down to mundane things, like doing errands, going shopping etc., bills?He said he thinks we can handle it, and he also wants to export our cars over to the UK, we've got a huge Chevy SUV, a Mustang and a Toyota Camry sedan, he claims it'll be good. He hates public transport, prefers to drive.I'm open to the move, but worrying slightly about things such as whether people will accept me, anti-Americanism etc. and how to make new friends, can't just have American expat-only friends.We live in a cold-ish Midwestern state so London wouldn't be that much different with the British weather the way it is.If I'm being honest here, concerned over starting from scratch again, since it's a bit bigger than just moving the next town over in a Midwestern state.Am I wrong to think my husband's over-romanticizing things, and not considering the mundane aspects of living in London?He says he wants to be involved in community local things, help out locally etc. My husband's told me he's had this idea for 15 years now, since February 2007, he'd had a retirement plan and said he didn't want to be a retiree in a retirement home or a pensioner living in a neighborhood he felt he'd enjoyed but wanted to leave when he felt it was right for him.If we did move, what would be the biggest pros and cons of living in London?We do have kids and grandkids, but haven't told them yet about it.In general, would people have much of a problem with retired American expats moving to a suburb of London and actively being involved in the community?What could I get involved in, as an ex-personal trainer and former beauty therapist who is now retired anyway, but on paper, the owner of a salon locally?I'm not actively against this, but want to work out a solution that we can both agree on.I'm a transplant myself, so obviously have moved; I'm a Floridian residing in the Midwest, and enjoy it here, even if the temperatures are brutal.Coronavirus accelerated my husband's desire for us to live in London.In general, is his plan ill-thought-out or good for someone like him, and for us, as a fairly wealthy couple?I've got no other place to discuss this online, it's not something I can discuss on FB or Instagram, really. Reply to this Question
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female
reader, Honeypie +, writes (30 March 2022):
 I lived and worked in London from 1989-90 and loved it. But I was also VERY young and London was a different place than it is today.
First off, I get the dream. I have traveled a lot and have dreamed of living "there" or "there" many times. Reality is very different from a vacation or short visit.
1. You need to contact the British Embassy (can go check out their website first) and figure out IF you can retire there and how to go about it. What forms etc, you need to apply for.
2. Bringing 3 big cars is ridiculous. Especially in London. For one, they drive on the (pardon me Brits) "wrong" side. Most of London's road networks are narrow, full of one-way streets and parking is not only a hazard (lol) but also not easy. We were stationed in Germany for 2 years and MANY of the Americans there had issues with parking downtown because parking spots and roads are JUST not made for the typical US showboat SUV's. England is no different, nor are many other European BIG cities.
2.1 You don't "NEED" a car in London. Public transport is easy to navigate and cheap. Pretty sure less pollutant too.
2.2 Gas prices, taxes on Vehicles, maintenance. WAY more expensive in Europe. I think Denmark pays about the same for 1 liter of gas as Americans do for a Gallon. (gallon =4 liters) I think the UK is similar so about $2 PER liter, which is $ 8 per gallon.
3. As Ruby pointed out "Britain is not a cold country. Our climate is mild.... Generally never too hot or too cold. " That is true. And London is VERY south. Decent climate. I'd trade any day for that over MI weather!
4. Medical care. Unless your husband (or you) are Military retirees you will be paying out of your ass for medical coverage. Because you will probably be paying AMERICAN prices. You will not "get" NHS as a visa holder. Now there might be some kind of insurance for US citizens living as ex-pats that is less expensive than most US health insurances. So do your reseach.
Here are some links to get y'all started!
https://www.sapling.com/8332076/can-citizen-usa-retire-britain#:~:text=It's%20perfectly%20legal%20for%20Americans,be%20challenging%20for%20some%20retirees.
https://www.expatica.com/uk/finance/retirement/planning-your-retirement-in-the-uk-1040740/
https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/money/pensions-retirement/9-things-to-know-for-americans-looking-to-retire-in-the-uk
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reader, anonymous, writes (30 March 2022): Lived in London for 25 years, was very pleased to move away from it and never regretted it. Now live by the sea and near the country, where there is fresh air, trees, beauty and not loads of noise and traffic. It is also much cheaper, now have a much nicer bigger house than my titchy pokey place in a smoke filled dirty area for the same money. I am about 2 hours from London now by car. It is wonderful to sit in the garden, breath in real fresh air, and only hear birds chirping. I don't smoke cigarettes, never have, I don't drink, I am not fat, so I am not ruining my health by breathing in petrol fumes constantly.
Everything in London costs a lot more, unless you are into cheap mass produced burger joints, great for museums, theatres, we often go to there to the theatre, we go to other theatres too all over England, but to live there, not if you paid me a fortune.
London has gatherings. You have areas full of Jewish people and so on. If you go to the wrong area you do not fit in and the shops etc are not for you. I had moved to London and years later all of the shops sold nothing but saris and Indian sweets, not the thing for me when I am white and never wear saris. We often go out for an Indian meal,
but don't want to be surrounded by nothing by Indian people and things.
For retirement a slower area is better, people are rushing about in London always too busy to say hello or get to know you. Always out and about. Or seeing family and friends.
It can be very lonely.
Think too about medical stuff. The NHS? Some say it is terrific. Others complain all of the time. If you get caught up in their system because of bad health will you be happy with how that is? My husband has to go to a hospital about 100 miles away soon just for a chat. He has to find a way to get there and get back just to sit and talk to someone for thirty minutes, and then do that again in a few months or so.In some ways the NHS is good in others it is very old fashioned and wastes a lot of money on disorganised chaos.
It would make more sense for him to chat to this person through a phone call, but they might need to do some blood tests - they could have been done locally with their results sent to them quickly and easily. Bad organisation.
As you get older these things matter too.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (30 March 2022): How exactly would you retire to UK ? I mean, you can stay up to 6 months for tourism, but then, to live there , you'd need to qualify for a visa .Which won't be a work visa , since you are retired.So you'd need to have family ties there, or have dual citizenship, or being a business partner of in an UK firm...."I really really like London " unluckily does not qualify you for a visa - and I am surprised that ,since it's a long time that your husband is considering muovono to UK, he has not checked yet the ease and feasibility of this move from a bureaucracy/ visa point of view.( Then again,...I am not really surprised , because, like Ruby Birtle, I believe this is an invented question ).
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (30 March 2022): I'm scottish and I adore people from many countries.. I find Americans very sweet and friendly.. though we don't have many near hand.. a few .. I know my daughters love hearing about America lol no matter what the topic is . Infact I even had to correct my youngest who thought that if I fainted she would need to dial 911 .. I was laughing so hard and said to her I would have a long wait then and, eh .. she was perplexed at my laughter until i explained why and that she saw a doll at so many dollars .. lol ?? its lovely though as she just so adores our American neighbours.
London though is very expensive.. love it though but just for a holiday .. the hustle n the bustle to me is stressful after a while . Plus English people lovely as they are ..just thrive on it . I'm more relaxed laid back.. so it wouldn't be for me .. sorry to say .
Plus our government are making vehicles pay to be driven in certain area esp in London itself . They want people to use public transport more. So thats something you would need to look at before bringing over vehicles that you might not use .
I think you should try if you can afford to have long vacation say 3 months and really see how you feel .. this is his fantasy .. not yours ..
Its a long way from home .. your children and grand babies..
Take time and think it over carefully.. that be my advise..
Good luck ..
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (29 March 2022): I live in London. Nobody cares where you are from. Every other person is from a different country or background. That said, the idea that you want to bring three cars over here is laughable. Locals don't drive around the city - it's expensive, slow, polluting. They might occasionally catch a taxi, but most walk, cycle, or use the tube or buses. Very few people who live in Zones 1 or 2 own a car and few would choose to drive around the city centre. Housing is also extremely expensive - you can easily spend a million GBP on a 2 bed flat. The day to day cost of living is also much more expensive than in the rest of the UK. E.g. a haircut in london will set you back about £50 but outside of London will be half the price. Food prices in the supermarkets are also about 10% more here than in the rest of the UK. Also, in my experience having lived in London for nearly 10 years, people here are much less friendly than in the rest of the UK. It can be difficult to get to know your neighbours because people are more transient, they rent for a year or two and then move away. On the plus side, london has good job opportunities, loads of museums, galleries, theatres, etc and would be a fun place to retire to. It's also only a short plane/train ride to the rest of Europe for holidays and weekends away.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (29 March 2022): I'd say London isn't much different from New York tbh, very busy, constant traffic, fast paced and not to mention very very expensive if you are looking at places like Mayfair or Chelsea you better have a few million in the bank. Then of course living costs and everything else.
Of course there are less affluent parts of London but would you really retire there from America? It just sounds wild to me.
I think your husband should put a bit more research into living in London.
Fantastic city if you have unlimited funds, if not you better be willing to work your backside off.
Giving you are thinking of retirement prob not.
I live in Scotland and haven't heard of anyone choosing to retire to London, moved their to kick start or better their careers yes, but not when looking to slow down a bit in life.
I think you know that though and have to tell your husband these things.
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A
female
reader, RubyBirtle  +, writes (29 March 2022):
This sounds somewhat like our inventive troll again but I'll bite...
London's a great place and I'm sure that you'd find it as welcoming as any big capital city. It's very cosmopolitan and trans-racial so you being American should make no difference. And there's loads of churches and clubs and societies and organisations to get involved with to suit every possible taste. This is the city that never sleeps! (As an ex beauty therapist I'm sure an amateur theatre company would love to have you.)
But...
If your husband "loves driving" London probably isn't the city for him unless he's prepared to live on the outskirts. London is not a car-friendly city. It has the highest car-associated charges in Europe. Way more than any American city (including New York.) Road and car tax is extortionate and then there's additional parking charges and the congestion charge. Besides, why drive in London when public transport will get you to your destination in half the time. I don't know a SINGLE person who lives in London and runs their own car. All those that do have car only have it because it's a company car and they get their car expenses reimbursed. I really can't see your husband being able to accommodate and run 3 cars unless you are multi -millionaires. And how would he service the cars?.... American car parts normally have to be shipped over from the states at great cost. How will your petrol-head husband manage in a country which is fast moving away from petrol cars and where petrol users are heavily penalised by the government through taxes etc?
So get your husband to do his homework first. Including about the British weather... Britain is not a cold country. Our climate is mild.... Generally never too hot or too cold. It's just unpredictable and we British just love moaning about it.
Will your health insurance cover you living abroad in later life? And will it cover social care should you need it?
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