Medicare cost?

[InnerVoice]

21 hours ago, Marisawright said:

If you'd said "we pay for it through our taxes", I'd have said nothing.    I guess I'm sensitised to the "we're entitled because we've paid our NI" idea because I have cousins in the UK, furious that they've got to wait a bit longer to get the age pension, because "I paid my contributions into NI so I'm entitled to get that money back".   

I assume you're referring to the unfortunate group of women who had their retirement age moved back 5 or 6 years? My friend's wife is called Karen, and trust me if she could've spoken to the manager then she would've! Fortunately for my friend she's now 66 and getting it, so he isn't getting his ear bent quite so often (at least not about pensions).

 

[BendigoBoy]

19 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

I assume you're referring to the unfortunate group of women who had their retirement age moved back 5 or 6 years?

Sure, it's always miffing when the government change the rules.  I'm grateful I've a protected NRA of 55 on my old bank pension, otherwise I'd be annoyed about the increase to 57.

However, at the end of the day, if we want true equality between the sexes, then I really don't see how anyone can reasonably argue that a five year gap on when you can claim a pension simply because of your chromosomal build is equitable.

[InnerVoice]

15 minutes ago, BendigoBoy said:

However, at the end of the day, if we want true equality between the sexes, then I really don't see how anyone can reasonably argue that a five year gap on when you can claim a pension simply because of your chromosomal build is equitable.

The UK State Pension age for both men and women was originally 65, and it wasn't lowered to 60 for women until 1940. I believe that the reasoning was to provide more support for women because financially they were likely to be worse off in later life, due to taking time out from the workforce to raise children. The changes in the 1995 Pension reflected a societal shift towards men and women working a similar number of years, and a significant increase in people's life expectancy. It's worth noting that the retirement age for men was also increased at the same time (65 to 67), so we didn't come out of the process completely unscathed.

[BendigoBoy]

15 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

The UK State Pension age for both men and women was originally 65, and it wasn't lowered to 60 for women until 1940. I believe that the reasoning was to provide more support for women because financially they were likely to be worse off in later life, due to taking time out from the workforce to raise children. The changes in the 1995 Pension reflected a societal shift towards men and women working a similar number of years, and a significant increase in people's life expectancy. It's worth noting that the retirement age for men was also increased at the same time (65 to 67), so we didn't come out of the process completely unscathed.

I did not know they were originally the same age!

And historically, I accept it would have been very strongly the majority of the time women who took the time off to raise a family. Far more fluid a situation nowadays.

Personally, I far prefer the more equitable nature of our Age Pension to the UK State Pension approach.

[InnerVoice]

4 minutes ago, BendigoBoy said:

I did not know they were originally the same age!

And historically, I accept it would have been very strongly the majority of the time women who took the time off to raise a family. Far more fluid a situation nowadays.

Personally, I far prefer the more equitable nature of our Age Pension to the UK State Pension approach.

Well it'd be a nightmare if we didn't - half the male population would be transgendering at 59!  

[BendigoBoy]

Just now, InnerVoice said:

Well it'd be a nightmare if we didn't - half the male population would be transgendering at 59!  

Who's to say they're not about to, anyways!?

As I said at our morning standup meeting at work today: I'm fighting the corner for the underdog.  This week, I identify as a purple gel ink pen.

There's no end to the liberal nature of the modern world.

[ramot]

3 hours ago, BendigoBoy said:

I did not know they were originally the same age!

And historically, I accept it would have been very strongly the majority of the time women who took the time off to raise a family. Far more fluid a situation nowadays.

Personally, I far prefer the more equitable nature of our Age Pension to the UK State Pension approach.

I think a point you are missing as in my case in the 1960’s 
 a)   The  lack of decent jobs for women 
b)     The fact that many of us had to leave our jobs if we married, and that’s why we stayed at home to raise our children, coupled with a lack of child care resources in those days, toddler/playgroups in the village hall, run by mother’s was probably the most we had.
Therefore we had far less chance of accruing the correct number of years paying towards being eligible for a full  State pension, there was also the married woman’s reduced rate, which many who paid this didn’t realise that it affected their  final State Pension amount. There was compensation for non working mothers, I had 17 years credited for child rearing, didn’t know about that until I got my forecast, plus I paid in as many back years as allowed. Every little helps when retired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

in my case, many of us had to leave our jobs when we married 

[BendigoBoy]

46 minutes ago, ramot said:

I think a point you are missing as in my case in the 1960’s 
 a)   The  lack of decent jobs for women 
b)     The fact that many of us had to leave our jobs if we married, and that’s why we stayed at home to raise our children, coupled with a lack of child care resources in those days, toddler/playgroups in the village hall, run by mother’s was probably the most we had.
Therefore we had far less chance of accruing the correct number of years paying towards being eligible for a full  State pension, there was also the married woman’s reduced rate, which many who paid this didn’t realise that it affected their  final State Pension amount. There was compensation for non working mothers, I had 17 years credited for child rearing, didn’t know about that until I got my forecast, plus I paid in as many back years as allowed. Every little helps when retired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

in my case, many of us had to leave our jobs when we married 

Of course, a counter argument could be made that - given men on average live shorter lives - women should have a retirement age beyond their male counterparts.

[Blue Manna]

9 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

Well it'd be a nightmare if we didn't - half the male population would be transgendering at 59!  

I identify as a retired woman.

[Cheery Thistle]

10 hours ago, BendigoBoy said:

, I accept it would have been very strongly the majority of the time women who took the time off to raise a family. Far more fluid a situation nowadays.

I’m afraid you really are showing your ignorance with regards to maternity, childcare, parenthood and the impact they have on earnings and the pay gap. This article has some up to date information (if you are at all interested on being enlightened). If not, as you were, they do say ignorance is bliss after all!! 
https://ifs.org.uk/news/women-much-more-likely-men-give-paid-work-or-cut-hours-after-childbirth-even-when-they-earn#:~:text=Even where the mother was,hours after becoming a parent.&text=The different roles played by,development of gender pay gaps.

 

[Parley]

6 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

I’m afraid you really are showing your ignorance with regards to maternity, childcare, parenthood and the impact they have on earnings and the pay gap. This article has some up to date information (if you are at all interested on being enlightened). If not, as you were, they do say ignorance is bliss after all!! 
https://ifs.org.uk/news/women-much-more-likely-men-give-paid-work-or-cut-hours-after-childbirth-even-when-they-earn#:~:text=Even where the mother was,hours after becoming a parent.&text=The different roles played by,development of gender pay gaps.

 

It is a family decision. Families make these decisions to have children and know all the ramifications in doing so.

It is good that many improvements have been made over the years. I was lucky to get 1 day off special leave when my child was born. Now the men get some official paternitly leave.

Not everything is about money though.

[Cheery Thistle]

1 hour ago, Parley said:

It is a family decision. Families make these decisions to have children and know all the ramifications in doing so.

It is good that many improvements have been made over the years. I was lucky to get 1 day off special leave when my child was born. Now the men get some official paternitly leave.

Not everything is about money though.

Sometimes. But it’s naive to assume that that’s all that comes into play and also wildly inaccurate to assert that we’ve come so far that it’s no longer an issue. 

Edited January 9 by Cheery Thistle
Addition

[InnerVoice]

On 08/01/2024 at 21:27, Cheery Thistle said:

I have no idea how a question on Medicare landed here but some of the posts on this forum are just so pedantic and ridiculous. 

If someone in the process of emigrating asks about the cost of medical, dental etc in Australia, I think it's understandable that the discussion will lead to comparisons between the two systems. I'd agree that over-analysing how these are funded in each country isn't going to be particularly helpful, but that's the nature of forum discourse. This also started me thinking about how much we pay in Australia in total for tax and Medicare, compared with what (employed) people pay in tax and NI contributions in the UK. Who is getting a better deal?

I've been meaning to do this for a while (everyone needs a hobby, don't they) so I've finally got around to crunching a few numbers. I used a the uk.gov calculator to work out the total deductions for an income in £10,000 increments up to £100,000. I converted this to Australian dollars using the current rate of £1=$1.9. Then I made a similar calculation for the equivalent income in AUD$ using the moneysmart.gov.au calculator and compared the two. For the Australian calculation I also included the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) where applicable because you can only avoid it by paying for private health cover. The following figures are for someone on PAYE/PAYG and doesn't take into account those paying different classes of NI contributions or those entitled to various tax offsets etc, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

The Medicare Levy (2%) is much lower than UK NI rates, so I'd always assumed that we'd pay less in total deductions. However, that's an incorrect assumption because in Australia the overall rate of taxation is generally higher. In almost all of the following scenarios you would pay more in total deductions in Australia than you would in the UK, given the equivalent income in dollars or pounds. The worst-case scenario being that you're a single person on $95k (£50k equivalent), where you will have to pay almost $3,000 more in deductions in Australia than you would in the UK (due to reaching the lower MLS threshold for a single person). The only scenario where you're likely to be better off is if you're a higher earner in a couple, just as long as you don't exceed the current MLS family threshold of $186,000.

On the face of it British taxpayers are getting a better deal than Australian taxpayers in terms of public healthcare. Not only are they paying less in deductions, they are also getting massively-subsidized dental treatment in addition to non-chargeable medical care. (I've avoided the word 'free' even though it makes the last sentence rather verbose). In addition, most UK tax-payers will be entitled to receive a guaranteed pension once they reach 67, which isn't means tested.

I wouldn't dispute that the NHS is struggling at the moment but it's all relative when you make comparisons with public healthcare systems in other countries around the world, which in many cases are non-existent. The UK have arguably the most negative media in the world who are constantly ripping the country apart at every level, and creating a culture of gloom and doom. It's no wonder so many Brits are on a constant downer about their country and want to leave.

I've attached the spreadsheet below in Excel format for anyone who's interested.

Sources:

https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/estimate-paye-take-home-pay/your-pay

https://moneysmart.gov.au/work-and-tax/income-tax-calculator

https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/medicare-and-private-health-insurance/medicare-levy-surcharge/medicare-levy-surcharge-income-thresholds-and-rates

UK-AUS tax comparison.xlsx

Edited January 10 by InnerVoice

[Cheery Thistle]

7 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

If someone in the process of emigrating asks about the cost of medical, dental etc in Australia, I think it's understandable that the discussion will lead to comparisons between the two systems. I'd agree that over-analysing how these are funded in each country isn't going to be particularly helpful, but that's the nature of forum discourse. This also started me thinking about how much we pay in Australia in total for tax and Medicare, compared with what (employed) people pay in tax and NI contributions in the UK. Who is getting a better deal?

I've been meaning to do this for a while (everyone needs a hobby, don't they) so I've finally got around to crunching a few numbers. I used a the uk.gov calculator to work out the total deductions for an income in £10,000 increments up to £100,000. I converted this to Australian dollars using the current rate of £1=$1.9. Then I made a similar calculation for the equivalent income in AUD$ using the moneysmart.gov.au calculator and compared the two. For the Australian calculation I also included the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) where applicable because you can only avoid it by paying for private health cover. The following figures are for someone on PAYE/PAYG and doesn't take into account those paying different classes of NI contributions or those entitled to various tax offsets etc, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

The Medicare Levy (2%) is much lower than UK NI rates, so I'd always assumed that we'd pay less in total deductions. However, that's an incorrect assumption because in Australia the overall rate of taxation is generally higher. In almost all of the following scenarios you would pay more in total deductions in Australia than you would in the UK, given the equivalent income in dollars or pounds. The worst-case scenario being that you're a single person on $95k (£50k equivalent), where you will have to pay almost $3,000 more in deductions in Australia than you would in the UK (due to reaching the lower MLS threshold for a single person). The only scenario where you're likely to be better off is if you're a higher earner in a couple, just as long as you don't exceed the current MLS family threshold of $186,000.

On the face of it British taxpayers are getting a better deal than Australian taxpayers in terms of public healthcare. Not only are they paying less in deductions, they are also getting massively-subsidized dental treatment in addition to non-chargeable medical care. (I've avoided the word 'free' even though it makes the last sentence rather verbose). In addition, most UK tax-payers will be entitled to receive a guaranteed pension once they reach 67, which isn't means tested.

I wouldn't dispute that the NHS is struggling at the moment but it's all relative when you make comparisons with public healthcare systems in other countries around the world, which in many cases are non-existent. The UK have arguably the most negative media in the world who are constantly ripping the country apart at every level, and creating a culture of gloom and doom. It's no wonder so many Brits are on a constant downer about their country and want to leave.

I've attached the spreadsheet below in Excel format for anyone who's interested.

Sources:

https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/estimate-paye-take-home-pay/your-pay

https://moneysmart.gov.au/work-and-tax/income-tax-calculator

https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/medicare-and-private-health-insurance/medicare-levy-surcharge/medicare-levy-surcharge-income-thresholds-and-rates

UK-AUS tax comparison.xlsx

Really interesting thank you for doing it and taking the time. 
In order to work out what the ‘better deal’ is though, surely we need to factor in things like service levels, standards of care, waiting times etc? 
Waiting 12 hours plus on an ambulance for example, or hubby being told it was a 2 year wait to see an orthopaedic consultant when he could hardly walk? The basic inability to get a GP appointment and also the lack of availability of NHS dentists (many people just can’t get registered). 
Appreciate that is more or less impossible for us to do on a forum! 
Also, we actually pay higher tax in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK and many of the better off amongst us also have private health cover (out of necessity). 

[Simontucks]

7 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

If someone in the process of emigrating asks about the cost of medical, dental etc in Australia, I think it's understandable that the discussion will lead to comparisons between the two systems. I'd agree that over-analysing how these are funded in each country isn't going to be particularly helpful, but that's the nature of forum discourse. This also started me thinking about how much we pay in Australia in total for tax and Medicare, compared with what (employed) people pay in tax and NI contributions in the UK. Who is getting a better deal?

I've been meaning to do this for a while (everyone needs a hobby, don't they) so I've finally got around to crunching a few numbers. I used a the uk.gov calculator to work out the total deductions for an income in £10,000 increments up to £100,000. I converted this to Australian dollars using the current rate of £1=$1.9. Then I made a similar calculation for the equivalent income in AUD$ using the moneysmart.gov.au calculator and compared the two. For the Australian calculation I also included the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) where applicable because you can only avoid it by paying for private health cover. The following figures are for someone on PAYE/PAYG and doesn't take into account those paying different classes of NI contributions or those entitled to various tax offsets etc, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

The Medicare Levy (2%) is much lower than UK NI rates, so I'd always assumed that we'd pay less in total deductions. However, that's an incorrect assumption because in Australia the overall rate of taxation is generally higher. In almost all of the following scenarios you would pay more in total deductions in Australia than you would in the UK, given the equivalent income in dollars or pounds. The worst-case scenario being that you're a single person on $95k (£50k equivalent), where you will have to pay almost $3,000 more in deductions in Australia than you would in the UK (due to reaching the lower MLS threshold for a single person). The only scenario where you're likely to be better off is if you're a higher earner in a couple, just as long as you don't exceed the current MLS family threshold of $186,000.

On the face of it British taxpayers are getting a better deal than Australian taxpayers in terms of public healthcare. Not only are they paying less in deductions, they are also getting massively-subsidized dental treatment in addition to non-chargeable medical care. (I've avoided the word 'free' even though it makes the last sentence rather verbose). In addition, most UK tax-payers will be entitled to receive a guaranteed pension once they reach 67, which isn't means tested.

I wouldn't dispute that the NHS is struggling at the moment but it's all relative when you make comparisons with public healthcare systems in other countries around the world, which in many cases are non-existent. The UK have arguably the most negative media in the world who are constantly ripping the country apart at every level, and creating a culture of gloom and doom. It's no wonder so many Brits are on a constant downer about their country and want to leave.

I've attached the spreadsheet below in Excel format for anyone who's interested.

Sources:

https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/estimate-paye-take-home-pay/your-pay

https://moneysmart.gov.au/work-and-tax/income-tax-calculator

https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/medicare-and-private-health-insurance/medicare-levy-surcharge/medicare-levy-surcharge-income-thresholds-and-rates

UK-AUS tax comparison.xlsx

Thanks for that, really interesting reading.I'd have to say though,it's not the press that's putting a downer on the country,I watch/read very little of what the vermin produce.in my recent experience I've tried to get a doctors appointment since the 18th of December and still haven't got one,we have to ring and cannot just go to the surgery to make an appointment.our local surgery has 26.000 patients and only 3 doctors.

I lost a filling in one of my teeth last march and have been told by numerous dental practices,think I phoned 5,there's a minimum of 2 years waiting list to be seen on both NHS and private!.

A friend was told last week by his consultant he'd have to wait 7 years for a hip replacement on NHS

we probably would be getting a better deal than Australia.....if we could actually use it.

I could give more examples of things which have nothing to do with medical treatment but you get where I'm coming from.

So in one respect,the press,if having a big downer on this country,they aren't far wrong..

Edited January 10 by Simontucks

[InnerVoice]

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

In order to work out what the ‘better deal’ is though, surely we need to factor in things like service levels, standards of care, waiting times etc? Waiting 12 hours plus on an ambulance for example, or hubby being told it was a 2 year wait to see an orthopaedic consultant when he could hardly walk?

I agree, although it would be difficult to compare fairly due to the complexities. Australia is a huge country and the standard of healthcare and other services varies drastically both across and within states. I doubt you'd have to wait 12 hours for an ambulance here, but then in some states (not QLD) you have to pay for that service. You can also to wait a long time to see a specialist here too, depending on your needs.

The basic inability to get a GP appointment and also the lack of availability of NHS dentists (many people just can’t get registered).

We can get to see a GP or dentist very quickly here. Dentists are a private business so you pay for the full treatment. QLD doctors are no longer bulk-billing so unless you're a child, pensioner or are on benefits, so you need to pay the gap fee. It usually works out about $40 a visit, so people don't visit the doctor here because they're lonely or in need of a chat. Personally, I think the system here is better.

Also, we actually pay higher tax in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK

Indeed you do, but as the population of Scotland is a little over 5 million and the rest of the UK is 62 million I thought the UK-AUS comparison would be more relevant to the forum.

 

 

Edited January 10 by InnerVoice

[InnerVoice]

42 minutes ago, Simontucks said:

Thanks for that, really interesting reading.I'd have to say though,it's not the press that's putting a downer on the country,I watch/read very little of what the vermin produce.in my recent experience I've tried to get a doctors appointment since the 18th of December and still haven't got one,we have to ring and cannot just go to the surgery to make an appointment.our local surgery has 26.000 patients and only 3 doctors.

I lost a filling in one of my teeth last march and have been told by numerous dental practices,think I phoned 5,there's a minimum of 2 years waiting list to be seen on both NHS and private!.

A friend was told last week by his consultant he'd have to wait 7 years for a hip replacement on NHS

we probably would be getting a better deal than Australia.....if we could actually use it.

I could give more examples of things which have nothing to do with medical treatment but you get where I'm coming from.

So in one respect,the press,if having a big downer on this country,they aren't far wrong..

You're not the first person to say how bad it's become, so I wouldn't dispute that at all. I haven't been back to the UK in 5 years so my personal experience is out of date, but I still have a UK mobile and frequently receive service texts from my old surgery informing patients not to come unless it's an absolute emergency, so I can see the system is really under pressure.

I appreciate that there's no getting around hip replacements but when it comes to minor medical issues my first port of call these days is google. The main reason being that I now have to pay for every doctor's visit, so I think about it like I do about any other service. I won't pay for something I can fix it myself. I'm no longer of the mindset that if I feel unwell then 'I need to see a doctor', because 99% of the time what I need is some basic medication and a rest.

Regarding your teeth, I'd consider stopping over in the Far East on you way to Australia and getting it done at a fraction of the cost. That's what my wife's doing next month. Can't beat a bit of medical tourism!

[Cheery Thistle]

@Simontucks 7 years for a hip replacement! It’s got worse then. Although saying that, my husband was told they just wouldn’t give him one because he was only 48. Can’t get my head round the lack of logic, he has a physical job and couldn’t work so we’d have been claiming disability, PIP etc for 15 years, rather than just the NHS paying the £15k for the op and getting him back to work. In the end we paid for it privately and then took out Bupa. Luckily we can afford that. 
 

@InnerVoice I just don’t go to the doctor unless I’ve got a literal limb hanging off. I’m ‘lucky’ in that I can usually be seen on the same day at my surgery. However you usually go in with a minor symptom think that you’re generally well, but leave with a list of ailments and medications. No thank you!

[ramot]

2 hours ago, Simontucks said:

Thanks for that, really interesting reading.I'd have to say though,it's not the press that's putting a downer on the country,I watch/read very little of what the vermin produce.in my recent experience I've tried to get a doctors appointment since the 18th of December and still haven't got one,we have to ring and cannot just go to the surgery to make an appointment.our local surgery has 26.000 patients and only 3 doctors.

I lost a filling in one of my teeth last march and have been told by numerous dental practices,think I phoned 5,there's a minimum of 2 years waiting list to be seen on both NHS and private!.

A friend was told last week by his consultant he'd have to wait 7 years for a hip replacement on NHS

we probably would be getting a better deal than Australia.....if we could actually use it.

I could give more examples of things which have nothing to do with medical treatment but you get where I'm coming from.

So in one respect,the press,if having a big downer on this country,they aren't far wrong..

We have hot docs or family Dr here on the Sunshine Coast, my surgery is with Fam Dr, you log on, choose your Dr and day and time , and book. My Dr also tries to keep an emergency appointment open. We also locally have an emergency walk in clinic which I used recently, and had an instant ultrasound on the same premises, apart from initial charge, ultra sound and fill up apt were bulk billed. As you probably know you can go to any surgery, and there are several locally open 7 days a week, but it makes sense to have a regular GP, but there’s nothing stopping you to go to a different surgery at any time if you aren’t happy. 
obviously you will be lucky to get a regular appointment on the day, but I’ve never had to wait long for an appointment. 
It’s not perfect here,   
I’m sure posters will be along with horror stories, but I’ve found it better than UK on the whole, and I’ve spent plenty of time in the UK, visiting for 3 months every year since 2003 pre covid, and 6 weeks last year, and listened to so many concerned family and friends about their problems  with the NHS

Edited January 10 by ramot

[Simontucks]

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

@Simontucks 7 years for a hip replacement! It’s got worse then. Although saying that, my husband was told they just wouldn’t give him one because he was only 48. Can’t get my head round the lack of logic, he has a physical job and couldn’t work so we’d have been claiming disability, PIP etc for 15 years, rather than just the NHS paying the £15k for the op and getting him back to work. In the end we paid for it privately and then took out Bupa. Luckily we can afford that. 
 

@InnerVoice I just don’t go to the doctor unless I’ve got a literal limb hanging off. I’m ‘lucky’ in that I can usually be seen on the same day at my surgery. However you usually go in with a minor symptom think that you’re generally well, but leave with a list of ailments and medications. No thank you!

I think we have to wait so long as we have a labour government running the NHS in Wales,an absolute shambles.i had a knee replacement 4 years ago in England and waited 2 years so definitely differs where you are

[Simontucks]

1 hour ago, ramot said:

We have hot docs or family Dr here on the Sunshine Coast, my surgery is with Fam Dr, you log on, choose your Dr and day and time , and book. My Dr also tries to keep an emergency appointment open. We also locally have an emergency walk in clinic which I used recently, and had an instant ultrasound on the same premises, apart from initial charge, ultra sound and fill up apt were bulk billed. As you probably know you can go to any surgery, and there are several locally open 7 days a week, but it makes sense to have a regular GP, but there’s nothing stopping you to go to a different surgery at any time if you aren’t happy. 
obviously you will be lucky to get a regular appointment on the day, but I’ve never had to wait long for an appointment. 
It’s not perfect here,   
I’m sure posters will be along with horror stories, but I’ve found it better than UK on the whole, and I’ve spent plenty of time in the UK, visiting for 3 months every year since 2003 pre covid, and 6 weeks last year, and listened to so many concerned family and friends about their problems  with the NHS

Honestly,those horror stories are true.

I don't mind paying as long as I can then access the service when needed

[Blue Manna]

4 hours ago, Simontucks said:

I think we have to wait so long as we have a labour government running the NHS in Wales,an absolute shambles.i had a knee replacement 4 years ago in England and waited 2 years so definitely differs where you are

Are the Welsh a healthy people?

[Blue Manna]

6 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

You're not the first person to say how bad it's become, so I wouldn't dispute that at all. I haven't been back to the UK in 5 years so my personal experience is out of date, but I still have a UK mobile and frequently receive service texts from my old surgery informing patients not to come unless it's an absolute emergency, so I can see the system is really under pressure.

I appreciate that there's no getting around hip replacements but when it comes to minor medical issues my first port of call these days is google. The main reason being that I now have to pay for every doctor's visit, so I think about it like I do about any other service. I won't pay for something I can fix it myself. I'm no longer of the mindset that if I feel unwell then 'I need to see a doctor', because 99% of the time what I need is some basic medication and a rest.

Regarding your teeth, I'd consider stopping over in the Far East on you way to Australia and getting it done at a fraction of the cost. That's what my wife's doing next month. Can't beat a bit of medical tourism!

I get my glasses online, and I pay a quarter of what my optometrist charges . From the UK actually, but the far east would probably be cheaper. 

[Simontucks]

28 minutes ago, Blue Manna said:

Are the Welsh a healthy people?

Not at all, an aging population as many elderly retire to the coast of west Wales where I am, from all over the uk.covid changed a lot of people's lives,most wanted to move to the country or coast which has filled up Cornwall and Devon so we seem to be next. None of our youngsters stay in Wales as there's very little work apart from in tourism.

Housing,which was affordable 3 years ago has gone through the roof (something I know you guys are experiencing).our property has gone up nearly £150000 in 3 years. 

[InnerVoice]

5 hours ago, Simontucks said:

Not at all, an aging population as many elderly retire to the coast of west Wales where I am, from all over the uk.covid changed a lot of people's lives,most wanted to move to the country or coast which has filled up Cornwall and Devon so we seem to be next. None of our youngsters stay in Wales as there's very little work apart from in tourism.

Housing, which was affordable 3 years ago has gone through the roof (something I know you guys are experiencing).our property has gone up nearly £150000 in 3 years. 

You must have a very large home in that case. I remember looking around Llandudno about 5-6 years ago, thinking about it as a possible retirement location (always loved the area despite the town being a bit tacky), and making a mental note you could buy a nice semi for about £200-250k. They seem to be in the £250-300k range these days, so about £50k more. I'd agree that's unaffordable for most young people in the area given the low wages, but it's much more affordable than property is in regional coastal Australia.

Edited January 10 by InnerVoice