A British man has explained why he's decided to wave goodbye to the UK and settle in a much sunnier country with cheaper property.
In recent years it's been quite easy to feel a little glum about life here on the British Isles, where inflation is at 10%, the property market seemingly out of control and the prospect of a sunny summer never guaranteed.
On top of struggling to pay bills plenty of Brits are having to settle for a staycation at the beach this year – which can be wonderful, but only if the sun holds up, the Daily Star reports.
At least in part due to these reasons - and what is going on Down Under - as many as 35,000 British nationals emigrate to start a new life in Australia each year. In fact, the government of Western Australia alone announced it was looking for 50,0000 Brits to make the move this year.
Have you swapped the UK for another country? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
Thankfully for anyone wanting to try out Aus, the rules about working visa holidays are set to get easier in the next 24 months for anyone under 35-years-old.
One British man who has made the move permanently already is Ben, from Epping in Essex, who first travelled to Australia in 2015 to play cricket. He quickly fell in love with both the lifestyle and a woman he met in Victoria.
The 30-year-old decided to make the move full time and now claims that the "cheaper" property market is a massive bonus.
Ben explained: "I first came to Australia in October 2015 to play cricket for Maffra for six months. I decided to stay as I met my now wife and loved the lifestyle Australia could offer.
"It was so relaxed and friendly and I loved the people I met in Country Victoria. Everyone I have come across have been extremely friendly and welcoming.
"Apart from being called Pom every now and then and poking fun at my accent, everyone was lovely! The property market is a lot cheaper in Australia.
"Comparing where I live now to what I could get where I was from in the UK is miles apart. We actually built our house which tells you how much space there is in Australia, especially in Country Victoria where we currently live."
While the average house price is more expensive in Australia than in the UK - around £500,000 compared to £290,000 - workers Down Under take home £60,000 a year, compared to £38,000 for Brits.
As favourable as the financial situation may be in parts of the southern hemisphere, Ben says there are some culture shocks he was not prepared for.
"One of the biggest culture shocks was the amount of people walking around with no shoes on! Another was how cold everyone likes their beers, there wasn't a pint of Bitter in sight anywhere," he said.
"Also, having warm weather on Christmas Day is something I still can't get used to but would take it over snow any day."
To add to the shoe-less situation and warm festivities, another adjustment Ben has had to make is living thousands of miles away from most of his loved ones.
He continued: "They were very shocked at first but understood why I wanted to make the move. They have visited numerous times now and completely understand why I wanted to move.
"I can't see myself and my family moving back to the UK, I can however imagine us going for a nine month stay to work and let our children experience a year in school in England.
"There is nothing I really dislike about the lifestyle there are some aspects of UK culture that I do miss. A traditional English pub is something I often crave and a real Sunday Roast dinner too.
"I love the slower paced lifestyle and friendly people. The lifestyle is very different, I have found the work life balance to be much better in Australia.
"We sometimes take a trip to the beach of a Sunday morning to walk our dog as it is only a 30 minute drive. I also cook a lot of our evening meals on the BBQ, especially in the summer, as the weather is a lot nicer."
However, if you’re considering ditching the UK for Australia there are certain things you should consider before you book your ticket, like work and visas.
Ben explained: "The working holiday visa I initially came to Australia on was very easy to get. I had confirmation within an hour of submitting it. As for the visas to stay permanently, these take a lot longer and there is a lot of detail and processes involved.
"I work full time. I am a junior accountant, I have worked in the role for a few years and have just started my university studies as I wasn't able to study before I became a citizen. I earn around 20% more in Australia compared to a similar role in the UK."
