[stumbled]

Originally Posted by SSM

Stumbled
The fact which I’M looking at moving to Dubai is that if you have a skill, you will be welcomed in the country and have a better quality of life. If you don’t have a skill, then there is no benefit system to hide under which is one reason why the government can avoid paying taxes (not forever as I do believe taxes are necessary at some point). It’s accessible to anyone with a skill that is prepared to work and make something of their lives. If Dubai treated its citizens as second-class citizens, there would be no citizens. They would all return to their origins, but that isn’t happening.

A UK citizen pays 22% of wages (40% for high earners) in taxes……then roughly 9% for National Insurance……then let’s take about a 1000 pounds a year for council charges….let’s add on another 1500 pounds for maintenance fees (as there are more flats built than houses)…..petrol prices are highest in Europe (if not the world)…..transport in general is extortionate (we pay higher prices for a poorer service!)…phone prices have only just reached affordable levels….utility bills are some of the highest in Europe….etc…etc..etc. Which are why some people in the UK are BETTER OFF unemployed and claiming benefits!!!! What a strange lesson the UK is providing for the rest of the world. Let’s hope nobody notices…oh no…too late…everyone’s already here!

I know at least half a dozen of my friends who have moved to Gerrards Cross, but who are now considering moving to places like Dubai. If the best places in the UK cannot persuade the rich to stay, then what hope is there for the rest of us?
You state “Kids studying here in the UK come out more confident and have better support systems for their future developments”. Tell that to all the kids with ASBOs and pregnant teenagers who hard working citizens support through taxes!
Fees for schools may be on a similar scale to the UK, but the QUALITY of education in Dubai far exceeds the UK. Money attracts the best of the best.

Squeezing out middle class families??? Haven’t the Russians already done that to everyone living in central London by driving up house prices? Only the upper class can afford them (although I always thought the UK was a classless society). It’s happening on our very own doorstep. Just like the UK, in Dubai there will always be affordable housing. Unlike the UK, Dubai will not tolerate crime which is something you fail to mention.

The UK has centuries of experience of running a country (and being at the forefront of economical, technological and industrial advances for many years), but somewhere along the development stage they stalled, remained in third gear and are running out of ideas (although squeezing over 20 billion from phone companies was a laugh and a half). Dubai is the product of the last 20 years and they have a lot to learn but are slowly getting there. The world is looking at Dubai, some are trying to imitate it, some envy it but everyone marvels at it.

P.S. If you do come from the UK to Dubai, then you’ll be classed as a non-domicile. That’s where the UK will pay for your retirement in style.

SSM, you certainly pick alot of negativity , for a country that has a benefit system, free medical and free education.

This is a country of 60million people in comparison to 2-3 mil in Dubai??
Look how much good this country does for the majority why look at the minority?? Similarly, Dubai is full of expatriates, that means foreign workers who come there and work for 20-30 years and they have to go back HOME!!
Similarly, even if you are illegal in the UK and can prove you've lived there for 15 years they give you a citizenship or if you work and contribute towards the TAXES for 5 years you get your CITIZENSHIP,would you get that in the UAE?answer is nope, why cause that country is for its locals, that means you are a second class citizen there. You need a partner to start a business unless you are in the freezone. Women cannot even sponsor a maid, they don't have any rights, if you as a male ,marry a local citizen you don't becoma a local male.
How many examples do you need to be convinced one is a second class citizen in the UAE??Have you found out what morgage facilities they have?or medical facilities COMPARED TO THE EXPATRIATES??
Remember nothing is free, Dubai's cost of living is one of the higest in the world thats indirect taxes for you in the form of inflation. For IC(international city) THERE IS A COST OF 10.5DHS /SQ FT , if i am living in a house of 4000 sq ft, with a garden in the UK then i would pay 42,000 dhs in maintanence cost alone thats £6000 a year . If i am paying currently £1600 council tax i am getting away on the cheap. My children go to Grammar schools, which is one of the best education systems in the UK and for FREE!! FOR 2 kids that would be about £13,000 in fees in dubai EXAPLEof a british school Beacon Education - Beacon. I don't know what part of Uk you live in, but there has been 22,000 new community police employed on the beat in london alone, every secondary state school has 2 -4 police officers outside when kids leave school to avoid any riff -raff and bullying if any, free transport for under 16 year olds....how many pluses do you need??? Medical is free and is still good ihave had both my kids born here and the facilities were bloody good!! THESE ARE PAID BY TAXES PAID BY PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME, what do you get for your maintanence charges besides a lil greeny in DUBAI, extra parking????? people are poorer today in Dubai cause of living costs,ask any locally working expatriate.

Lastly the skillz you speak of have no value in Dubai, they employ plumbers,wood cutters, engineers, doctors, computer programmers or networkers for a pittance from India and Pakistan, to be honest even they don't flock to dubai anymore as they have better opportunities in their own countries and atleast they have their RIGHTS AND A HOME there.

No one is looking at dubai, the fact is Dubai is picking the best examples from the world and trying to immitate it out there. Yes, no doubt the other Arab states are certainly trying to copy Dubai, remember its still an experiment, no one has yet seen a boom and burst economy and recovery.

What else you want me to point to??weather? over 45 degrees. Air condition living....

I feel if one is doing well and has the SKILLZ then there is no place like the UK. This place gives you several advantages when you plan your finances and your taxes, it is difficult for people who are on the border line and struggling to make a good living. This place(uk)PAYS one of THE HIGHEST minimum wage in the world.

Have you asked why the Americans don't buy an investment in Dubai??well they are taxed on their world wide income, welcome MR.Gordon Brown, he surely is talking of bringing that to the Uk CITIZENS who use the non-domicile loop to avoid taxes, i SAY BRING IT ON, LET THEM APPLY TO BECOME UAE CITIZENS.lol