I hated seeing drunks delivered to my daycare, so left the depressed UK and went to Dubai

WITH the cold weather, dark nights and cost of living crisis, it’s no wonder many people daydream about living in another country.

One mother decided to take matters into her own hands and stop dreaming.

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This year she told how she left England to move to Dubai because she found Britain too depressing.

Aimee Duncan, a short-form expert, moved her family in September and hasn’t looked back since.

She took her away TikTok page to explain exactly why she wanted to leave Britain.

Speaking to camera, she said: “So three reasons.

“Number one is that I really don’t trust the people here.

“I couldn’t trust my son to walk home from school, or walk to school himself, which obviously happens as he gets older, and I don’t want to live in an area like that.

“If you go to the high street, you see gruesome scenes, people drinking and taking drugs on the street.

“Not the kind of thing you encounter on the way to work, or dropping your little one off at daycare.”

Secondly, Aimee believes there are “simply no opportunities in Britain, while the opportunities in Dubai are insane” for her and her son.

She continues: “There are so many more opportunities in Dubai, so many more inspiring, motivating people and things happening in Dubai.”

Her third reason is the current climate in Britain.

She says: “The weather in Britain, and just the general environment in Britain, is depressing. It’s depressing. People in Britain are depressed.

“Everyone is either depressed about the weather, or they hate their job, they hate their life, they hate the government, or they hate something.

Seriously thinking about doing the same thing for the same reasons

TikTok response

“Everything is so negative in Britain. I just want to feel positive.

“From the moment I stepped into Dubai, I just felt a sense of safety and positivity. I was happy, it was sunny, we got the sun on our faces, which is huge.

“I think people forget that vitamin D is very important.”

In another video, Aimee revealed how since moving she has quit her 9-5 job, earns six figures a month and lives happily in the sun.

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And she’s not the only one who believes moving to another country is the way forward.

Aimee’s video received a lot of attention and many people rushed to the comments section to share her thoughts.

One wrote: “I’m seriously considering doing the same for the same reasons. I will follow your journey. I wish you all the best.”

Another added: “I completely agree. We are also moving. In December.”

A third said: “Dubai is so safe. I was walking around around 3am and no one bothered me.”

However, some remained concerned about how safe it was to give up financial security in England.

One wrote: “I wish I could move but I’m having trouble saving money to move there.”

A second said: “It’s not that easy to get into Dubai in terms of jobs, it’s a very competitive market! Very different from Britain.”

What is the winter fuel payment?

Consumer reporter Sam Walker explains everything you need to know about payment.

The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free benefit designed to cover heating costs during the colder months.

Most people who qualify will receive the payment automatically.

Those who qualify are usually notified via a letter sent each October or November.

If you meet the criteria but don’t automatically receive the winter fuel payment, you should do so apply on the government website.

You are eligible for a winter fuel payment this winter if:

• you were born on or before September 23, 1958
• you lived in Great Britain for at least one day in the week of September 16 to 22, 2024, also known as the ‘qualifying week’
• you receive pension credit, universal credit, ESA, JSA, income support, child tax credit or working tax credit

If you were not living in the UK during the qualifying week, you may still receive payment if the following apply:

• you live in Switzerland or an EEA country
• you have a ‘real and sufficient’ link with the UK social security system, such as having lived or worked in the UK and have a family in the UK

But there are exceptions: you cannot receive the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain.

This is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of Britain.

You are also not eligible if you:

• have been in hospital for more than a year and receive free treatment
• need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you are not entitled to public funds
• were in jail for the entire “qualifying week”.
• lived in a care home all the time between 26 June and 24 September 2023 and received a pension credit, income support, income-related job seeker’s benefit or income-related employment and support benefit

Payments are typically made between November and December, with some being made until the end of January the following year.