13 Things Brits Crave After Relocating To The US

Living abroad undeniably opens up new doors for opportunity, but when the British move to the United States, there are a few things that they really miss. Of course, you can’t get the same delicious fish and chips or cozy cuppa tea while in the U.S., but there are several other things you may not have even thought of that Brits miss dearly.

For the Brits who swap the charm of living in the United Kingdom for the stars and stripes, huge portions (sometimes ridiculously huge), and an entirely different anthem, there are a few things that they tend to miss tremendously once they move across the pond. So get yourself comfy and grab a cozy cup of tea because we’re sharing things that Brits who take the plunge across the pond really miss about the U.K.

1. Food

Even though America has fantastic cuisine, Brits often crave food from home after relocating. America doesn’t do British food quite like the United Kingdom. They crave foods like fish and chips, crumpets, bacon, bread, and butter. Even though you can buy these in America, they’re just nothing like the flavour of the ones you find in the United Kingdom.

2. Weather

Yes, the Brits love complaining about the weather, but it’s actually one of the things they really miss after relocating to the U.S.! The weather across the United Kingdom is often unpredictable, with rain nearly always looming. Even though a lot of the weather in the United States is fantastic, with beaming sun and glistening beaches, the comfort of the normalcy of the weather is undeniable.

3. Tea

Yes, you can buy tea in the United States, but it’s not quite like a good “cuppa” when you’re in the United Kingdom. In the U.K., a cuppa is like a warm hug in a mug. It’s a cultural ritual, and brewing the perfect cup is a form of art. Regardless of how you have it, the flavour of the tea, or whether it’s a slow self-care evening, a gossipy afternoon, or you’re hosting a fancy tea party where everyone clinks their china in adoration, tea in the U.K. just isn’t the same as in the U.S.

4. Maternity Leave

If you’re having a baby in the United States after relocating from the United Kingdom, chances are you’re going to really miss the maternity leave policies across the U.K. This is because maternity leave is a major area that the United States is really behind, and lacking in. There isn’t a nationwide maternity leave program, which creates enormous hurdles for mothers and parents all across the country. In contrast, the United Kingdom offers paid time off for new mothers to allow for recovery and bonding.

5. Easy Travelling

Nearly 41 United Kingdoms could fit inside the United States, so when we say easy travel, I’m sure you can see why. The United Kingdom is a manageable size, making travel to major cities really easy. There’s also a high-speed train network that connects major cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham. The United Kingdom has an exceptionally well-developed transportation infrastructure that makes getting around seamless. Whereas, in the United States, you’d have to take domestic flights to get anywhere far or go on very long road trips.

6. Marks & Spencer

The United Kingdom is home to 1064 locations of Marks & Sparks stores, and that’s a good thing because everyone loves them. Unfortunately, the closest you can come to when in the United States is Target and Nordstrom, but those aren’t the same. There’s something different about Marks and Spencer that you just can’t get in the U.S.

7. British Media

If you’re a Brit who relocated to the U.S., you’re probably missing the British media, and for good reason too. Even though the United States has a unique and robust media landscape, the United Kingdom has a massive publicly funded broadcaster, the BBC, which offers in-depth coverage and stricter rules on broadcasting. In the United States, the media is privately funded by private corporations and often has an emphasis on entertainment and sensationalized news with fewer broadcasting rules. 

8. Voting

Relocating to the United States may have many benefits for a Brit, but you lose the privilege of voting. This could be something really missed, as voting can help you feel like you have a say in current affairs and the future.

9. Woolly jumpers

While you can definitely find sweaters after relocating to the United States, you won’t find woolly jumpers like you do in the United Kingdom. Their warmth, practicality, versatility, and tradition make them deeply rooted in British fashion. 

10. Sense of Humour

Even if you start picking up on American humour, you’re probably really going to miss the British take on humour. A Brit living in America is more accustomed to a dry, sarcastic, self-sabotaging sense of humour. In contrast, American humour is bold, exciting, encouraging, and extravagant. Even though those may be fun sometimes, the familiarity of sarcasm, darkness, and dryness will still tug at your heartstrings.

11. British Christmas

There’s nothing quite like a British Christmas. Even though America’s Christmas roots are largely similar to those of a British Christmas, there are a few differences that set them miles apart. Christmas in the United Kingdom is a season often with festivities beginning in November and stretching into the beginning days of January. It focuses a lot on the Christmas dinner, which is traditionally made up of a roast turkey or goose, stuffing, roasted vegetables, gravy, mince pies, and Christmas pudding. In addition, Christmas in the United Kingdom often involves pulling crackers and watching a pantomime. American Christmas is focused mostly on Christmas Eve. and Christmas Day, starting and ending quickly.

12. TV Commercials

The British and Americans show very different styles of TV commercials, and the Brits who’ve relocated to the U.S., likely miss the commercials they’re accustomed to. U.K. commercials are charming and quirky, whereas U.S. commercials are direct and often list the pros and cons of a product. In addition, the British air far fewer commercials than Americans. In the U.S., you might feel like commercials are constantly interrupting your viewing experience, and well, that’s because they are! 

13. Healthcare

The United Kingdom has the National Health Service (NHS), which makes a significant difference in the health and well-being of Brits. It’s a publicly funded healthcare model that everyone has access to. In contrast, America does not have a nationwide publicly funded model, and going to the doctor might cost you a pretty penny!

Final Thoughts

There are many amazing parts about relocating to the United States from the United Kingdom, but there are some things unique to the U.K. that set it apart from everywhere else. From a perfect cup of tea, ease of travel, British media, woolly jumpers, and the way the British celebrate Christmas and their entire healthcare system, it’s easy to see why Brits would miss these things tremendously after moving to the United States.