Choosing a place to live
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Very little sunlight except for a fairly brief period in summer. About 1,600 hours per year.
Note: This comment was added at the wrong level in the chain.
At sea level, so fails altitude criterion in #2294.
London tap water is recycled repeatedly (waste-to-tap loop) and is very "hard." While currently not artificially fluoridated in Greenwich (unlike other UK regions), the high density of population upstream creates risks of trace pharmaceutical contaminants that standard filters miss.
Air Quality: While Greenwich is "leafier" than central London and benefits from the park, it is still within the London orbital pollution belt. PM2.5 levels frequently exceed WHO pristine standards, though the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) has mitigated diesel fumes.
Temperature: Not extremely cold, but "damp chill”. Summers are mostly mild.
Homeschooling is currently legal, but the "Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill" (2025) introduces a mandatory register for home-educated children, signaling a shift from a "notification" system to a "permission" system.
Very little property sovereignty: The UK planning system is draconian. Conservation areas (common in Greenwich) prevent minor alterations (windows, doors).
Taxation: As of April 2025, the classic "Non-Dom" regime is abolished. While a 4-year exemption exists for new arrivals, long-term residents face worldwide taxation at high rates (45% top rate), plus a potential 40% inheritance tax on global assets. It is no longer a viable long-term tax haven.
The UK has arguably the strictest anti-self-defense laws in the West. Pepper spray is classified as a "Section 5 Firearm" (illegal). Carrying any item for the purpose of defense is a criminal offense. You are effectively legally mandated to be a victim.
The UK has normalized arrests for online speech ("malicious communications"). The definition of "hate speech" is fluid and policed aggressively, creating a high-risk environment for public dissenters.
Rule of Law: The criminal justice system is increasingly viewed as "two-tier" and politicised. Administrative bloat causes significant delays in civil matters.
Greenwich is safer than central boroughs, but London is currently experiencing an epidemic of "high-value" street robbery (watches, phones) and bike jackings. It is not a "high trust" environment.