Life Without the EU
Leaving the EU wasn’t just a political shift; it changed how we live, work, move, and connect.
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This page doesn’t try to relitigate the vote. It focuses on something quieter but more personal: what day-to-day life feels like now, and how it’s evolved since 2020.
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1. A New Reality for Young People
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For many students, Brexit meant missing out on a chance to study, train, or volunteer in Europe. Not because of their grades, but because the doors simply don’t open like they used to.
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“My older sister studied in Paris with Erasmus. I had to cancel my placement because our college lost the funding.”
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Explore: What Did the EU Actually Do for Us
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2. Red Tape Where There Was None
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Thousands of small businesses now face new forms, fees, and border checks. For some, the maths just stopped working. For others, it’s become a daily frustration.
“It was cheaper and quicker for me to produce a product in France or Poland, then ship it to Dublin, than it was to produce it in England and ship it to Dublin. Now we need paperwork like export codes, which we didn't need before. Then customers get annoyed as they wonder where their package is."
3. Freedom of Movement — A Closed Door
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For decades, Brits could live, work, or retire in 27 other countries with no paperwork. That freedom is now gone. Visas, fees, restrictions; they’re part of everyday planning.
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“My Mum had a flat in Spain. Now they can’t stay more than 90 days, so they decided to sell it.”
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Explore: What Did the EU Actually Do for Us
4. Quiet Changes at the Checkout
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Brexit didn’t cause every price rise, but it added friction that raised costs in the background: customs checks, supply delays, and new import charges. They don’t make headlines, but we all feel them.
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“I've started to see my shopping bills go up. Whatever it is, it started after 2020, and it hasn’t gone back down yet.”
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Why We’re Sharing This
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These aren’t statistics; they’re everyday experiences. Whether you supported Brexit, opposed it, or just want things to work better now, these stories do matter.
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We can't do anything, going over the past. However we can look clearly at the present and ask better questions about the future.
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“If we can’t talk about this calmly, how can we move forward?”
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Explore: Conversation Tools →
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