Follow UK Immigration, follow UK Immigration life: In the movie "A Simple Life," there is a scene where Sister Tao, carrying a cloth bag and wearing cloth shoes, walks unsteadily through the wet market to buy groceries, chatting casually with familiar neighbors and haggling with regular vendors.
This is a scene familiar to every viewer; perhaps it is their own grandmother or an elderly neighbor. Everyone has a "Sister Tao" in their lives, or more accurately, everyone will eventually become a "Sister Tao."
In the streets of London's Chinatown, there are many such "Sister Taos." They come from China, Singapore, or Malaysia, and have lived in the UK for decades, yet many still cannot speak English. As they enter their twilight years, they choose to spend their retirement in the UK.
96-year-old Yin Lan lives in the London Borough of Hillingdon, near Heathrow Airport. Her hair is gray, her back is stooped, and she likes to wear floral cloth clothing. In the UK, seniors over 60 can use public transport for free. Every morning, she sets out from home, takes the subway for about an hour or more, and travels to Chinatown to meet old friends at the local Chinese community center to chat. Every Tuesday and Thursday, during the Happy Lunch meeting, she pays £4 to eat with everyone there, then spends another hour or more traveling home in the afternoon. This is her daily life.
83-year-old Sister Tey came to the UK from Singapore in 1966 and worked in a kitchen until she retired at 60. She receives a state pension of £105 per month from the UK government, which she says is sufficient for her living expenses. After retiring, she continued to volunteer at a hospital, mainly acting as a translator for many Chinese people arriving in the UK and accompanying older individuals to medical appointments. She is very satisfied with her retirement life: "The pension system in the UK is better than in Singapore. Even if you haven't worked, the UK government still provides a pension, whereas Singapore only provides it to those who have worked." Sitting with Sister Tey is Sister Zhang, whose memory is becoming fuzzy. She cannot remember her age or where she lives, stating that her daughter brings her here and takes her back every day. It is said that Sister Zhang is also in her 80s.
70-year-old Chen Chun came to the UK from Hong Kong in her 20s and has been a housewife ever since. After turning 60, she began receiving a government pension of over £50 per month. "My husband and I cannot live on our government pensions alone, so our life is very tight. Our health isn't great, and we live far away, but whenever we find the time, we want to come to Chinatown to meet old friends." Chen Chun's hearing was damaged in an accident when she was 8 years old. After coming to the UK, she took the opportunity to have surgery through the free healthcare system, but due to language barriers and other reasons, the surgery was performed incorrectly, accidentally damaging her good ear. Now, she has to wear a hearing aid every day. "The quality of this hearing aid isn't very good. Every time I put on clothes or bump into it, it makes a squeaking sound, which is very uncomfortable," Chen Chun said. "My children have their own families and lives, and I don't want to disturb them. My husband and I rely on our own pensions to live, and since we are older, we cannot help take care of our grandchildren." Chen Chun's daughter visits her once a week. Reflecting on her life, Chen Chun commented: "When you're old, there's nothing to be satisfied or dissatisfied about. You're happy when you're healthy, and unhappy when you're not."
81-year-old Chen Jun has been in the UK for nearly 50 years. His ancestral home is in Yangzhou, and he came to London from Hong Kong at the age of 30 as a barber. After working as a shop assistant in a barbershop for two years, he opened his own shop and later opened his own restaurant. Five years ago, after working until the age of 76, he fully withdrew and closed his business to formally retire. The UK government pays him a pension of £83 per week. He said: "Actually, life after getting old is basically at home. Apart from food expenses, one doesn't spend much money on other things, so this pension is enough."
Chen Jun's children all have their own families and live near his home, visiting him frequently. He has 9 grandchildren, 5 of whom are already in university. "The children have their own lives. Ever since they started their own families, we have rarely interfered in their lives. Although we often see our grandchildren, we actually don't talk much, because we don't speak English and they only speak English."
Chen Jun sometimes goes to the casinos in Chinatown to look around. He doesn't gamble, but he likes to watch others do it. He once considered returning to China, but after staying in his hometown of Yangzhou for three weeks, he couldn't get used to it and came back. "I don't plan on going back for the rest of my life. I've been away for so long that I'm no longer used to it. I feel the air is poor and there are too many people."
The "Songbai Association" that Chen Jun attends is another senior center in London. Unlike the Chinese community center, most members of this association are older immigrants from mainland China, and they often gather together to play chess and drink tea.
In our investigation, the reporter found that retired Chinese in the UK are satisfied with their current living conditions and quite happy with the UK's pension system. Living in the UK, their children were educated and raised there, leading relatively independent lives, meaning parents do not need too much financial support or assistance in their old age. However, their lives still bear a deep Chinese imprint.
On the streets of the UK, one often sees an elderly person with a cigarette in a roaring sports car, or a motorcyclist with a long beard. Compared to the daily lives of UK seniors who enjoy travel and exercise, the lives of Chinese seniors are generally more frugal and monotonous.
However, thanks to the UK's National Health Service, they do not need to worry about medical expenses. Because of the free use of transportation and other public facilities, as well as the widespread availability of accessible infrastructure in the UK, they have no worries regarding basic living needs, which is reflected in their relatively peaceful attitude toward life.
