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French Woman Praises UK Administration for Efficiency, Contrasting with France’s Bureaucracy
A French expatriate residing in the United Kingdom has expressed her astonishment and positive impressions regarding the “efficient” administrative processes in Britain, highlighting a stark contrast to her experiences with French bureaucracy. Lucille Joffre, a London resident and content creator known for her TikTok videos exploring cultural distinctions between Britain and France, shared her surprise at the speed and ease of certain UK administrative tasks.
Swift National Insurance Number Issuance Impresses
In a widely viewed video on her TikTok account, @lucille_joffre, boasting over 200,000 followers, Joffre recounted her unanticipatedly rapid acquisition of a crucial document – her National Insurance (NI) number. She explained her expectation, based on French standards, was for a significantly lengthier wait time.
“I find it amusing when British individuals complain about the UK’s administration being antiquated, sluggish, and cumbersome,” she remarked in the video, adding with irony, “Perhaps they should avoid relocating to France.”
Joffre playfully characterized France’s administrative system as archaic, joking about “living in medieval times” with slow mail delivery, contrasting it sharply with her experience in the UK.
Upon arriving in the UK, Joffre detailed her appointment at a local job centre to secure her National Insurance number, essential for employment. To her utter surprise, the NI number arrived via postal service “a week later,” leaving her “dumbfounded” by the promptness.
“I immediately phoned my mother, exclaiming, ‘Mum… how remarkably efficient is this country?’” Joffre recalled. She further mentioned her mother’s protracted three-year struggle to update her address on various accounts and official papers following a move from Paris to Nice, emphasizing the administrative delays often encountered in France.
Automatic Tax Deduction and Unexpected Refund Further Highlight UK System
Joffre’s second favorable observation concerned the automatic tax deductions from her monthly income. She noted this system, now implemented in France as well, initially provoked significant public outcry when introduced.
Reflecting on another instance, Joffre recounted receiving an unexpected cheque in the mail due to overpaid taxes from the previous year. “I was genuinely taken aback, thinking, ‘What? Do people actually perform their duties effectively here?'” she stated, highlighting her pleasant surprise at the efficiency of the UK tax system.
Global Viewers Affirm UK Administrative Strengths
Numerous viewers from around the world contributed to the online discussion, many concurring with Joffre’s positive assessment of UK administration.
- An Italian commenter expressed consistent amazement at the “lean British bureaucracy.”
- Another user, having resided in five countries outside the UK, ranked Britain among the most efficient.
- One viewer shared their surprise at receiving an overpaid tax refund notice, initially suspecting “a prank.”
- Echoing these sentiments, a German resident who relocated to the UK noted the significantly “faster and easier” administrative processes compared to Germany.
- A British commenter contrasted UK efficiency with US bureaucracy, recalling a document acquisition that took 9 hours in the UK versus 4 months in the US.
Contrasting Experiences: France vs. Netherlands
Another commenter recounted their challenging experience with French administration after moving to France, citing a year-long wait to obtain their “carte vitale” (health insurance card). They concluded they would “never complain about it in the UK again.”
However, a Dutch national offered a contrasting perspective, humorously finding the UK administrative system comparatively “medieval” to that of the Netherlands.
American Expat’s Perspective on UK Life
This discussion follows a similar narrative from an American woman residing in the UK, Lisa Dollan, who addressed “curious and bizarre” questions she frequently receives from US friends and family about life in Britain.
Dollan, originally from Georgia and now living in West Yorkshire, known as Yorkshire Peach on social media, previously shared humorous misconceptions about British culture in a 2022 Facebook video. These misconceptions included queries about the prevalence of “posh” accents among Britons.