I’m 60 & quit my council job when they wouldn’t let me work remotely from Barbados – I’ve never been happier

A GRAN who ditched her nine-to-five council job to work remotely in Barbados has said the move has made her “happier” and she has no plans to move back to the UK.

Jacqueline Johnson, 60, previously lived in Northampton and worked for North and West Northamptonshire Council before moving overseas to work for her son, Justin, 40.

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Adventurous Jacqueline now works as a social media and contract manager in 2022 through a Welcome Stamp Visa – a 12-month visa that allows people to relocate and work remotely.

Despite the idyllic setting, the mother-of-one maintains that “it has become normal life” with work, bills, and chores – but she does enjoy the unique luxury of deciding whether to spend weekends by the beach or the pool and she loves the island’s community and sunshine.

Jacqueline has also embraced the “laid back” lifestyle of Barbados, mainly working 7am to 1pm with less stress and with views of the beach, and has noticed that locals often “don’t understand” when Britons get anxious about small things.

Having renewed her visa twice, she plans to stay in Barbados for the long term, as “it works” for her, and she would encourage others to “take a leap of faith” and try living abroad.

Jacqueline said: “It has become normal life for me now – although I might live in a country like this, I still have chores, I still have bills, and I still have to work.

“So, you know, I look forward to the weekend, thinking, ‘Shall I go to the sea, or the beach, a pool today, or meet up with friends’, or something like that.

“It is really nice when you want to do something, it’s all here.”

While living in Northampton, Jacqueline worked at North and West Northamptonshire Council within the social services department.

“It was very interesting, and it was a good insight into child welfare in the UK,” she recalled.

“So I did like it and it was a good job.”

During the pandemic, Jacqueline adapted well to remote working, so when she learned about the Welcome Stamp Visa in 2022, she jumped at the opportunity.

Jacqueline explained: “I came across the visa on Facebook and thought, ‘If I’m going to work from home, why not do it in Barbados?’

“The visa was just for one year but I thought I’d see how it goes.”

However, when Jacqueline inquired with her employer about continuing to work remotely from Barbados, she said she was informed that it was against company policy.

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She said: “I fully understood that I couldn’t do the role from another country, and because of my passion to live in Barbados, I approached my son.”

Jacqueline’s son offered her a position as a social media and contract manager at his fully remote company, which allowed her to move to Barbados without a problem.

In July 2022, Jacqueline made the exciting move to the island, a place she had visited annually since 1996.

Initially, Jacqueline stayed in a friend’s accommodation for the first few months until she secured her own apartment.

Since working for her son’s company, she has managed to strike a healthy work-life balance, even though her colleagues work in different time zones.

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“So, I wake up in the morning and start work,” she said.

“I start work about 7am here and I will probably work until about one.

“I’m not really having to juggle living here and working – if something comes in that I need to do that’s important, I can usually just use my mobile phone.

“I can be really flexible but I usually just get up on the weekdays, do my hours, and do what needs to be done.”

Since moving, Jacqueline “hasn’t missed” the face-to-face interactions with colleagues, thanks to the supportive community of digital nomads, British expats and local friends she has found on the island.

One of the things Jacqueline enjoys most about living in Barbados is the proximity to the beach and she said locals are “very friendly”.

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She added: “I am happier here – I guess waking up with sunshine every day, and it doesn’t have to cost you anything to go to the beach.

“Sometimes people here don’t understand us when we get anxious about things because it’s more laid back here.

“People always say good afternoon and good morning to each other, even on a bus, which you wouldn’t get in England.”

With few family members remaining in the UK, Jacqueline does not “miss it much”.

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Her son lives in Cambodia and her granddaughter studies in the UK but often travels overseas to visit.

However, there are a few comforts from home that she still longs for, like Cadbury’s chocolate and the convenience of large UK shops.

“I miss being able to pop into Argos,” she admitted.

“In the UK, you can find everything in one place but here you have to shop around.

“UK chocolate is expensive because it’s imported, so I always stock up when I visit.”

Despite the initial one-year term of her visa, Jacqueline has renewed it twice and plans to continue living in Barbados for the foreseeable future.

“I’m just happier here and it works,” she said.

“It’s a better quality of life and people are lovely and sociable.”

A West Northamptonshire Council spokesperson said: “We are a public sector body delivering services to the residents of West Northamptonshire and to do this we expect our employees to be available within the county to deliver all services, including those for our most vulnerable residents. 

“This cannot be done 100 per cent remotely or from a different country.”