where do you live now, David? [or rather, what is your nationality and that of your spouse?]

that's the most vital question as it affects your ability to obtain permanent entry into the UK.

unless you are filthy rich of course.

Whoops! Thank you, Ann, clearly that is vital information. We live in Seattle, USA, and are both Americans. My family originally comes from Staffordshire, but that was well over 100 years ago. No, I am not filthy rich, not even clean rich, although we have retirement savings enough to live on here. Thanks.

Your best source, of course, is the British Embassy in your country of residence. There are a number of expat websites that offer good info and have helpful forums. One is expatforum and another is angloinfo. When it comes to immigration issues, assuming you're not already in the EU, make sure the information is specific to non-EUers.

Assuming you aren't EEA or Swiss citizen and don't have the right to live (right of abode) in UK, you may like to know that UK abolished retirement visa for people of independent means 4 years ago. Now you have to qualify in some other ways, such as marriage/partnership to UK/ European citizen or someone already settled here (not applicable), or some kind of work or investment/entrepreneur visa.
Alternative is just to stay 6 months in a year, which you can do without a visa (most Western citizens), provided you can convince the immigration officer at each entry that you meet all the conditions as a visitor. To make things easier, you can apply for a visitor visa valid up to 10 years (still only 6 months maximum per stay in 12 months).

David - in that case, I think that you may have problems, but anyhow you will need more specialist advice than a travel forum can give you.

some people have had success using qualifications for other EU countries - once for example you qualify for Italian [or Irish, or french or,,,,,you get the picture] citizenship, you can live where you like in the EU.

good luck in your quest.

Yes, you will read and hear a great deal of conflicting information.

Regarding immigration issues, start with the www.ukba.homeoffice.co.uk

A major issue, whether seeking residency or a six-month a year stay, is healthcare. As you probably are already aware, you will not be covered by Medicare while in the UK, nor will you be eligible for cover from the NHS. This isn't an insurmountable obstacle but one that you have to address.

Good luck!!!

You can buy an expat medical insurance from BUPA for something like £50 ($80) a month.

Interesting to know, Alec. What does that cover?

Pretty comprehensive. Also it will be accepted by the border agents for meeting health insurance requirement.

Very good to know. My US ex-pat friends, age 62 and 64, living in France pay more tham $5,000 a year apiece for comprehensive cover. Big difference.

American citizens can stay for 6 months as tourists without a visa. But, if you intend to stay for that long you may be asked to prove that you have health insurance so you're not a charge on the national health system - and Medicare does not cover you outside the US.

If you want to actually live there it looks like you would have to start a business (big $ required). But I would get in touch with the nearest consulate and ask them how to get the latest specific info.

Embassies and consulates (for almost any country these days, including yours) aren't there to squander their taxpayers' money on lifestyle consultancy for comfortably-off foreigners.

You'll get more or less as much useful information from your nearest UK diplomatic post on this subject as I'd get from the London US Embassy on the reciprocal issue (ie precisely zero). They'll refer you to an extortionately overpriced helpline, which will give you less useful information for the small fortune it'll cost than the UKBA website already referred to here will give you for free.

Does this sound unwelcoming? Yup.

Our diplomats have a real job to do. Retirement advice for Americans isn't part of it, and even if you know one socially, it's very unlikely they'll have any useful knowledge about the subject. UKBA is your friend on this.

ALL very helpful information - thank you! I will follow up as you all suggest.

I know from personal experience that the Portuguese and Italian embassies/consulates in the USA provide information and arrange for residency visas for Americans wishing or needing to reside in the respective countries. This IS part of their job, arranging for entrance visas for foreigners. The American embassies abroad do the same. Sorry if someone is bitter that their tax dollars are going towards that.

The French consulate here in Washington, DC, was recently very prompt and helpful in answering questions about how to obtain permanent residency in France for my SO - despite some postings on Fodors indicating they'd be useless.

All visa inquiries for UK are directed to UK Border Agency office in NYC (attached to the consulate), and while they use a commercial organisation (WorldBridge) to handle phone queries on user pay phone service ($3 a min), they do not give individual advice - all their information is taken from UKBA website which is freely accessible. There are two ways to get individual advice - either through expat/immigration site like expatforum.com or immigrationboards.com, or through a lawyer or registered immigration advisor, who will of course make a charge (other than perhaps for initial consultation).

So while other embassies/consulates may be more helpful, for UK your choice is more limited.

David - i had a look at the UKBA website and eventually found myself at the only page that could possibly apply to you which is for "retired persons of independent means". However, to qualify for that you need to have been in the UK for 5 years.

Honestly, I think that you are going to struggle to qualify.

Annhig, that's for people already in the UK, as you correctly state. David could apply as an investor, but would have to have at least £1m at his disposal for investment in the UK.

David, look at the SET (O) form in the UKBA website. If you are still interested in applying, recommend you hire an immigration lawyer to help you with all the paperwork. Currently the UKBA is taking up to 6 months to consider applications submitted from within the UK.

Just a thought — have you considered Republic of Ireland? I'm not sure it would be any easier, but gives you another option for the British Isles. With all the rain we've had lately here in England, retirement in Florida seems a more attractive prospect.

Again, my thanks to all of you for your comments. Now, I need to start the digging. Actually, Heimdall, have you seen the rain totals here in Seattle? Weather is not our greatest concern - lifestyle, history, attitude of the people, etc. is the biggest driver for us. We will certainly consider Ireland - one of my favorite places to wander. Thanks again.

Read the information here; http://uk.angloinfo.com/
and another forum...this time for UK expats returning home.Still you may be able to gain something from it.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=61

Have a grandparent born in Eire? If so, you may be able to get an Irish passport... otherwise, if England is such a draw I'd take the suggestion to spend part of the year there and part in the US.

Unless you have a grandparent or parent born in Ireland, that way is just as difficult (if not more so) than the UK. I know, I've researched both.

I have dual citizenship (American-Irish). It was easier to obtain back when I did it in 1987 than it appears to be now. But in principle, all you need is original documentation of the birth of a parent or grandparent, which may or may not be easily obtainable. In my case, I already had it. There's a ton of pesky paperwork to complete for the embassy, though, and the staff there don't act with much alacrity.