It may be better to stay in China, trust me, as I am unemployed in the UK right now! Thankfully, I am single!

Unlike many other British citizens who have no option but to depend on the state, you have other options, one of them is EFL in China or elsewhere. If you wish to increase your income, you can always return to China. I'm in China at present, and have had some very promising responses to my recent jobseeking attempt! But you'll likely need to come up with the cash to buy your air ticket first if it's a new post in China you eventually seek.
It's worth adding that it's definitely an advantage to be here in China already if one is seeking a teaching post here. Many Chinese employers prefer applications for posts from foreigners on the mainland as opposed to those in their homelands, that's for sure!