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Six in 10 Brits living abroad say they’ll never move back home

Christina Hoghton
Written By:
Christina Hoghton
Posted:
Updated:
27/02/2024

For millions of Britons living abroad, it’s a positive, rewarding and fulfilling experience

The majority of Britons living abroad (62%) have vowed never to return to the UK on a permanent basis, according to research from deVere Group.

The global financial advisory organisation found that only 11% would consider a return to the UK while 27% said ‘maybe’.

Despite the majority saying they wouldn’t consider returning home, the poll also found that 70% still regularly send money back to the UK and 81% were able to save more in their overseas location.

Almost half of respondents (44%) relocated from the UK primarily for work reasons.

Nigel Green, founder and CEO of deVere Group, said of the findings: “It will surprise many observers that despite the global pandemic and rising economic, political and social tensions in many countries around the world, the ‘pull’ factors of overseas living far outweigh those of the UK.

“Indeed, the UK’s ‘push’ factors – such as fears over a no-deal Brexit, political issues, the cost of living, high taxes, low interest rates, a weak pound, the scrapping of some age-related benefits, quality of lifestyle, crime concerns, and the weather – that encouraged people to relocate, anecdotally, seem to have intensified for many respondents.

“The poll reveals that for the millions of Brits living abroad, including myself, it is a positive, rewarding and fulfilling experience for many reasons. These include more lucrative career opportunities, lower cost of living, higher quality of life, high quality childcare and education, lower crime levels, and good weather.”

He continued: “That said, there are legitimate reasons to be concerned that the majority have vowed never to return to Britain.

“No-one knows for sure what the future holds. Perhaps they will be forced to go back to the UK due to a change of personal circumstances, for example.

“The concern is that those who assume that they will never return to the UK, or indeed relocate somewhere else, is that they will not have all the available and/or necessary financial options open to them should they need to go back to Britain, or indeed elsewhere, for whatever reason.”