UK’s Potential Exodus: Over Half (52%) Of Brits Eye A Better Life Abroad

LONDON, UK. 27th March, 2024 - Over half of Brits (52%) have considered leaving the UK for better working opportunities abroad, according to new research from Gen Z insights company Prograd.

This sentiment was particularly strong for those working in healthcare (54%), educational professionals (52%), lawyers (69%) and financial services professionals (62%), many of which make up the UK’s key workers.

Prograd’s research, which surveyed 2,147 people across the UK, comes after the latest series of government announcements, which left Britain going into the next general election with taxes at their highest level since 1948.

Moreover, although it was recently announced that UK inflation has slowed to 3.4%, the cost of living is still largely unaffordable for many Brits. It’s no surprise then that such a high percentage of UK citizens are considering heading abroad for a better life.

And it’s not a bright outlook for young people either, as nearly 40% of Brits don’t think the UK is an appealing place for young people to settle down.

When asked about what they think the biggest financial barrier for young people in the UK is, 83% said the cost of living, 64% said housing affordability, 58% said low salaries and 41% said high taxes.

Ash Brar, 19 from Sheffield commented “I’ve always thought that my future was in the UK, but as I get older it just keeps getting more difficult. Young people are being destroyed by the high cost of living and salaries just aren’t keeping up. Not to mention mortgages are crazy expensive. For me, if I can have a more secure financial future elsewhere, unfortunately, that’s the decision I’m going to have to make”

When asked about why they'd leave the UK, 41% of Brits said it’s too expensive and a further 41% said they couldn’t afford a home in the UK so wanted to settle down elsewhere.

Over a third (37%) said that the economy makes it difficult to save and 29% think they would be paid more for their job abroad.

13% of healthcare workers said that being paid more abroad would be a core motivator for moving, echoing sentiment driving the current doctors’ strikes and raising important questions about the future of the NHS.

When asked about where they would want to move, Canada came up top for Brits at 13%, followed by the UAE at 12%, Spain at 12% and America at 8%.

One of the biggest barriers to moving abroad for 39% of people is difficulty obtaining visas, raising questions about how much Brexit may have affected Brits’ abilities to chase better lives in central Europe. This question is even more poignant as 44% of respondents listed a European country as their top choice for moving.

Speaking about the research, Marco Logiudice, Co-Founder at Prograd commented “The UK, once one of the world’s best economies, is fast becoming a more unappealing country for people to build a life for themselves. As the cost of living stays high and inflation is slow to fall, it’s clear that Brits are struggling to keep up financially. As we move further into 2024, it will be interesting to see how the government continues to retain key workers and help young people thrive financially. If they don’t, it could be a difficult future for the UK as more people move abroad in search of a better life.”