More than a quarter of a million British citizens left the UK for a life abroad last year, revised population figures show, a significantly higher number than previously thought.
Last year, about 257,000 citizens are estimated to have left the UK, compared with an initial estimate of 77,000. Meanwhile, 143,000 British citizens returned to the UK, delivering a net emigration figure of 114,000, compared with the previous estimate of minus 17,000.
The revised figures fit a pattern of reports that thousands of wealthy individuals are choosing to leave Britain and relocate to countries such as Italy, Malta and the UAE. Tax changes already introduced, such as the abolition of non-dom status, have fuelled the departures, compounded by the expectation of further toughening of the tax regime by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in next week’s budget as the government strives to balance the books.
Among high-profile figures who have left, or are planning to leave, for the UAE are tech entrepreneur Herman Narula, property billionaire Asif Aziz, FinTech exec Nik Storonsky and Aston Villa FC co-owner Nassef Sawiris.
The main driver of the change in the figures is an improvement to the way the Office for National Statistics (ONS) calculates migration from Britain.
Estimates were previously based on the International Passenger Survey (IPS), but this had a small sample size and had been “stretched beyond its original purpose”, so is no longer considered
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