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'One in ten Britons now lives abroad'
Last updated at 12:07pm on 11.12.06
Around 1.3million of the 5.5 million Britons living abroad choose to settle in Australia
The strong pound and booming house prices are driving a record number of Britons to live abroad.
The first comprehensive survey of emigration figures reveals that more than 198,000 British nationals - including 79,000 Londoners - moved overseas last year.
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Almost one in ten Britons now lives abroad and someone emigrates
every three minutes, the research found. There are now 5.5 million Britons living abroad, with the majority - about 1.3 million - choosing Australia.
According to the think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research, the mass emigration has been fuelled by the booming economy - not because people believe the country has "gone to the dogs".
Soaring house prices and economic stability mean Britons get exceptional value for money overseas.
The survey found of the 180,000 people who left the country in 2004, 40 per cent (73,700) were professional and managerial, 25.3 per cent (46,500) were manual and clerical and 17.5 per cent (32,300) were retired or carers.
Most cited better quality of life, education and climate.
An estimated one million more are expected to leave in the next five years.
Britain now has more people living abroad than any other country. After Australia, most have gone to Spain (760,000) or the US (680,000) and Canada (600,000).
Reader views (5)
I just wish I was in a position to join the people moving abroad, particularly to Canada. But being a pensioner on a low pension it is just not possible. I would advise every one to move when they can, if ever a Labour goverment gets re-elected in the future.
- Mo, Herts
A lot of British people feel the UK is a mulicultural mess, with rising violent crime, house prices and taxes, it does not pay off to remain in the UK. Plus a lot of people feel the government has given up on them and concentrates on the minority vote.
- Gareth Crowley, Fort Lauderdale UK
What does surprise is that more UK residents don't move out of the country what with even more fees being proposed by the gov't. I do notice more Brits and Europeans now moving to Canada, it could be the cleaner air, wide open spaces(not in Toronto or Vancouver mind you) the cheaper cost of living-as low as 1/3 the cost of living in London depending on what part of Canada you migrate too. No speed camera's, congestion charges, wider roads, less tax, petrol at half the cost, lol, sounds almost like paradise except for the 6 months of winter! But global warming is taking care of that, there was hardly any snow in the eastern part of Canada last winter! And warmer temps...and forgot to mention we get loads of sun, even in winter, so less depression for dreary, overcast skies.
- Kyle, Canada
If Labour win the next election the trickle will turn to a flood, last one turn out the lights....
- James Ritchie, London, UK.
A lot of people do feel dissillusioned with the stealth taxes and the government in the UK. Does the government not realise that by moving abroad that our spending power goes with us? Realistically, those that leave the UK probably have slightly more disposable income (at the very least), so, in fact the country is losing quite a bit of money. Of the 198000 that left last year, if you assume that broke down to families of four, that is 49500 families. They are not all pensioners, but if they spent their income of £10,000 (conservative figure obviously) elsewhere, that is a loss of £495,000,000 to the UK. That is just one years worth of emigrants. It is only going to get worse with those that can afford it, choosing to leave.
- Paul Bradford, Monflanquin, France
