One in three Britons dreams of emigrating to ease financial worries

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At least one in three Britons is thinking about moving abroad because of financial pressure, a survey has revealed.

They greatly outnumber those who are convinced that they will never leave.

The findings of the YouGov poll come as emigration has hit record levels.

Last year nearly 200,000 people left Britain to live elsewhere, with Australia, Spain, the U.S., New Zealand and France among the favoured destinations.

The forces driving them out are thought to include the high cost of housing here compared to sunnier or less high-pressured alternatives - and the increasing impact of taxation on middle class families.

Immigration into Britain is also raising competition and driving down earnings for skilled blue-collar workers.

Mark Bodega, of currency specialists HiFX which commissioned the poll, said: 'While moving overseas has long been a tradition for those seeking sunnier climates, a different career path or a peaceful retirement, it now seems less of a luxury and more of a necessity.'

Among the 37 per cent considering emigration, four out of ten with mortgages planned to find a cheaper, loan-free home abroad. Those living in London topped this section.

Londoners aged 25 to 34 were the most likely to want to leave, according to the survey.

They are in the early years of careers and having most difficulty meeting mortgage payments.

The report said that any move to cut interest rates by the Bank of England's Montary Policy Committee will come too late for many.

'After years of escalating house prices, 12 months of rising mortgage costs and a month of uncertainty following the credit crunch, the prospect of a life abroad and no mortgage to pay off is becoming all the more appealing,' it added.