The Brits are Brexiting
19 June 2025
The UK is facing its own sort of Brexit, with rising living costs and a lack of opportunities pushing people to move abroad. Today, 39% of Brits are planning to relocate abroad, mostly due to the UK's cost of living. Others leave for better weather or because they think it will improve their well-being.
By 2020, after the Brexit vote, the number of UK citizens emigrating to the EU had already risen by 30% and a 500% increase in Britons taking up citizenship in an EU state.
Now, the increased cost of living has made what were once seen as achievable goals, such as owning a car or a house, unattainable. For many, wages have not kept up with the soaring cost of living, making a comfortable life in the UK unrealistic.
Besides, people are struggling: a recent study on 'human flourishing', measured by indicators like happiness, health, relationships, and financial security, ranked the UK 20th of 22 countries. The World Happiness Index ranked the UK 44th for social support and 23rd for happiness overall.
Particularly, the public healthcare system, the NHS, has been suffering the consequences, with many doctors, nurses, and other health professionals choosing to live and work abroad. The tech sector has also suffered, with young workers leaving for tech hubs such as Ireland and the US.
 | Elsie Haldane, Belle de Jong |
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