Middle-income Brits follow pensioners on the expat exodus away from the UK

Departures: an increasingly familiar sight for Brits intent on leaving the UK... for good

Leaving the UK is not normally the preserve of 30-, 40- or 50-somethings, in steady jobs, with kids in school, mortgages and comfortable incomes. Well, so goes the received wisdom. But a recent survey conducted by relocation experts Global Visas – and commissioned by an MP – has found that the bulk of Brits who emigrate from the UK are in fact “middle income grafters,” according to Dominic Raab, the Conservative MP for Esher and Walton who commissioned the study…

Raab believes that such a trend is worrying for the current and future social fabric of the UK, describing it as “economically and socially debilitating.”

The survey was the largest of its kind ever conducted, and the results have been surprising. Of the 5,600 British émigrés polled over the space of just five days, 39 per cent identified themselves as skilled technicians, with a further 23 per cent classing themselves as self-employed. A mere eight per cent could be classed as high-flyers: those working in the finance sector and earning in excess of €100,000 a year accounted for less than one in ten.

Instead, people earning between €25,000 and €55,000 a year accounted for 40 per cent of the respondents. Over half fell into the bracket earning between €25,000 – €90,000 per year. More than 40 per cent of those polled said that the main reason they left the UK was because of poor job opportunities and career prospects, while 21 per cent cited Britain’s high living costs as the ‘push factor’ that led them to the airport departure lounge. Meanwhile, 13 per cent were concerned about the UK’s economic outlook, and 11 per cent claimed high taxes pushed them away.

Of those polled, the most popular destination was Australia, which has long been a preferred destination for younger expats still searching for somewhere to settle down. Spain – the perennial favourite for holidaymakers and retirees – cannot quite match Australia’s robust economy, but in terms of lifestyle, property opportunities and accessibility, it is an unrivalled destination.

Raab remarked that he is keen to present the findings to UK parliament, and said how struck he was by the discovery that a large proportion of Brits who leave the country are in fact ‘middle class Britons’. While the statistics are a little surprising, emigration has never really been a serious option for much of Britain’s working-age working class. Moving abroad requires a fair chunk of capital and the ability to secure employment in an environment that may feel a little alien, at least at first.

“Although emigration dipped in 2012, a Boeing 747 of Britons still left the country permanently each day,” wrote Raab in his blog. “According to a 2011 World Bank report, Britain has the highest share of its population per capita living abroad than any other developed country.

“The ‘squeezed middle’ are increasingly among those searching for a better life abroad. That is economically draining for the UK because they are net contributors of tax and provide the skills the economy needs. Equally, hollowing out of the middle class risks exacerbating the social divisions of an hourglass economy.”

While the MP clamours for action in the UK in an attempt to stem the tide, there is nothing he can do about Spain’s enduring ‘pull’ factors: that sunshine, those beaches, the sunlight, the warmth, the cuisine, the restaurants, the culture, the people… need I go on?