What are the reasons to leave the UK that caused thousands of millionaires to leave last year? Have you too ever felt like the UK just isn’t the place for you anymore?
You’re not alone—literally thousands of residents are packing their bags and leaving…
every
single
month
Today you will discover the reasons they are fleeing and escaping the United Kingdom
I am not going to talk about inflation and the rising living costs, because that things got very expensive in places like London, that everyone already knows.
But….
These 5 reasons to leave the UK you will discover today, people don’t talk about them very often in Britain because, talking about some of them is completely taboo – to speak about these things too loud, can even make the police visit your home.
So let’s go.
The first reason for you to leave the UK is that…
1 – Thousands of others are already doing exactly that
The UK is one of the 3 countries that lost the most high-income individuals in the world.
It is just below China and India – and those two have much more people. Proportionally, no country on the planet lost as many millionaires as the United Kingdom.
Still, I know that this as a “reason” for you to also leave the UK might sound foolish, but please allow me to explain it, and it will make sense.
Imagine a herd of bison standing in a vast and open prairie. They graze peacefully until one of them senses a threat. It could be the faint smell of a predator or the crackling sound of a wildfire
One bison might notice the threat first, its instincts screaming to move. Then the second, then the third, and the others, seeing this, follow suit.
Each bison’s decision to run isn’t based on personal observation of the danger, because if they waited to observe enough, they would be dead.
When you see many people leaving the UK, it can feel similar. You might think that following them is an unthinking move. Yet there is an underlying wisdom in the group’s reaction.
People sense changes in the economic climate, in the job market, or in social opportunities. They pick up signals about shifting conditions, and they decide that relocating might offer a better chance. Although it is possible to call it “irrational,” these individuals are reacting to real concerns. They sense uncertainty and choose to act rather than wait for things to get really bad.
In the same way that a bison knows to run when its peers do, your instinct may be telling you to move. You might not have all the data or a perfect map for the future, but the collective response of many people still carries weight. This kind of response, seen in nature and in human society, can be a powerful factor in deciding where life takes you next.
In the 12 months from June of 2023 to June of 2024, 479,000 people left the United Kingdom – almost a half-million people.
And the next 4 reasons might explain why they are leaving – by mentioning them, we are entering into dangerous territory.
2 – The growing sense of UNSAFETY
The perception of safety in the UK has deteriorated for a few years, but things got much worse since 2022.
Crime rates, particularly violent crimes, have seen a notable uptick. According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, the number of violent and sexual crimes increased by nearly 10% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
The justice system’s ability to prosecute and resolve these crimes has been criticized, with an alarming 89% of violent or sexual crimes in England and Wales having no suspect caught or charged as of June 2024.
A major concern is rising crime, gang violence, and antisocial behavior, especially in inner cities like Bradford, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, and London (by the way, check this article I wrote about safety in London – there are some things the Media is not telling you).
With rising levels of crime, parents worry about their children’s safety when schools or surrounding areas have issues like knife attacks.
And the worst is that, apparently, authorities put more effort into trying to discredit anyone who complains against crime than in fighting crime.
A few years ago, I made an article and a video about the most dangerous cities in Europe, and among them was Bradford.
To my surprise, the Bradford police chief got furious and went to the newspapers, just to say:
“West Yorkshire Police do not recognize this data and do not accept how any methodology can provide a credible comparison across continents, countries, and cities.”
and then he continued:
“Bradford is a safe place to live, work and visit. Like any city where deprivation and poverty exist, there are of course challenges.”
Well, alright, so you get furious when I say that Bradford is dangerous, but then you blame poverty and admit that there are challenges?
But this problem is not only in Bradford. The opinions of residents all over the UK reflect a similar feeling – in a video from Fast Jet Performance where he questions how unsafe the UK is becoming, the commentaries bring a gloomy reality.
Some parents worry about their children’s safety on their way to school, and in certain places, women do not feel safe to walk alone.
But what is really curious is that, in reality, it has become much harder and more complicated to immigrate to the UK lately – at least if you try to do it legally.
Since 2023, many professional visa categories have demanded much higher salary thresholds than they did in 2022. Skilled Worker visas, for instance, can require wages that sit way above typical earnings in their fields. If you moved to the UK for an ordinary-paying job or joined a small business, you might find it hard to extend your stay.
But this also affects those who have enough money to live from their savings – like retirees.
3 – The increasing amount of red tape imposed on those living on income from overseas
Recent adjustments also affect retirees or individuals planning to live in the UK on income from abroad.
The rules for long-stay entry without formal employment became more restrictive in 2023 and applicants must now show larger resources and a stable plan for healthcare and living costs. Consider that the UK does not offer a straightforward retirement visa, so older expats often rely on routes such as family ties or investment-based paths. However, investment thresholds and documentation demands have also tightened. People with pensions from abroad or passive income streams must prove that their funds meet those rising standards.
As more red tape enters the system, one might consider just moving away to other countries that are actually looking for expat retirees, who will move there and spend their pensions in the local economy.
By the way, if you’re reading this article, you’re probably planning to travel abroad for a longer time, and you want to save money and pay fewer taxes. I’ve written three top-rated Amazon books on living abroad, based on my experiences and insights from hundreds who’ve done the same – You can purchase them through this link.
4 – The strain on the Healthcare System
We must talk about the downfall of an institution that was once the pride of the UK – the NHS.
The National Health Service (NHS) is a central part of UK life. Yet post-2022 data indicates heavy strain. By 2023, In 2023, over 7.4 million people were on the waiting list for non-emergency treatments. The median waiting time from referral to treatment has also increased, with fewer than 60% of patients being treated within the 18-week target. Services like hip replacements or cataract surgeries can take months beyond standard wait times.
Emergency departments have been particularly overwhelmed, with A&E waiting times reaching new highs. In 2023, only 74% of patients were seen within the four-hour target in England’s A&E departments, down from 90% in 2019.
The situation deteriorated further in 2024, with over 1.5 million people waiting more than 12 hours in A&E before admission.
Every single one of these 1.5 million patients needed to wait more than 12 hours to be admitted to an EMERGENCY department.
Let that sink in for a moment and you will understand how dramatic this situation is.
One of the main reasons for the chaos in the NHS is the shortage of qualified professionals.
The NHS has been grappling with staffing shortages, with an estimated 100,000 vacant positions across various roles in 2024. This number includes over 31,000 nursing vacancies and nearly 9,000 medical posts unfilled. The shortage has not only led to longer waiting times but also to increased pressure on the existing workforce, contributing to high levels of staff burnout and turnover.
The pressure on healthcare services has tangible effects on health outcomes. For instance, cancer treatment targets have been consistently missed. In 2024, only 60% of patients with suspected cancer received their first treatment within the recommended 62-day target from urgent GP referral, down from 85% in 2015.
Due to these public sector challenges, there’s been a noticeable shift towards private healthcare. In 2023, there was a 30% increase in private medical insurance policies compared to 2022, reflecting a trend where those who can afford it are opting out of the NHS system to avoid long waits or to access treatments more quickly.
So yeah, for many, the NHS is no longer a reason for national pride.
5 – The Taxes
But there is one more reason for you to leave the UK, and that probably is the most important of all. The one that can really make or break your future, and the future of your kids.
The Taxes
Tax regulations have shifted in ways that weigh more heavily on certain earners. After 2022, the government began freezing some tax thresholds instead of raising them in line with inflation. This approach—commonly known as “fiscal drag”—pushes more people into higher tax brackets even if their real income has not grown significantly. A minor raise might result in a surprising jump in overall tax contributions.
This policy has been described as one of the largest tax rises in decades, with forecasts suggesting that by 20228, this could add an extra £4,200 per household in tax burden compared to 2020 levels.
The number of higher rate (40% tax) taxpayers has significantly increased.
By 2024, it was projected that 1 in 7 adults would pay the highest tax bracket, up from around 3-4% in previous years.
On top of that, national Insurance contributions saw revisions in 2023, adding another layer of stress to monthly paychecks. Some expats notice that their net pay barely rises, despite cost-of-living increases. Local authorities in multiple regions also approved council tax hikes, often around 5%.
Business owners and freelancers face their own concerns.
In April 2023, the main corporation tax rate moved to 25% for companies with profits above a set threshold.
And if you live on capital gains… well, then in the UK you are on really
REALLY
…deteriorating situation in those last few years.
Because the annual exemption for capital gains was significantly reduced from £12,300 in 2022 to £6,000 in 2023, and further to £3,000 by 2024.
The higher cost of living combined with a heavier tax load can significantly impact the lifestyle and financial planning of everyone.
It can even risk the future of your family – and that, I think, is a good reason why so many people are leaving.
But to where should I move if I leave the UK?
Where should you go instead? Where can you move that offers better weather, lower taxes, safety, and a lower cost of living?
There are two places in Europe where you will pay only 7% income tax. Those two places also have the most ideal climate for human life—the Mediterranean weather. And people there, on average, live much, much longer and healthier than in the UK.
I am talking about Greece and Southern Italy. These two countries are looking for people like you to live there. – there are, however, some striking differences between them.
So that is why I made a comparison between them, considering things that NOBODY compared before. Read it here, and discover what is the ultimate destination in Europe for those who want sunny weather, a good life, and lower taxes.
Levi Borba is the founder of expatriateconsultancy.com, creator of the channel The Expat, and best-selling author. You can find him on X here. Some of the links above might be affiliated links, meaning the author earns a small commission if you make a purchase.
