British Citizens Who Chose To Go Permanently Abroad

[ThaiLife]

Sorry if this is not Thai related but as a British Expat I thought it was worth looking at, its from the BBC to day from ......

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6210358.stm

5.5m Britons 'opt to live abroad'

Almost one in 10 British citizens is living overseas, according to a study of people coming in and out of the UK.

Studies by the Institute for Public Policy Research, published on the BBC News website, indicate that at least 5.5m British-born people live abroad.

Figures suggest the rate of departure has been so great that population falls are only masked by immigration.

While Australia and Spain are the top locations, increasing numbers are heading to major Asian economies.

The research by the institute (IPPR) is the first significant attempt to put a figure on the number of British citizens who live overseas

The study found 5.5 million expat Britons - a number that rises to six million if those who live or work part of the year abroad are included. Taken together, they represent approximately 10% of British citizens. Until now, tentative government estimates of expats had ranged from 4.5 million to 14 million.

Over the course of 40 years, some 67,500 more Britons have left the UK every year than have returned - a population loss that has been balanced out by increasing immigration.

The number of British citizens who chose to go permanently abroad doubled from 53,000 in 2001 to 107,000 last year - some 2,000 people a week.

The majority of expats live in Australia, Spain, the US and other English speaking nations. But in all some 41 nations each have at least 10,000 permanent British residents. The IPPR's figures have been calculated from official sources, such as census data, counts of pensions paid overseas, passport applications and other statistics.

Young and working

According to the IPPR's research, those most likely to leave the UK are young workers without families, along with those seeking to retire

Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, co-author of the report, said that the scale and spread of the British expat diaspora was probably being driven by the UK's economic strength.

A strong economy was attracting economic immigrants - but also encouraging Brits to broaden their opportunities.

"Britain is truly at the crossroads of the global movement of people," said Dr Sriskandarajah.

"Two-thirds of Britons who leave do so to seek employment abroad - and are replaced by skilled professionals from elsewhere in the world.

"When the going is good, Brits get going."

More emigration expected

Earlier this year, a BBC survey on emigration attitudes found the number hoping to leave in the near future had doubled since 2003.

Young people were the most likely to want to leave, with a quarter saying they were hoping to live abroad.

Dr Sriskandarajah said the new figures indicated emigration would grow further.

"If current trends continue, we could expect as many as a million more British nationals to emigrate over the next five years," he said.

But Sir Andrew Green of Migrationwatch UK said the departure of British citizens should be seen against an annual arrival of some 300,000 immigrants.

"This net migration is the key issue - that is those who come minus those who go," he said.

"We now face by far the largest wave of immigration since 1066, even allowing for those who emigrate. This is putting enormous strain on our infrastructure, public services and on social cohesion."

Lord Triesman, Foreign Office Minister for Consular Affairs, said he welcomed the report.

"Globalisation has increased movement of people both to and from the UK," he said.

"The policy challenges are how to manage these flows effectively in order to respond to the changing needs of the UK. This research will be helpful in understanding how best to address those challenges.

"The report also confirms what we at the FCO know to be true - that a small but significant proportion of British emigrants run into trouble because they have not planned their departure properly.

"Much of what we do is designed to help people avoid such pitfalls, and we will continue to work hard in this area. "

Who left in 2004?.......

40% professional/managerial

25.3% manual/clerical

17.5% retired/carers

9.3% children

7.9% students

If you want to see how many Britions are in Thailand have a look at ........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_d...ac.stm#event_28

TL

[GuestHouse]

Like many expats I read the report with intrest, but it also includes some cautions people ought to consider Plan ahead.

Look around Pattaya, and elsewhere, at the number of old guys retiring there and it is quite clear that there is a growing population of aged expats who will not have the support of social services and welfare services they could rely on back home.

This has already become a growing problem in Expat communities in Spain, which has been a favoured destination for Brits retiring abroad for a number of years now.

[Robski]

A strong economy was attracting economic immigrants - but also encouraging Brits to broaden their opportunities.

"Britain is truly at the crossroads of the global movement of people," said Dr Sriskandarajah.

"Two-thirds of Britons who leave do so to seek employment abroad - and are replaced by skilled professionals from elsewhere in the world.

Plenty of spin on this report and even a cracking joke, (in bold print).

No mention of the real reasons that Brits are leaving, only that they are looking for opportunities and broadening their horizons.

It also reads like an advert for more immigrants to go to the UK.

In the UK since the 80's the governments unwritten policy has been if you don't like what we do, leave, we won't stop you,

then they get in foreigners that with a bit of help, time and indoctrination are happy to support the government at the elections, the opening up of eastern europe has meant that western european countries have been able change their demographic even more rapidly, much to the detriment of their native citizens, yes Britain is truly at the crossroads of the global movement of people because they are the worst offenders.

The rising numbers only highlight how bad conditions are becoming in the UK.

Read it again slowly and read between the lines, this is a report sanctioned by the BBC after all.

Edited December 11, 2006 by Robski

[Kan Win]

Who left in 1979?....... I did

Professional/managerial

TL

and never regretted a single day.

Living today in Thailand. Now Thai related.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[Francis Maube]

While travelling the world in my younger days I could not help noticing that a Brit (mostly english) could always be found in the remotest part of the earth. Quite a few years later, I was unlucky enough to spend a couple of years in the UK. I was then surprised why so few brits chose to move overseas....

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Like many expats I read the report with intrest, but it also includes some cautions people ought to consider Plan ahead.

Look around Pattaya, and elsewhere, at the number of old guys retiring there and it is quite clear that there is a growing population of aged expats who will not have the support of social services and welfare services they could rely on back home.

This has already become a growing problem in Expat communities in Spain, which has been a favoured destination for Brits retiring abroad for a number of years now.

Do many older men go back to the UK when they are close to infirm?

[Patsycat]

Wome must be a good destination

[GuestHouse]

The rising numbers only highlight how bad conditions are becoming in the UK.

I don't know what defines 'bad conditions' and of course I cannot speak for someone else's experience.

But from my own experience of the UK, conditions are hardly 'bad'.

One of the drivers behind Britons going to live overseas is the huge increase in personal wealth over the last twenty years. I doubt very much that those who choose to live overseas are leaving communities where east Europeans move to, or living in the areas with all the oft quoted social problems.

Even if they are, there is an irony a UK expat bemoaning immigration to the UK.

I also suspect that many of the UK Citizens are people who are registering their citizenship to have somewhere to run to - Certainly true of South Africa.

Do many older men go back to the UK when they are close to infirm?

I don’t have the answer to that question, I know of a few that have but that is hardly a reliable statistic.

What is for sure, only a fool would burn his bridges back to the UK.

[glenbat]

there is a growing population of aged expats who will not have the support of social services and welfare services they could rely on back home.

We all wish it was like that Guesthouse, but Im afraid our more senior persons in uk get next to nothing, it doesnt matter if you've fought for queen and country or worked all your life you get very little, years on hospital waiting lists (with the option of contracting MRSA once you've been made better), unable to afford your heating bills through winter and seeing a once great country be dragged into the gutter by the current government... You need to be an able bodied eastern european male between the ages of 18 and 40 to get on in this county now i'm afraid

2000 a week may be choosing to leave and who can blame them, with the current influx a lot more are still turning up open handed and helping themselves to already vastly overstretched public resources such as NHS, schools, housing etc

Theres no doubt where i want to spend my senior years, and to me that means as soon as possible

I look forward to the day I wish 'Chock Dee' to the UK

Rant over

[glenbat]

I doubt very much that those who choose to live overseas are leaving communities where east Europeans move to

Im afraid you are so very wrong my friend, your statement of increased wealth being a factor for uk citizens moving away may be true in a tiny tiny minority, but you speak to Joe Public in the street, in the shop, at work etc the main reason I feel is the 'open door' policy adopted by Mr Blair 10 years ago and the feeling of being 'pushed to the back of the queue'

IMO the last 20 and the next 30 or so years will become a watershed in UK history, where it went from a strong fighting nation to not only Europes, but the worlds dumping ground

[GuestHouse]

overstretched public resources such as NHS, schools, housing etc

Well the NHS for sure would collapse without foreign NHS workers.

Likewise the company I work for, we depend hugely on our foreign staff - at least half of our staff are immigrants (and you will not get through door without at least a 2:1 degree + experience) - Not so much uneducated hoards flocking into the country, but highly educated and skilled professionals coming free to the UK.

Employ Brits, yes we’d love to, but there aren’t enough with the right education and work ethic.

But what sense a reasoned argument, running overseas to escape foreigners.. More of the British sense of humor I guess.

As for the UK 30 years ago.

I remember UK 1970s - inward looking, dull, on strike and broke.

[Little Black Duck]

Did anyone consider the Cold and Damp may be an influencing factor in Older people leaving for a warmer climate to be more comfortable..

In Thailand's case the meagre pension goes a lot further and buys a little more happiness..

[Robski]

I don't know what defines 'bad conditions' and of course I cannot speak for someone else's experience.

But from my own experience of the UK, conditions are hardly 'bad'.

What is for sure, only a fool would burn his bridges back to the UK.

Bad conditions, general living cost/benefit, political climate, law and order, employment conditions, inequality, crumbling social structure, corruption, the war...etc, etc.

With all due respect GH you're view of Britain is dated and somewhat idealistic, why don't you go and live there for a while and see how long it takes to change your mind.

Your previous view that there is a class system only rings true in the fact that there are minority that can dispense with the services of the majority.

The uk has no considerable manufacturing or heavy industries now, and it doesn't need a highly skilled or intelligent workforce that might ask for better conditions to run a service economy. The only people the establishment really needs to protect are their own and those in the military industrial, political or financial sectors, the rest are dispensable and that is affecting more and more people including the middle classes.

Peace.

Edited December 11, 2006 by Robski

[scott1999]

i have to agree with glenbat for the most part, other countrys, you have to be a doctor or skilled at something they need to get in , england how ever seems to make a point of letting anyone in, as long as they have no skills and no money , o apart from third world countrys like thailand , we all know how hard it is to try to get your wife from thailand into england , let alone your step children,

now i think the people leaving england have seen there house price double and the cost of living treble , and made there minds up , its now are never, i cannot blame them,

i have a small guest house in great yarmouth , that me and my wife and my little girl run in the summer months , also have some propertys in the norh of england that we rent to students , and we still find it very hard to make a living in england , there is lots of £ in the propertys after repaying the money owed on them , so it is becoming clear to me we would have a better life in thailand , re not just 3 months of the years , as we do now, but i wont my little girl to know england , but soon will it be the england that we all knew?

ps please be gentle with me i am a newbie , but i most say the banter on the forum cracks me up , sometimes i go to bed laughing my head off ,

[GuestHouse]

Like I say, I can't speak for the experience of others in the UK.

As for living there, I hope very much to return to the UK at the end of this my current posting.

But then again, perhaps my experience of the UK is different from your own.

[Robski]

Like I say, I can't speak for the experience of others in the UK.

As for living there, I hope very much to return to the UK at the end of this my current posting.

But then again, perhaps my experience of the UK is different from your own.

No problem Guesthouse. I'm with the 4.4 million who know the score.

[psychedelix47]

A strong economy was attracting economic immigrants - but also encouraging Brits to broaden their opportunities.

"Britain is truly at the crossroads of the global movement of people," said Dr Sriskandarajah.

"Two-thirds of Britons who leave do so to seek employment abroad - and are replaced by skilled professionals from elsewhere in the world.

Plenty of spin on this report and even a cracking joke, (in bold print).

No mention of the real reasons that Brits are leaving, only that they are looking for opportunities and broadening their horizons.

It also reads like an advert for more immigrants to go to the UK.

In the UK since the 80's the governments unwritten policy has been if you don't like what we do, leave, we won't stop you,

then they get in foreigners that with a bit of help, time and indoctrination are happy to support the government at the elections, the opening up of eastern europe has meant that western european countries have been able change their demographic even more rapidly, much to the detriment of their native citizens, yes Britain is truly at the crossroads of the global movement of people because they are the worst offenders.

The rising numbers only highlight how bad conditions are becoming in the UK.

Read it again slowly and read between the lines, this is a report sanctioned by the BBC after all.

and how would you know what the real reasons of anyone are, dude?

BBC is cool.

[Rinrada]

I caught the tail end of this discussion on the box this morning before heading off to work ( dark,dismal ,cold wet...another happy day ..) and part of the jist was that 1 in 10 brits (2 million) had HOLIDAY homes abroad....more so than any other country in Europe.(got money tooo much .)

They also went on to say that although the majority chose Auz and Spain one of the big problems for the happy campers was trying to understand the local languages.

I can under stand their problem in Auz...but Spain...surely not?

[DD18]

Our reasons for leaving:

Tax

Crime

Big Brother attitude

Cost of living

Health

Social

Weather

One of these issues would not be cause but in the last 3 - 5 years every one has made a difference to our lives in some way so time to leave!

[scott1999]

good man dd18 , man after my own heart ,

[Robski]

and how would you know what the real reasons of anyone are, dude?

BBC is cool.

Perhaps 'cos I've spent nearly 40 years living there and not on another planet or under a rock, dude.

Of course the BBC is cool they make great programs about animals and things that you can watch when you're stoned.

Also BBC news are without doubt the major uk television outlet for government opinion, which is also err cool,

I mean why would they give a biased opinion? They like otters, right? err dude.

Now go and play with the traffic, dude

BTW Guesthouse, of course personal experience does count for our personal opinions,

and I do have a lot of respect for your views.

I sincerely want to wish you the best of luck and success for your return to the UK.

[Boo]

For a young (30's) couple, the UK offers plenty of opportunity. And for me as a pregnant diabetic the "crumbling" NHS has been fantastic & considering all my care is covered & I don't have to worry about an insurance policy covering aspects of my care (as other countries without NHS have to) I find the complaints amusing. But then as I said, I am young, healthy & happy to work & make good money, in another 20 years I will probably feel differently.

[Nikkijah]

The MAIN reason I left was because of the weather, it feels great waking up almost every morning with the sun shining through my curtains and giving that bright glow throughout the room.

The other reason I left was because of the little chavs who hang around every street corner trying to intimidate all who walk past... I'm not too old myself but I don't want to have to worry about getting jumped all the time, I had one mate who's nose was almost cut off for absolutely nothing - he was on a night bus in London and some chavs approached him and just started laying into him for NO reason, incidents like this soured my view of the UK

There are obviously lots of good things about the UK but if you have the choice to leave and something better presents itself then why not get out of there??

[rtaxron]

For a young (30's) couple, the UK offers plenty of opportunity. And for me as a pregnant diabetic the "crumbling" NHS has been fantastic & considering all my care is covered & I don't have to worry about an insurance policy covering aspects of my care (as other countries without NHS have to) I find the complaints amusing. But then as I said, I am young, healthy & happy to work & make good money, in another 20 years I will probably feel differently.

Boo,

You pay your NHS contributions I assume, so you are entitled to the care?

Not much difference in paying for an insurance health care policy, if you were abroad.

[scott1999]

hi boo

i am 44 , with a ok business in uk , re pay my taxes , yes there are some things better in the uk re NHS

cheap cars , , stop now running out of idears.

re NHS is patchy at best , clad for you ,

but when i broke my back some 4 years ago , the hospital did not even find the brake , till 1 1/2 years later . so i am in pain for ever now , all the doctors could say was sorry , we did not look at that part of your back in the xrays.

but as many people have said england is changing , fast . and at the moment i can just about justify living there , but for how long , dont know.

[Robski]

Well Boo I think if you don't look too deeply and you get what you need then, you have every right to be satisfied.

I've got family and good friends and England is still home. It's a place to make money so I have the freedom to do what I want, can't complain about that, it has many positive aspects that I enjoy, but it's political and social history are not on that list.

It is apparent that many people are dissatisfied with life in the UK, of course that will always be offset by those that feel that life there is good, it's all relative.

The BBC report in the OP however didn't appear to show any negative reasons for the increased exodus from the UK, just a lot of happy campers, happy to have left room for some equally happy, and highly skilled, immigrant happy bunnies to come and live in a happy land, perhaps they're all on Prozac.

[scott1999]

robski

you crack me up

could not have put it better myself .

to the land of taxes LOT

[Robski]

robski

you crack me up

could not have put it better myself .

to the land of taxes LOT

Cheers mate only popped in for a quick shoofty and here I am getting on my orange box,

anyway some of us have to stand up for the truth eh Scott,

otherwise everybody will be believing in all that old crap they put out.

[ColPyat]

IMO the last 20 and the next 30 or so years will become a watershed in UK history, where it went from a strong fighting nation to not only Europes, but the worlds dumping ground

For christ's sake, stop whining.

These islands of the European coast have been a dumping ground for 2000 years already. The Romans, the Germanic tribes, the Normans, etc.

You had your empire, dumped your misfits into other continents, occupied and changed the world, sold slaves, imported them, and the world came to you. You whined about Jamaicans, Pakisthanis, and now you whine about east Europeans. And you immigrate to places like Thailand, and give Thais and internet forum debaters the opportunity to whine about Brit hooligans let loose on the world.

Just stiff up the lip, have a cuppa tea, and please just whine about the weather. That's a lot more charming than these anti immigrant rants.

Basically, thoughout human history people moved, even before we were what can be called people. One thing has stayed the same - people still move. Any way you look at it - the notion of 'nation' and ethnic/national purity is foolish, if you look at human history.

Genetic and cultural diversity is the key to human development and survival. Genetic diversity helps protecting you against deseases and stops you from turning into peckerwoods, cultural diversity keeps development going. Given recent Brit cultural highlights such as chav "culture" - you are in desperate need for fresh input into your genetic pool.

And, immigration has given the UK for the first time in its history digestible food. That at least should count for something.

Edited December 11, 2006 by ColPyat

[Jonson83]

I agree with just about everything you have said on this thread Robski.Your comments on the BBC are spot on aswell.

I wonder if the BBC could tell us what percventage of those 5 million expats living abroad are white....