Brits abroad have 'no regrets’

Expats who’ve left for sunnier climes have no regrets about leaving the UK…

A recent survey by Natwest revealed that almost all (99%) respondents said they have no regrets about emigrating, and they made a good decision to move. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t still miss life back home, as over three quarters (76%) said they feel homesick some or all of the time. The worst thing for expats is missing family and friends (73%). They also interestingly missed the traditions and culture (35%), the British sense of humour (27%) and even the pub (9%).

However, the feeling of wanting to be back home gradually decreases over time as one in five (20%) expats surveyed said their sense of being British has diminished, suggesting that expats begin to feel less British and more At Home Abroad (AHA) the longer they have been living out of the UK.

Dave Isley, Head of NatWest International Personal Banking comments: “There are a number of different reasons why people relocate abroad, to be nearer to family and friends, to start a new job, or as the study demonstrates, to increase their quality of life. This is only likely to increase in the future, with many more taking the decision to spend their twilight years sipping sangria in Spain, Chianti in Italy, or eating maple syrup and pancakes in Canada.”