More British pensioners head overseas

THE number of older Britons living abroad is expected to hit 3,325,000 - or one in five - by 2020, a new study reveals.

Figures from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) claims that currently one million pensioners, or one in 12 of Britons over 65, already live overseas.

But that figure is expected to increase dramatically over the coming years with English speaking countries, such as Australia and the US, proving the most popular.

The IPPR claim that today there are 33,854 pensioners living in France, representing 3.3 per cent of those overseas, and puts it level with Italy but Spain remains popular with 74,636 people.

Danny Sriskandarajah, IPPR associate director, said: "Our report shows more people are moving from country to country: to study, to work and increasingly to enjoy their retirement.

"This 'silver flight' is the result of more Brits being increasingly willing and able to spend their retirement in Adelaide than Accrington.

"But it’s not fun in the sun for every British pensioner abroad. Our research shows that some find it difficult to adjust to life overseas and struggle to access healthcare or find themselves lonely without local language skills."