British people moving to France falls more than 50%

THE number of British people moving to France long-term has more than halved from the heady days of 2004 to 2005.

Research published by the Home Office shows that at the peak the number emigrating to France from the UK was around 45,000 a year.

However, for 2010 the figures show there to be less than 20,000, putting the numbers leaving the UK to cross the Channel at a level last seen around the year 2000.

When British people do head to France they intend to stay, in the majority of cases, for more than four years, similar to the time scale of those heading to Spain.

The report goes on to say that a quarter of a million British citizens left the UK to live in France and Spain for an extended period, if not permanently, over the last decade.

Interestingly the report looks at the impact of exchange rates on the number of people leaving the UK, although it does warn that the findings in this case are based on a small sample size.

But from 2000 to 2010 the figures suggest that sustained falls in British emigration have occured since 2007, which have been mirrored by the depreciation of the pound against the Australian dollar, the Euro and the US dollar.

Comments

[24/7 in France]

There are many factors involved, as you stated, and now the new tax laws introduced by President Hollande will most likely negatively impact the stats.

[Kit]

Strange. You would have thought with the present UK economic downturn and resulting gloom that people would be flocking here!

[RH]

Perhaps a really telling set of data overlaid on the graph would be to show the €/£ exchange rate - at least from Jan 2007 to Dec 2009 (which was when I bought) and I did it because at c.1.10 my belief was that it could only get better and at c.1.23 it certainly is. Heady days of 2007 up around 1.40 may return - I hope so anyway.

[Trehane]

Additionally the ability to sell homes in the UK will surely affect this..