The number of expats planning to return to the UK has fallen during the past six months, a survey has suggested
The number of expats planning to return to the UK has fallen during the past six months as people decide they are better off staying in their current country of residence, a survey has suggested.
Around 67% of people living abroad said they had no plans to come back to the UK, 11% more than when the same research was carried out six months ago, according to Lloyds TSB International.
Instead, 65% of people said they thought their financial prospects were better where they currently lived, with only 14% thinking their outlook would improve if they moved back to Britain.
Just 4% of expats think they will return to the UK within the coming year, only 12% of whom said they were moving back because they missed the UK lifestyle, while 21% said they were making the change for their career.
Jakob Pfaudler, managing director of Lloyds TSB International, said: "We knew that most people who move abroad are glad they did so, but we were surprised at the growing pessimism about financial prospects in the UK.
"Much has been made of austerity Britain in the press and elsewhere, and it seems to be contributing to expats' decisions to settle elsewhere for good.
"But generally we continue to find that lifestyle, not financial considerations, are the decisive factors in expats' keenness to stay overseas."
Freshminds questioned 867 people during January
