Why Are So Many People Leaving the UK?
A conversation with CEO David Brockway
Elevate: David, this question keeps coming up everywhere right now. Why do you think so many people are choosing to leave the UK?
David Brockway: I think the first thing to say is that most people are not leaving because they dislike the UK. Many still love it. They are leaving because the balance has changed. The cost of living has risen sharply, but the feeling of progress has not kept up. When people feel they are standing still despite working harder, they start looking elsewhere.
Elevate: Cost of living seems to be the headline issue. Is it really that simple?
David: It is a big part of it, yes, but it goes deeper. Housing costs are high, childcare is expensive, energy bills remain unpredictable, and wages have not matched inflation. That creates constant pressure. When people see that the same income can stretch further abroad, offering more space, better weather, or a calmer pace of life, it becomes a serious consideration rather than a fantasy.
David Brockway: I think the first thing to say is that most people are not leaving because they dislike the UK. Many still love it. They are leaving because the balance has changed. The cost of living has risen sharply, but the feeling of progress has not kept up. When people feel they are standing still despite working harder, they start looking elsewhere.
Elevate: Cost of living seems to be the headline issue. Is it really that simple?
David: It is a big part of it, yes, but it goes deeper. Housing costs are high, childcare is expensive, energy bills remain unpredictable, and wages have not matched inflation. That creates constant pressure. When people see that the same income can stretch further abroad, offering more space, better weather, or a calmer pace of life, it becomes a serious consideration rather than a fantasy.
Elevate: How much has remote working changed the equation?
David: Massively. Ten years ago, leaving the UK often meant leaving your career behind. That is no longer true. People can now work for UK or global companies while living in Portugal, Spain, Dubai, or further afield. Once geography stops being a barrier, people start asking why they are paying a premium to live somewhere that feels increasingly stressful.
Elevate: We also hear people talk about mood and mindset. Does that matter?
David: It really does. Years of political uncertainty have taken a toll on confidence and optimism. People feel fatigued by constant change, rising taxes, and unclear direction. That emotional climate matters. When other countries appear to offer stability, opportunity, and a clearer sense of progress, it becomes emotionally attractive, not just financially logical.
David: Massively. Ten years ago, leaving the UK often meant leaving your career behind. That is no longer true. People can now work for UK or global companies while living in Portugal, Spain, Dubai, or further afield. Once geography stops being a barrier, people start asking why they are paying a premium to live somewhere that feels increasingly stressful.
Elevate: We also hear people talk about mood and mindset. Does that matter?
David: It really does. Years of political uncertainty have taken a toll on confidence and optimism. People feel fatigued by constant change, rising taxes, and unclear direction. That emotional climate matters. When other countries appear to offer stability, opportunity, and a clearer sense of progress, it becomes emotionally attractive, not just financially logical.
Elevate: How much has remote working changed the equation?
David: Massively. Ten years ago, leaving the UK often meant leaving your career behind. That is no longer true. People can now work for UK or global companies while living in Portugal, Spain, Dubai, or further afield. Once geography stops being a barrier, people start asking why they are paying a premium to live somewhere that feels increasingly stressful.
Elevate: We also hear people talk about mood and mindset. Does that matter?
David: It really does. Years of political uncertainty have taken a toll on confidence and optimism. People feel fatigued by constant change, rising taxes, and unclear direction. That emotional climate matters. When other countries appear to offer stability, opportunity, and a clearer sense of progress, it becomes emotionally attractive, not just financially logical.
David: Massively. Ten years ago, leaving the UK often meant leaving your career behind. That is no longer true. People can now work for UK or global companies while living in Portugal, Spain, Dubai, or further afield. Once geography stops being a barrier, people start asking why they are paying a premium to live somewhere that feels increasingly stressful.
Elevate: We also hear people talk about mood and mindset. Does that matter?
David: It really does. Years of political uncertainty have taken a toll on confidence and optimism. People feel fatigued by constant change, rising taxes, and unclear direction. That emotional climate matters. When other countries appear to offer stability, opportunity, and a clearer sense of progress, it becomes emotionally attractive, not just financially logical.
Elevate: Is this a permanent shift?
David: Not necessarily. Many people who leave stay emotionally connected to the UK. Friends, family, culture, and identity still matter deeply. What has changed is that staying is no longer automatic. People now see movement as normal and choice as empowering.
Elevate: So what is the real question the UK should be asking?
David: It is not why people are leaving. It is what would make them want to stay. When people feel valued, supported, and optimistic about the future, they do not rush to look elsewhere. Mobility is not the enemy. Complacency is.
Elevate: Final thought?
David: People are not fleeing Britain. They are making rational decisions. The uncomfortable truth is that right now, the UK is no longer the obvious choice.
David: Not necessarily. Many people who leave stay emotionally connected to the UK. Friends, family, culture, and identity still matter deeply. What has changed is that staying is no longer automatic. People now see movement as normal and choice as empowering.
Elevate: So what is the real question the UK should be asking?
David: It is not why people are leaving. It is what would make them want to stay. When people feel valued, supported, and optimistic about the future, they do not rush to look elsewhere. Mobility is not the enemy. Complacency is.
Elevate: Final thought?
David: People are not fleeing Britain. They are making rational decisions. The uncomfortable truth is that right now, the UK is no longer the obvious choice.
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