British expatriates who are keen to escape life in the UK for a higher quality of life abroad are continuing to head to Australia according to statistics released by the UK Department of Work and Pensions.
The expat data, which was released in conjunction with the Institute of Public Policy Research indicates that Australia remains Britain’s favorite overseas destination, with a total of 1,062,000 UK citizens living there, 251,000 of whom are pensioners.
Taking the second spot is the USA, which is now believed to be home to 829,000 former UK residents, of which 140,000 are currently drawing UK pensions.
New additions to the top ten list of British expat’s favorite destinations are Germany, which currently houses 97,000 Brits including 39,000 retirees; and the United Arab Emirates, which is home to 65,000 expats, including 680 pensioners.
Top Ten Destinations for British Expats
| Destination | Number of British Citizens | Of which drawing a pension |
| Australia | 1,062,000 | 251,000 |
| USA | 829,000 | 140,000 |
| Spain | 808,000 | 104,000 |
| Canada | 608,000 | 157,000 |
| Ireland | 289,000 | 126,000 |
| France | 253,000 | 57,000 |
| New Zealand | 248,000 | 54,000 |
| South Africa | 219,000 | 38,000 |
| Germany | 97,000 | 39,000 |
| UAE | 65,000 | 680 |
The British Foreign Office also revealed that there are an estimated five million British citizens currently living overseas in over 100 different countries. The most popular destinations for Brits abroad remain countries where English is spoken as the first or second language.
Are you considering moving abroad in 2013?
There are many popular expatriate destinations throughout the world to choose from, each of which has their own strengths and weaknesses. If you’re looking for the information you need to make sure you make the right decision, check out our expatriate guides to popular expat destinations. From visa application to finding a home, setting up a bank account to finding expat friends, they contain all the advice and information you need to make your transition abroad stress free and straightforward.
