Brexit ‘going to get messy and painful’ warns Adler

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The cost of living crisis in the UK increasingly leads people to move abroad to cheaper, more affordable countries. An analysis of Google search data showed that searches for the term “move abroad” in the UK have exploded by a whopping 1,000 percent as of April 2022. It comes as UK residents are faced with a 54 percent rise in the energy price cap, a rise of up to 3 percent in Council Tax and VAT levels rising back to 20 percent, along with an increase in National Insurance.

However, for those that decide to move to an EU country, several obstacles await.

One example is the chaos that the failure in post-Brexit negotiations has caused in Spain, leaving British expats unable to drive with UK-issued driving licences or exchange for an EU one.

Challenges for UK expats don’t end there, and, according to expat consultant, Carole Hallett Mobbs, many find themselves trapped in very unfortunate situations.

Ms Hallett Mobbs, who has been assisting expats into a new life for over 10 years, warns those that wish to move abroad permanently to conduct thorough research beforehand.

She stressed that settling down in a new country in such an uncertain time is more difficult than one can imagine.

Moreover, the expert claims that even repatriation sometimes can be challenging, as people that have faced difficulties might end up unable to even afford to return home.

She tells Express.co.uk: “Far too many ‘wannabe expats’ simply don’t know what they’re getting themselves into.

“A shocking number of people simply leap into the ‘expat dream’ without properly researching the details.

“Then life comes crashing down in just a few months – the grass often is not greener.”

She added: “[Expats] are depressed, unable to work, and now can’t afford to move back home.”

According to the expert, many of those that have lived in the EU before Brexit are now attempting to come back to the UK, in fear of the breakdown with the bloc and the harrowing negotiations.

The expert noted: “All the new rules and changing regulations are taking the expats by surprise.

“I’m actually finding many expats are now moving back to the UK from the EU, particularly France and Spain, due to the post Brexit changes.

“They didn’t want to register as a resident there and lose their British benefits.”

Another struggle UK expats face in the EU is the language barrier.

According to Ms Hallett Mobbs, most Brits want to move abroad to a country where English is the main language, such as the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

Because none of the EU countries – apart from Ireland – speak English, Brits are often impeded from finding employment and socialising, the expert noted.

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Life in EU countries might also be a challenge for Brits due to significant differences in rules and regulations.

The expert noted: “Different ways of living can catch Brits unawares.
“You can break rules in Germany by mowing your lawn on a Sunday. Or washing your car in the wrong place.”

And even though it may seem that life in other countries might be more affordable than in the UK, that is not the case, according to Ms Hallett Mobbs.

She stressed: “Prices are rising across the globe. Many expats assume that the cost of living is cheaper pretty much everywhere else in the world! It’s not.

“And salaries are also proportionally lower too, so it all evens up.

“In some countries, the cost of living is much higher, and this surprises many new expats.”

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