The United Kingdom (U.K) has been a traditionally popular destination for expats thanks to its strong economy, quality employment prospects, vibrant cultural scenes, education quality, public infrastructure, sightseeing opportunities and more. Did we also mention that Europe is just an affordable plane ride away for short weekend breaks?
Whether you are looking for personal career progression or a suitable family friendly destination, there are plenty of options you can explore in the United Kingdom. With bustling metropolises like London to slower paced cities like Glasgow, you will be spoiled for choice.
Area: 242,495 km2 (93,628 sq miles)
Population: 67.9 million (2020 estimate)
Capital: London
National anthem: God Save the Queen
Government type: Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Languages: English
Religion: A Christian majority (59.5%), followed by No Religion (25.7%) and a mix of Islam, Hinduism, Sikism, Judaism, Buddhism and others.
Ethnic Groups:
Climate: Experiences four seasons – typically with winters from December to February (6.6oC- 7.4oC) and warm and summers from June to August (18.1oC- 20.6oC)
Currency: Pound sterling (GBP)
Expat Population: 6.2 million (concentrated in London)
Taboos: Generally, a pretty open culture but due to the conservative nature of English people, some topics like politics, class system, the monarchy and the Royal family, religion, sex etc. are best avoided in conversation.
Cultural behavior
The United Kingdom, also commonly known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is a country with a rich and diverse history. Their long string of Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings ancestors birthed one of the world’s superpowers since the Industrial revolution.
Brits, a short form for British people, are no strangers to immigrants. Since the 1945, in the aftermath of World War 2, to its stint in the European Economic Community (which later became the EU) from 1973 until 2020, the United Kingdom saw continuous growth in its migrant population!
However, it is notable that the fallout from Brexit and the recent pandemic have since dulled the overall attractiveness to expats in the near term.
Human Development Index (HDI): Ranked 13 in the world
Cost of Living: London ranked 19th in the world, is easily one of the most expensive cities in the world, with sky high rental costs. Notably, cost of living can be more affordable as you move towards the outskirts or other smaller cities like Manchester or Glasgow.
Elissa Tan