Moving Away From the United Kingdom

Why people leave

UK emigration is well tracked: the ONS recorded 246,000 British nationals leaving in 2025, with roughly two-thirds aged 16-34 — a pattern consistent with people leaving chiefly for work and study opportunities, with many staying on abroad afterward rather than returning. Australia remains the single biggest long-term draw, home to 1.1 million UK-born residents, with Working Holiday Maker visa grants there surging to over 79,000 in 2024-25; Spain follows with around 295,000 UK-born residents, and Poland has seen the fastest recent growth. The gap between departures and arrivals of young adults has widened every year since 2022.

Departure checklist

1. File form P85 with HMRC if you're leaving the UK permanently or working abroad full-time for at least a full tax year — this establishes your non-resident status and can trigger a tax refund for the year you leave
2. If you normally file Self Assessment, use the residence pages (form SA109) instead of P85, with the same 31 October filing deadline
3. Deregister from your GP practice and NHS dentist, and request copies of medical records if you'll need continuity of care abroad
4. Notify DVLA if you're taking a vehicle abroad permanently, and check the destination country's import and registration rules before shipping a car
5. If bringing a pet, start the process early: microchip before the rabies vaccination, observe the required post-vaccination wait (at least 21 days for a first dose), then get an Animal Health Certificate from an official vet no more than 10 days before travel into the EU
6. Cancel or redirect Royal Mail post, cancel your TV Licence if you won't need it, and update banks, pensions and subscriptions with your new address
7. Register as an overseas voter if you want to keep voting in UK elections after you leave
8. Give proper notice on your tenancy, mortgage arrangements and utilities, in line with their contractual notice periods
9. If moving school-age children, time the move around the UK academic year (roughly September to July) and request transfer records from their school in advance

Container shipping corridors from here

• Shipping a container to United States
• Shipping a container to United Arab Emirates

Exit tax and customs

The UK doesn't charge a general exit tax on individuals simply for leaving — the main mechanism is income tax residency, assessed under HMRC's Statutory Residence Test, with form P85 the standard way to notify HMRC and formalise non-resident status for your departure year. Since Brexit, moving household goods out of Great Britain generally requires an export customs declaration regardless of destination, though this is routinely handled by the removal company rather than falling to you directly. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.

This is general orientation, not tax, legal, or immigration advice.