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From Expats to Repats and Back Again
Written on 15 September 2022 by
The years following the global pandemic have changed the way we view our lives and those within it for many years to come. The pandemic raised a lot of questions in the UK from home working, where we chose to purchase in terms of location, in addition to how we view our property given how they’ve also become a place to work. It’s also changed our habits and awareness for other aspects, in how we save and invest our money with more consideration into institutions and their environmental impact.
As we faced our own developments in the UK, UK nationals aboard have also had substantial changes to their lives. Over the past few years there’s an increasing commentary amongst the expat community of individuals and families re-evaluating their decision to leave and now looking at the possibility of returning to the UK.
Pre-pandemic the main motivation to emigrate from the UK was to find the right work life balance, to be able to live and raise a family in a healthy environment and not be confined to the work location in the city. With no travel restrictions, we still had the ability to live in a location that provided the right family lifestyle choices but also the ease to see friends and family throughout the year.
During the pandemic, the UK were leading the way in terms of vaccine roll out. But following on from this, businesses have adapted to the change and are supporting employees in their decision to either work from home or on a hybrid model. The use of technology to create this new norm has allowed employees to work from locations further afield from the office, meaning employees can now enjoy a better living outside of the costly city locations.
It's important to note, expat to repats isn’t just relatable to UK nationals living abroad looking to return, this seems to be a general trend amongst other nations with nationals returning to their place of home for similar reasons.
But what are the other reason we could potentially seeing why Expats are looking to return home.
Culture Surprise
Moving to any new location with the best intentions is one thing, whether this is for work or lifestyle, and for several years (pre-pandemic) this proved to be the case. But as we have experienced, the pandemic has shifted the way we work and live, and many are experiencing a new way of life that has been longed for so many years.
Support Network
In the context of being an expat, not being around a supportive network would have been considered prior to emigrating. Having family and friends not in proximity is one thing, but to overcome the freedom of travel without restrictions was the antidote to such a decision.
With continuous restrictions previously imposed across countries to counteract new variants, some could be wary of future restrictions. The loss of interaction during the pandemic despite it being over for many, the experience still sits uncomfortably, and the sense of loss is too great to ignore.
Spending time away from loved ones has shown nothing can be taken for granted.
Costs
With global rising inflation having an impact on homeowners’ disposable income, the benefits or circumstances to maintain a lifestyle are changing. Depending on locations, Brexit has also played its part in how long individuals can work and reside in certain countries.
Whether you are an expat looking to invest in the UK or looking to return and want to understand what options are available. Give us a call on 0330 433 2927 to start the conversation with one of our expert advisers.
Category: Nicholas Mendes
