Thousands of British Expats Are Leaving Spain Right Now — Here's Why

Retiring to Spain from the UK? More British pensioners have left Spain than arrived for three years running. Here is why, and what it means for you. Spain is still home to the biggest British community in the EU, with around 266,000 UK citizens registered in January 2025. Yet official figures show thousands of British retirees emigrating every year, and the number of Brits over 65 in Spain is falling. In this video we look at what still makes Spain the classic choice for British pensioners, from a State Pension that rises every year to S1 healthcare, and where Brits actually live, from Alicante and the Costa del Sol to Almería, Murcia, Mallorca and Tenerife. Then we go through the six reasons British expats are leaving Spain: record summer heat, illegal-home demolitions and squatters, rising rents and the weak pound, health and care in old age, post-Brexit paperwork such as the TIE card, the 90/180 rule and the driving licence exchange, and loneliness. If you are thinking of retiring to Spain or moving abroad from the UK, this is the honest checklist before you buy. 👉 Subscribe for more honest guides to retiring abroad from the UK: the real costs, the visas and the catches. CHAPTERS [CAPITULOS] 00:00 Intro 01:24 Why Brits love Spain 02:22 Where the Brits live 03:59 The money 05:44 Reason 1: the heat 08:01 Reason 2: the house 09:41 Reason 3: the cost 11:02 Reason 4: health and care 13:02 Reason 5: the paperwork 14:09 Reason 6: loneliness 14:57 Who Spain is really for 15:23 Losing a partner 16:27 The numbers in perspective 18:12 Final thoughts [/CAPITULOS] This video is for information only and is not financial, legal, tax or immigration advice. Figures are approximate and were correct at the time of research; currency conversions and estimates are the channel's own. Always check the official rules with GOV.UK and the Spanish authorities before you decide. #RetireAbroad #BritishPensioners #RetireInSpain