The UK government reported that this figure is three times higher than expected.
Official government data revealed that more than a quarter of a million citizens emigrated from the UK over the past year. The government confirmed the real number is more than triple earlier estimates.
A report published by the Evening Standard stated that 257,000 British citizens left the country in the year ending December 2024, compared to an earlier estimate of just 77,000.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that net migration— the difference between long-term arrivals and departures— had previously been based on the International Passenger Survey, which “exceeded its original purpose” and relied on a small sample, making it unreliable. A full review led the ONS to conclude that the real number of British citizens who emigrated was 257,000, not 77,000.
