The UK government has firmly rejected suggestions that increasing numbers of British citizens are leaving the country due to rising tax pressures, despite new statistics revealing a significant outflow of young professionals.
Official Response to Emigration Concerns
Speaking from 10 Downing Street on Thursday 27 November 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's official spokesman pushed back against claims that tens of thousands of Britons are fleeing the nation following a Budget that increased the tax burden by £26 billion to historic levels.
The spokesman responded to questions from City AM by stating: "I don't accept that" when asked if data indicated Brits were departing due to higher taxes and limited job opportunities. Instead, he emphasised that "Britain is a great place to live and do business," pointing to recent investment from financial institutions like JP Morgan as evidence of the country's appeal.
Young Professionals Bearing the Brunt
Analysis by City AM reveals the substantial financial impact on educated young workers. According to their findings, 30-year-old masters graduates earning 50% above the median wage for their age bracket in 2030 will pay approximately £10,000 more in combined tax and student loan repayments than they would have if income tax thresholds hadn't been frozen since 2021.
The Office for National Statistics data shows concerning patterns, with nearly half of the 232,000 British nationals who left the country in the year to June 2025 falling within the 25 to 34 age range. This demographic represents the core of the UK's emerging professional workforce.
A recent survey conducted by the Adam Smith Institute adds context to these figures, indicating that over a quarter of 18-30-year-olds have either made plans to leave the country or seriously considered emigration.
Political Fallout and Government Defence
Opposition parties launched sharp criticisms following the release of the emigration statistics. Conservative shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith described the situation as "nothing short of an exodus of young people," adding: "Imagine a government being so bad that hundreds of thousands are literally fleeing yet that is what is happening."
Reform UK's policy chief Zia Yusuf joined the criticism, stating: "There is no better example of Labour's warped priorities than today's migration figures." He highlighted that 693,000 people left the UK in the year to June, representing the largest departure since the 1920s.
The government spokesman defended their approach, pointing to measures including increases to the minimum and national living wage, along with new tax incentives for companies to hire and list within the UK. He also noted that student movement contributes to the overall migration figures.
Think tanks and MPs have intensified their criticism of the Labour administration, suggesting the country's brain drain problems have worsened significantly following the publication of what they describe as bleak emigration data.
