Net migration in the United Kingdom fell to its lowest level in five years, with 136,000 more citizens leaving the country than returning in 2025.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), overall net migration fell by nearly half to 171,000 last year, the lowest since the Covid pandemic. The figures also revealed that 75,000 younger people aged 16 – 34, left than returned, the highest number on record since the ONS started using new methods of calculating net migration for United Kingdom citizens.
Contributing factors include people returning to the European Union with more emigrating than moving to the country. 118,000 people emigrated to the EU (plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) with 76,000 arriving. The trend is not reflected in people moving to the United Kingdom from non-EU countries with 627,000 arriving versus 278,000 departing.
IAM Member Impact: The UK market continues to be one of the leading international moving markets in the world in addition to an active traffic lane to the European Union. The increasing number of younger people leaving the country lends itself toward smaller shipments.
Source: The Telegraph