Almost half of UK adults have considered moving abroad long-term but there is widespread uncertainty around financial legal protections, according to research by Mills & Reeve.
A survey of 2,000 UK adults found that while 47% have contemplated relocating 26% are unsure whether inheritance laws and wills could be affected and 23% do not know whether relocation could impact pension access and tax arrangements.
Prospective movers are most likely to seek advice on visa and residency rules (51%), followed by local laws and regulations (41%), property ownership rules (39%) and tax residency requirements (39%).
As the appeal of international relocation grows, the survey found that 21% of Brits are likely to move abroad within the next five years.
Spain was named the most popular destination for relocation (31%), followed by Australia (19%), with lifestyle factors such as better weather and improved quality of life cited as the leading motivation for moving overseas.
Joanna Grandfield, partner at Mills & Reeve, said: “We regularly advise clients who are surprised to learn how moving country can affect issues including parental rights, child custody arrangements, financial claims, divorce jurisdiction and the enforceability of existing family agreements.
“The earlier people seek specialist international family law advice, the better placed they are to make informed decisions and to avoid complications that can become much more difficult and costly to resolve once a move has taken place.”
