Brits leaving Britain

The number of British citizens who chose to leave for good doubled from 53,000 in 2001 to 107,000 last year, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research. All in, some 5.5 million Brits now live abroad. The most popular destinations are Australia, Spain, the US and Canada. Going the other way are some 300,000 immigrants into Britain.

It is not surprising to see people move around but it is surprising to see the number leaving Britain permanently double in just five years.