For many Britons reaching retirement age, the thought of living out their twilight years in rainy Blighty is not appealing.
That is why many British nationals look to other countries in the EU to retire, often attracted by warmer climates or a more favourable tax jurisdiction.
About 180,000 British pensioners live in other EU states. Many choose to settle in Spain, which is home to 70,000 retirees from the UK.
Those retiring in the EU can enjoy many of the same pension benefits as those in the UK and receive health care in their chosen country funded by the British National Health Service. But the 2016 Brexit vote has somewhat complicated matters.
The continued uncertainty over how the UK will depart the EU has left many reaching the end of their working lives wondering whether they will be able to have the retirement they had planned.
Chris Ball, a managing partner at Abu Dhabi advisory company Hoxton Capital Management, told The National there is a surge in inquiries from British expatriates looking to retire to the EU.
“A lot of people had their heart set on retiring in the EU – in Spain, Portugal, Cyprus,” Mr Ball said.
“And for a lot of people that might not happen now, depending on what happens with Brexit.”
If we become disabled, we could get economical care in our own flat, which we wouldn't be able to afford in the UK. If the problems in Europe get more severe, it becomes a more attractive thought to come to Dubai
Under a no-deal Brexit, it is unlikely that many of the benefits UK nationals living in the EU receive will continue as planned.
The British government has said its nationals living in Europe will continue to receive their state pension but it is unclear whether they will receive yearly increases, meaning inflation will make the income worth less every year.
And anyone moving to the EU after Brexit will no longer be entitled to free care funded by the National Health Service.
With the risk of a no-deal Brexit, some British expatriates are looking at alternative destinations that might be able to offer a similar quality of life.
“Malaysia’s been one recently," Mr Ball said. "They’ve got quite a tax-favourable regime. Australia, Canada and the US as well.”
For some Brits, staying in the UAE could offer the good weather and tax relief they sought in countries such as Portugal and Cyprus.
Last year, the UAE announced a new five-year retirement visa for non-Emiratis aged 55 or over to encourage a "silver economy".
Retired British lawyer John Felton, 78, has been living in Dubai with his German wife Heinke, 73, a retired teacher and examiner, since 2006.
The couple, who had considered retiring to France, say Brexit has made them even more committed to staying in the UAE.
“The health care you have to pay for but if you search for it correctly you can find good health care," Mr Felton said.
"If we become disabled, we could get relatively economical care in our own flat, which we wouldn’t be able to afford in the UK.
“If the problems in Europe get more severe, with registrations and no health care, it becomes a more attractive thought to come to Dubai.”
Mr Felton said he was unsure as a Brit what his access to Europe would be like after Brexit and conversely, as an EU passport holder, what his wife would have to do if they decided to move back to the UK.
At the moment it is fairly easy for Brits to acquire residency in another EU country but if the UK crashes out of the bloc without making a deal on reciprocal arrangements, the process becomes a lot more painful, said Nicholas Rollason, head of immigration at UK law firm Kingsley Napley.
"If we don't get a deal, then Brits will potentially be in the same position as people from other countries seeking to retire," Mr Rollason told The National.
“If they do not have residence before we leave, or before we leave without a deal, they would have to meet the normal immigration requirements, which are usually quite complicated.”
France offers a visa for those retiring from non-EU countries but it expires after one year.
Mr Felton said that while Dubai could be expensive, it was not as pricey as it was perceived in the UK. He said that he and his wife were able to live comfortably without breaking the bank.
“There is a new atmosphere in Dubai encouraging expats to retire here,” he said. “Will Brexipats make this a flood?”
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Kill%20
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UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
%3Cp%3EFirst%20ODI%20-%20Sunday%2C%20June%204%20%0D%3Cbr%3ESecond%20ODI%20-%20Tuesday%2C%20June%206%20%0D%3Cbr%3EThird%20ODI%20-%20Friday%2C%20June%209%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMatches%20at%20Sharjah%20Cricket%20Stadium.%20All%20games%20start%20at%204.30pm%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20squad%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMuhammad%20Waseem%20(captain)%2C%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20Adithya%20Shetty%2C%20Ali%20Naseer%2C%20Ansh%20Tandon%2C%20Aryansh%20Sharma%2C%20Asif%20Khan%2C%20Basil%20Hameed%2C%20Ethan%20D%E2%80%99Souza%2C%20Fahad%20Nawaz%2C%20Jonathan%20Figy%2C%20Junaid%20Siddique%2C%20Karthik%20Meiyappan%2C%20Lovepreet%20Singh%2C%20Matiullah%2C%20Mohammed%20Faraazuddin%2C%20Muhammad%20Jawadullah%2C%20Rameez%20Shahzad%2C%20Rohan%20Mustafa%2C%20Sanchit%20Sharma%2C%20Vriitya%20Aravind%2C%20Zahoor%20Khan%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULT
Liverpool 4 Southampton 0
Jota (2', 32')
Thiago (37')
Van Dijk (52')
Man of the match: Diogo Jota (Liverpool)
Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Malcolm & Marie
Directed by: Sam Levinson
Starring: John David Washington and Zendaya
Three stars
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
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Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.
In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).
“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
'Midnights'
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MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year