Young expats today revealed their reasons for leaving the UK as the exodus gathers pace under Labour. 

Last year the number of UK citizens going to live abroad was 257,000 – far more than the 77,000 previously estimated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Before Sir Keir Starmer came to power, the highest such figure was 283,000 in 2021 – when international travel reopened following the pandemic.

Young professionals who spoke to the Daily Mail named the high cost of living, rising taxes and a sense that 'everything is always broken' for their decision to pack up and go.

Others described growing political division and having to work long hours for little money. None planned to return.

Emma Hardie is a self-employed content creator who left Glasgow two months ago and now lives with her husband in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. 

The 33-year-old left the UK for a range of reasons, including the rising cost of living to what she sees as a growing culture of individualism.  

'The cost of living was a big issue - it felt like you were getting squeezed at all angles and every week you were paying more, without getting more in return,' she said. 

'It's stressful to even go out in the UK now with the price of parking, train tickets, entry fees and everything else. 

'Over here you get a great standard of living for a fraction of the cost - electricity is seven times less, for example.'

There were also cultural factors behind her decision to leave Britain behind.  

'We had fallen into the trap of that work, grind culture - with everything else in life getting put on the backburner,' she said.  

'There's too much of an imbalance in the UK, it feels like the only thing that matters is work. 

'There's also a lot of division and you feel like you're being constantly bombarded. You don't realise how much stress that causes until you step away.

'I love the nineties and it feels like I'm living in the nineties here in Malaysia. Here it's quite similar to the old UK.' 

Net emigration has peaked since last year's general election.

In the 12 months to September 2024, a net 116,000 Britons left the country. This is far higher than previously thought.

By December, the net figure for the previous 12 months was 114,000. Net British emigration was just 81,000 in 2022.

In the last decade, more than 30,000 Brits have said goodbye to the UK to start new lives in Poland.

Alexandra Mocroft moved from Faversham in Kent to the historic city of Kraków about a year ago, renting a studio flat for just £400 a month.

The 34-year-old is learning Polish at university while tutoring and babysitting to support herself.

Ms Mocroft said she feels safe and has never experienced aggression on the street, even when walking home at night.

She said: 'It's safe and quiet. I feel comfortable walking around.'

She loves the city's trams, which are punctual, cheap and reliable - a daily travelcard costs £3.55 while a weekly one costs less than £12.

And in contrast to the downcast mood in the UK, Ms Mocroft has found the atmosphere in Poland to be more positive and uplifting. 

'You saw what war and communism did to places like Kraków, and then you saw how people turned it around,' he said. 

'That spirit of reconstruction was exactly what I needed in my life.'

The expat already has a circle of Polish and international friends, and enjoys cold water dips in local wild bathing spots and skiing in the nearby mountains.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp blamed Labour's 'punishing tax rises' for Brits fleeing in record numbers. 

'The brightest and the best are leaving the UK for places like Dubai and Milan, leaving the rest of us to pay Labour's higher taxes,' he said. 

'This is evidence that increasing tax too far makes people leave.' 

Ricardo, who works in software development, has relocated from Berkshire to Bratislava in Slovakia.

The 32-year-old described having to pay high taxes for little return as one of his reasons for upping sticks - although his departure preceded the last election. 

'Everything in the UK was very expensive and you don't always know where your taxes are going,' he said. 

'You see a lot of issues, like potholes on roads, and things not working as expected. 

'For me, I mainly miss family and friends. I also miss the humour, but otherwise I prefer it here.' 

Ricardo had also grown downcast about developments in British society. 

'I felt the UK was growing more divided - something that seems to have got worse and worse since I left,' he said. 

'I also find my work life balance much better in Bratislava - there's more freedom to work remotely, which lets me travel around Europe for long weekends. 

'Public transport and flights are much cheaper here too.'

Joe Brady was living in Portsmouth before moving to Bangkok, where he now runs his own AI agency. 

The 27-year-old insisted the Thai capital was a better place to run a business than modern Britain and has no plans to return three years on. 

'My overheads are so much lower so I have more money to invest back into my business than if I had to pay for higher rent and other costs,' he said. 

'If you're a young person I'd say it's worth giving it a try. My life is less stressful and I have more money in my back pocket.'