Brexit study finds UK nationals living in EU ‘embarrassed to be British’

A major study researching the experience of Brexit for UK citizens living in the EU has revealed the significant impact on their lives with many claiming they were “embarrassed” to be British.

In the survey of 1,328 British nationals living in the continent, many expressed serious concerns over their loss of free movement and voting rights and no longer seeing the UK as their home as a result of the monumental 2020 split.

Michaela Benson, the study’s co-lead, said it showed that if “the public narrative suggests Brexit is done and dusted, it has brought deep transformations to the lives of British citizens in the EU and EEA”.

The study, conducted between December 2021 and January 2022 as part of a wider project by Lancaster and Birmingham universities, found 59 per cent of respondents had lived in their country of residence for at least five years and most intended to stay.

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However, many were frustrated at the loss of free movement meaning they could no longer move within the EU for work, or retire to another EU country. They were particularly concerned about not being able to return to the UK with non-British family members in the future.

Questioned on whether their past or future migration plans had been affected by Brexit, 27 per cent of respondents said it had affected them a great deal, and 14 per cent a lot.

“Where does one start!” One respondent said. “Loss of rights like freedom of movement around the EU and to UK. Loss of capital due to weakening of € after June 2016. With a wife who is an EU citizen, had to decide whether to move to the relevant EU country or stay in UK. Family now cannot move to back to Britain. Loss of ability to use UK based banks. Uncertainty,” he added.

Another Briton living in France said: “I moved to France in 2020 in order to protect my right to live and work in France post-Brexit. My migration is 100 per cent a result of Brexit and end of FOM for UK citizens.”

As a result of Brexit, 80 per cent of respondents felt their feelings toward the UK were deeply impacted. Respondents said they felt “embarrassed,” “deep deep shame,” and “disappointment” towards the UK.

“Since Brexit I am disappointed in the UK. I am worried, and no longer feel like I have the same affinity for the country. It’s a shame because I love ‘home’ but the country feels so polarized,” one UK citizen living in Denmark said.

Another added: “I feel disconnected, like it’s a completely different country from how I left it... It’s embarrassing what’s happened in the UK and what continues to happen. It’s like watching a house on fire from afar.”

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Just over 30 per cent still felt very or extremely emotionally attached to the UK, compared with 75 per cent who said they felt a very or extreme emotional attachment to the EU. Fifty nine per cent felt the same in relation to their country of residence.

About two-thirds had changed their legal status since 2016, acquiring residency or citizenship in their chosen resident country. But nearly half did not have the same status – and therefore the same migration and settlement rights as some or all of their close family members.

This was a major or significant concern for a large majority of respondents, who said it was affecting their own and their children’s work, career and education, or would do so in the future. Additionally, those who felt they may want to move back to the UK at some stage felt particularly impacted since non-British partners and other family members coming with them would now be subject to UK domestic immigration controls.

“The original plan was for my mother to come and live with me when [she] could no longer manage on her own. She is not dependent on me and I have siblings in the UK. That door is now effectively closed as the visa requirements will be to[o] onerous. We'd even bought our home with accommodation for her and completed adaptation work to allow for reduced mobility,” one respondent said.