London, October 19 (Reuters) / PRNewswire / -- The latest research from the investment immigration company La Vida shows that among wealthy British investors considering a second home or second nationality, 82.6% list taxation as their primary concern.
The La Vida '2026 UK Investors Survey' polled investors who had consulted the company regarding residency or investment-based citizenship, to understand what prompted them to consider leaving the UK and where they plan to go next. The survey was conducted from September 29 to October 8, 2026.
La Vida CEO Paul Williams stated: "Taxation remains the main concern for wealthy Britons who wish to leave the UK, with over 82% of respondents citing it as a factor influencing their decisions."
Wealth tax is the biggest concern.
Among various types of taxes, wealth tax is the one that is most likely to drive respondents away from the UK, followed by income tax and inheritance tax.
After taxes, political factors (56.5%) and cost of living (52.2%) are the other two major reasons considered for relocation. Concerns about crime and safety have significantly decreased, from 59.3% in the 2025 survey to 37% this year.
Williams said, "The average wealth of the respondents is about 9 million pounds. This is more than 20 times higher than the national average in the UK, and without a doubt, for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), each person who decides to leave represents a considerable loss of tax revenue."
The top 1% of taxpayers in the UK contribute about 30% of the country's income tax. The British government needs to find ways to persuade this wealth to stay in the UK and to attract more wealth into the country.
Portugal leads, while Dubai's popularity has declined.
73.8% of respondents listed Portugal as their first or second choice for travel destination, which is higher than the 50.6% in 2025. Italy came in second with 26.2%, and Greece ranked third with 19%.
Although Dubai often appears in reports of British wealthy individuals leaving the country, respondents' interest in the UAE has dropped from 13.6% to 2.4%.
Williams indicates that "Portugal is the preferred destination for many people. In just the past decade, La Vida clients have invested hundreds of millions of euros in the Portuguese economy through its Golden Visa program."
Brexit is an important factor.
63% of respondents believe that Brexit is a major factor, while another 17% consider it a minor factor. La Vida This year, for the first time, questions about Brexit were asked; in the previous summer, British travelers faced longer waiting times under the EU's new immigration system.
One interviewee said, "Brexit is the only reason I would be interested in a second home."
Another interviewee said, "I have no regrets about voting to support Brexit, but it has indeed made moving to Portugal less easy."
An alternative plan, not panic.
The most common goal is to have a “Plan B” or an alternative option, which accounts for 60.9%; followed by reducing tax burdens, accounting for 58.7%; and visa-free travel, which accounts for 54.3%.
Support for the UK Golden Visa
60% of respondents stated that the UK should introduce a gold visa program to attract investment.
The UK Home Office closed the Tier 1 (Investor) visa program for new applicants in February 2022.
However, both the previous Conservative government and the current Labour government have stated that they may reintroduce the golden visa in some form.
With Prime Minister Andy Burnham hoping to further attract investment, this proposal may gain more support before this year's budget and before 2027.
It is worth noting that wealthy Britons support this idea. Half of the respondents said that if a general election were held today, they still wouldn't know who they would vote for.
Williams said, "Britain is not only left behind by its own citizens but also lagging behind its competitors in the global wealth competition."
Note to the Editor
- Method: La Vida has invited over 5,000 investors who have consulted about investment residency or investment citizenship in the past decade to participate in its 2026 UK Investor Survey. The survey period is from September 29 to October 8, 2026.
- Respondents: 91% of the respondents hold British nationality, 76% reside in the UK, and 93% have a weighted net asset value of 9.7 million pounds.
- Multiple choices: Respondents can select multiple concerns and goals, as well as a maximum of two destinations.
- Data and comments: The complete dataset, additional comments from respondents, and a year-over-year comparison with the La Vida survey from 2025 are available upon request.
Contact: Lizzie Edwards
***@ goldenvisas.com
+44 0207 060 1475
Image: https :// www.prlog.org /13177263
Press release distributed by PRLog
