Fact check: How many people holdings British passport are living and working abroad

1. Summary of the results

The question of how many people holding British passports are living and working abroad is a complex one, with various sources providing different estimates and insights. According to ^[1], approximately 5.5 million British people live permanently abroad, which is almost one in 10 of the UK population, but this data may not be the most recent ^[1]. ^[2] and ^[3] provide more specific information, stating that around 1.25 million UK nationals live in EU countries, excluding Ireland, as of 2024 ^{[2] [3]}. Additionally, ^[1] also estimates that 5.5 million British people live permanently abroad ^[1]. However, ^[4] offers a broader perspective, suggesting that the estimated number of people of British descent worldwide is around 200 million, with significant populations in the United States, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand ^[4]. Other sources, such as ^[5] and ^[6], discuss the reasons behind British citizens moving abroad, including lack of opportunity, high cost of living, and dissatisfaction with life in the UK, but do not provide specific numbers ^{[5] [6]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some key points to consider when evaluating these estimates include:

• The distinction between British citizens living abroad and those of British descent, as highlighted by ^{[4] [4]}.
• The fact that some sources, such as ^[2] and ^[3], only provide information on UK nationals living in EU countries, excluding Ireland ^{[2] [3]}.
• The lack of recent data, as noted by ^{[1] [1]}.
• The reasons behind British citizens moving abroad, as discussed by ^[5] and ^[6], which may impact the number of people holding British passports living and working abroad ^{[5] [6]}.
• The challenges faced by British families considering moving abroad, as mentioned by ^{[6] [6]}.
• The potential for underreporting or overreporting, depending on the source and methodology used, which could affect the accuracy of the estimates.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be misleading or incomplete, as it does not account for the various estimates and perspectives provided by the different sources. For example, ^[1] and ^[1] provide similar estimates, but ^[2] and ^[3] offer more specific information on UK nationals living in EU countries ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Additionally, ^[4] provides a broader perspective on the British diaspora, which may not be directly relevant to the question of British citizens living and working abroad ^[4]. The sources that benefit from this framing include:

• ^[1] and ^[1], which provide estimates of 5.5 million British people living permanently abroad, potentially benefiting from a broader definition of "living abroad" ^[1].
• ^[2] and ^[3], which provide more specific information on UK nationals living in EU countries, potentially benefiting from a more narrow definition of "living abroad" ^{[2] [3]}.
• ^[4], which provides a broader perspective on the British diaspora, potentially benefiting from a more inclusive definition of "British" ^[4].
• ^[5] and ^[6], which discuss the reasons behind British citizens moving abroad, potentially benefiting from a more nuanced understanding of the complexities involved ^{[5] [6]}.