In less than a month, I’ll be among the exodus of young Brits abandoning the UK to live abroad. I’ve decided to join the 240,000 British expats in Dubai — the city of growth, opportunity, safety and sunshine.

Don’t get me wrong, life is not bad. I’m in my late twenties, living in London, surrounded by family and friends. I’ve been working my way up at a national paper for the past few years and I’ve met someone I want to build a life with. Despite this, and my very British roots, I’ve made the bold decision that I don’t want to live here any more.

My partner, 33, approached me in March about a brilliant job opportunity he had been offered. “Great,” I said. “There’s one small catch,” he said. “It’s in Dubai.”

“Oh …”

Swiftly after my initial veto, I began reconsidering the prospect. Eye-watering tax bills and the dreary weather suddenly seemed less appealing. Then there’s the crime. My car has been broken into three times this year, I’ve had more parcel thefts than deliveries and walking home along Earls Court Road feels like an urban survival challenge. In short, I’m watching the dizzying decline of a country I once loved.

Grabbing lunch, running to the supermarket, or going for after-work drinks feel like acts of financial self-sabotage. The UK is simply not for the young. With the tax burden at its highest since the Second World War and stagnant wages and inflation, it doesn’t look like it will be improving anytime soon.

It wouldn’t be so bad if I felt like I got something in return, but what I get is broken infrastructure. Even a smooth commute to work on the Underground is about as common as a reasonably priced pint these days.

So I’m swapping my Oyster card and umbrella for valet parking and the luxury of walking around without clutching my bag like a Victorian widow. I’m choosing to live in a place where success is celebrated and the sun always shines. Where they have worked hard to make life smoother, smarter, and more liveable.

Critics will say Dubai is a cultural desert with stifling heat, a view which I deem outdated. The UAE has invested heavily in becoming a growing cultural hub, from Abu Dhabi’s Louvre and Guggenheim projects to Dubai’s thriving art scene and international festivals. As for the climate, life is built round the heat, with a winter season that’s near-perfect. For much of the year, I regard it as having a more liveable climate than the UK’s endless drizzle.

The crown prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, launched the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy 2033 last year, aiming to make Dubai the best city in the world to live in. This includes the ambitious “20-minute city” plan, ensuring that residents can reach essential services within a short walk or cycle. In contrast, Britain’s own transport upgrades, such as HS2 and network modernisation, have been plagued by delays and cost overruns, leaving commuters grappling with congestion and reliability issues.

I’ll be starting an exciting new job as soon as I arrive and, even better, I get to keep everything I earn because the UAE levies no income tax. This will give us the chance to enjoy a higher quality of life and build a stronger future together. With Dubai’s prime location, we’re planning to make the most of our weekends and holidays exploring parts of the world we’ve not yet travelled to.

We’re also planning to buy our first home, not just as a place to live, but as a smart investment, given Dubai’s booming property market. By contrast, in the UK house sales are at their lowest level in more than a decade, with prime London postcodes among the worst hit. Dubai is attracting global buyers and investors, offering strong returns and long-term potential.

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This might sound quite bold coming from a twentysomething with a lot of life still to live, but I’ve also seen how changes sweeping the UK have affected those closest to me. My parents made the radical decision to leave the UK for Jersey five years ago and after last July’s election result, they have decided to stay for another five years.

Unlike the UK, Dubai is a multicultural success story led by a consistent, stable and effective government: a global hub of go-getters and achievers of all backgrounds and faiths living in harmony. Society is underpinned by clear laws and social expectations, which contribute to a strong sense of order and personal responsibility. Yes, laws might feel stricter than in the West, but the trade-off is that crime is practically non-existent and there is a culture of respect.

During a recent visit, my parents were sitting in a café at the Dubai Mall when they noticed a customer leave his laptop, phone, keys, sunglasses and wallet unattended on the table while he went to buy another drink. They were astonished to see that upon his return all his possessions were exactly where he’d left them. Such a display of trust and courtesy is no longer seen in modern Britain.

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This adventure isn’t for ever — I do plan to return home one day. But until the UK addresses its challenges with crime, taxation and infrastructure (granted it can’t do much about the weather), then it will continue to lose the young and the most driven to places that simply make more sense.

For now, it feels as though the UK has turned its back on me, so I’m choosing to turn my back on the UK.