In less than a month, I\u2019ll be among the exodus of young Brits abandoning the UK to live abroad. I\u2019ve decided to join the 240,000 British expats in Dubai \u2014 the city of growth, opportunity, safety and sunshine.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t get me wrong, life is not bad. I\u2019m in my late twenties, living in London, surrounded by family and friends. I\u2019ve been working my way up at a national paper for the past few years and I\u2019ve met someone I want to build a life with. Despite this, and my very British roots, I\u2019ve made the bold decision that I don\u2019t want to live here any more. <\/p>\n
My partner, 33, approached me in March about a brilliant job opportunity he had been offered. \u201cGreat,\u201d I said. \u201cThere\u2019s one small catch,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s in Dubai.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Swiftly after my initial veto, I began reconsidering the prospect. Eye-watering tax bills and the dreary weather suddenly seemed less appealing. Then there\u2019s the crime. My car has been broken into three times this year, I\u2019ve had more parcel thefts than deliveries and walking home along Earls Court Road feels like an urban survival challenge. In short, I\u2019m watching the dizzying decline of a country I once loved.<\/p>\n
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<\/a> at its highest since the Second World War and stagnant wages and inflation, it doesn\u2019t look like it will be improving anytime soon.<\/p>\n It wouldn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n So I\u2019m swapping my Oyster card and umbrella for valet parking and the luxury of walking around without clutching my bag like a Victorian widow. I\u2019m 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. <\/p>\n Critics will say Dubai is a cultural desert with stifling heat, a view which I deem outdated.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\u2019s Louvre and Guggenheim projects to Dubai\u2019s thriving art scene and international festivals. As for the climate, life is built round the heat, with a winter season that\u2019s near-perfect. For much of the year, I regard it as having a more liveable climate than the UK\u2019s endless drizzle.<\/p>\n 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 \u201c20-minute city\u201d plan, ensuring that residents can reach essential services within a short walk or cycle. In contrast, Britain\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll 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\u2019s prime location, we\u2019re planning to make the most of our weekends and holidays exploring parts of the world we\u2019ve not yet travelled to. <\/p>\n We\u2019re also planning to buy our first home, not just as a place to live, but as a smart investment, given Dubai\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n