A study has shown that those moving overseas to countries such as France or Spain from Britain don’t actually miss any of their so-called ‘home comforts’.
The study from NatWest International found that the vast majority of those who had left to the UK in favour of moving to France or any other country didn’t miss British television, food, culture or the sense of humour.
It was revealed that with the advent of the internet and facilities such as instant messaging, email and Skype, those in overseas locations can now easily keep in touch with friends and families back in the UK.
The poll found that out of 1,800 expats in a dozen countries, just a quarter of those living abroad said they missed British television, while just 41 per cent missed the British sense of humour.
When it comes to food, less than one in ten said they pined for British groceries or items like HP Sauce, baked beans or Marmite.
The one thing that many expats admitted to missing was the social atmosphere of a visit to their local pub.
Dave Isley of NatWest International said: “Technology has lessened the extent of the emotional trauma or guilt of not seeing an important family event. Expats are experiencing new cultures, traditions and customs.”
Nobody within the survey said that they longed for the British countryside or its cultural heritage. The study also found that the numbers who do long for the trappings of British life are in decline.
This is in stark contrast to four years ago, when 40 per cent said they missed the countryside while a third felt nostalgic for the cultural heritage.
The survey concluded: “Missing family and friends was once at the top of the list of regrets, but it is not such a key issue today.
“The number of expats who miss their nearest and dearest has dropped by nearly a third.”
There are currently around 5.6 million British expats around the world with the vast majority located in Spain and Australia.