United Kingdom
Northern Europe
EuropeNon-EU
A global English-speaking finance and tech centre with world-class universities and an Innovator Founder visa, though post-Brexit it lost EU free movement and abolished its non-dom regime in 2025.
77
Overall score
Good · 100% data coverage
Language
EnglishCurrency
GBPCitizenship
5–6 years (ILR + 12 months)Personal tax
20 / 40 / 45% + National InsuranceCost of living
£2,300 / mo (single)Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.
Score breakdown
73
Access
17%72Residence12%
77Citizenship and passport5%
72
Earning power
25%71Salary and work12%
73Buying power13%
71
Business and wealth
20%50Taxes7%
80Business8%
85Investment5%
84
Daily life
25%81Quality of life18%
93Education7%
88
Rights and institutions
13%85Freedom6%
90Rule of law7%
Pros
- Top financial & tech ecosystem
- Innovator Founder & Global Talent visas
- English; powerful passport
Cons
- No EU free movement (Brexit)
- High living costs & taxes
- Non-dom regime abolished (2025)
Best for
Founders & finance professionalsSkilled workersEnglish-speaking students
Score profile
Access
Residence
72
Citizenship
70
Passport
95
Earning power
Salary & work
71
Buying power
73
Cost of living
36
Economy
77
Business and wealth
Taxes
50
Personal tax
18
Corporate tax
29
Business
80
Investment
85
Wealth building
66
Daily life
Safety
80
Healthcare
83
Environment
94
Infrastructure
80
Education
93
HDI
95
Rights and institutions
Freedom
85
Rule of law
90
Access
Residence
Openness to residents
72Good
Migrant stock17.1% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality1.51 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Main pathways
Skilled Worker visaInnovator FounderGlobal TalentHigh Potential Individual
| Student | Student visa; 20 hrs/week term-time; Graduate route to work after. |
|---|---|
| Work | Skilled Worker visa via licensed sponsor + salary threshold. |
| Self-employed | Innovator Founder visa (endorsed business) for entrepreneurs. |
| Permanent | Indefinite Leave to Remain after ~5 years. |
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
70Good
| Years required | 5 years to ILR, then 12 months before naturalisation (3 if married to a Briton) |
|---|---|
| Dual allowed | Yes |
| Language | English (B1) + Life in the UK test |
| Residence | Indefinite Leave to Remain held for 12 months; presence limits apply |
| Notes | From April 2025 the remittance-basis non-dom regime was replaced by a residence-based FIG regime for new arrivals. |
Passport
Passport power
95Excellent
189 / 198
Mobility
#6
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
- Visa-free142
- On arrival38
- eTA9
- Visa required9
Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.
Earning power
Salary & work
Labour-market strength
71Good
Output per worker$107,846 PPP (2024)
Unemployment4.7% (2025)
Participation61.4% of 15+ (2025)
Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$2,795 · $3,538 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$4,512 · $5,553 PPP (2024)
| Freelance | Large contracting market; IR35 affects engagements |
|---|---|
| Job market | London fintech/AI hub; Cambridge, Manchester, Edinburgh growing. |
Buying power
Purchasing power score
73Good
GNI / person$64,210 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$35,491 PPP (2023)
Price level92 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality32.4 Gini (2021)
Inflation3.9% / yr (2025)
Cost of living
Affordability
36Limited
Price level92 (US = 100) (2025)
| Rent | £1,600–2,600 (1BR London) |
|---|---|
| Monthly | £2,300 |
| Cities | London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol |
Economy
Economic strength
77Good
Output & income
GDP$4T (2025)
GDP / person$57,602 (2025)
GNI / person$64,210 PPP (2025)
GDP growth1.1% / yr (2024)
Stability & labour
Inflation3.9% / yr (2025)
Unemployment4.7% (2025)
Output per worker$107,846 PPP (2024)
Sector composition
Agriculture0.6% of GDP (2025)
Industry16.5% of GDP (2025)
Services73.1% of GDP (2025)
Main industries
Financial servicesTechnologyCreative industriesPharmaceuticalsAerospaceEducation
Top exports
Financial & business servicesMachineryPharmaceuticalsCarsAircraft parts
| Type | High-income, services- and finance-led |
|---|---|
| Key sectors | City of London finance, Tech & fintech, Creative & professional services |
| Summary | A services-dominated economy anchored by global finance in London, with strong tech, pharma and creative sectors. |
| Currency | Pound sterling (a major reserve currency) |
Business and wealth
Taxes
Tax friendliness
50Moderate
| Personal | 20% / 40% / 45% + National Insurance |
|---|---|
| Corporate | 25% (19% small-profits rate) |
| Capital gains | 18% / 24% |
| Dividends | 8.75% / 33.75% / 39.35% |
| Exit tax | No general individual exit tax |
| Foreign companies | CFC rules apply |
Personal tax
Personal tax
18Low
| Personal | 20% / 40% / 45% + National Insurance |
|---|---|
| Freelance | Sole trader simple; IR35 rules govern disguised employment |
| Capital gains | 18% / 24% |
| Dividends | 8.75% / 33.75% / 39.35% |
| Exit tax | No general individual exit tax |
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
29Low
| Corporate | 25% (19% small-profits rate) |
|---|---|
| Capital gains | 18% / 24% |
| Dividends | 8.75% / 33.75% / 39.35% |
| Foreign companies | CFC rules apply |
Business
Business friendliness
80Excellent
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality1.51 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness1.18 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Operating rules
| Foreign company | Yes: no nationality restriction |
|---|---|
| Local company | Ltd via Companies House online in ~24 hours |
| Freelance | Sole trader simple; IR35 rules govern disguised employment |
Investment
Investing environment
85Excellent
Market cap97% of GDP (2022)
Private credit112% of GDP (2024)
| Capital gains | 18/24% CGT; ISAs and pensions shelter growth tax-free |
|---|---|
| Dividends | Data not available yet |
| ETFs & funds | Data not available yet |
| Wealth tax | None |
| Brokers | Excellent: Hargreaves Lansdown, Trading 212, Interactive Brokers |
| Foreign access | Data not available yet |
| Tax-advantaged | Data not available yet |
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
66Good
Salary & work
71Good
Business
80Excellent
Investment
85Excellent
Tax friendliness
50Moderate
Cost of living
36Limited
Daily life
Safety
Safety & stability
80Excellent
Institutions & stability
Control of corruption1.51 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.26 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.
Healthcare
Healthcare score
83Excellent
Outcomes
Life expectancy81.4 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality4.7 per 1,000 births (2024)
Capacity & resourcing
Physicians3.30 per 1,000 (2023)
Hospital beds2.42 per 1,000 (2022)
Health spending$6,606 PPP / person (2024)
System & costs
| System | Universal public (NHS) |
|---|---|
| Insurance | NHS free at point of use; visa holders pay the IHS surcharge |
| Average cost | Immigration Health Surcharge ~£1,035/yr per visa |
Environment
Environment score
94Excellent
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure9.5 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress14.4% (2022)
Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
80Excellent
Digital infrastructure
Internet use95.5% (2024)
Internet resilience72 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed84 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed66 / 100 download index (2026)
Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index
Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses9.9% of output (2024)
Transport
Transport quality3.70 / 5 (2022)
Rail density66.9 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity12,077 departures / million people (2023)
Education
Education score
93Excellent
Attainment
Expected schooling17.8 years (2023)
Mean schooling13.5 years (2023)
Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment80% gross (2023)
Education spending5.9% of GDP (2021)
| Tuition | £9,250 (home) / £20,000–38,000 (international) |
|---|---|
| Public university | Home students capped ~£9,250/yr; international far higher |
| Languages | English |
| Student work | 20 hrs/week term-time; Graduate visa (2 yrs) after study |
HDI
Human development score
95Excellent
HDI0.946 (2023)
Knowledge
Expected schooling17.8 years (2023)
Mean schooling13.5 years (2023)
Rights and institutions
Freedom
Freedom score
85Excellent
| Freedom in the World | 91 / 100 (Free) |
|---|---|
| Freedom on the Net | 76 / 100 (Free) |
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
90Excellent
| Rule of Law percentile | 90 / 100 |
|---|
Sources
Resources
Official references
GOV.UK: Visas & immigrationgov.ukHMRC: Taxgov.ukGOV.UK: Innovator Founder visagov.ukUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.org
Quick links
Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.