Coming home isn’t always part of the plan … until it is

For many British expats, moving abroad was meant to be the dream. Better weather. Lower costs. A slower life. But after a few years – or a decade – that dream can begin to shift. Life changes. Parents grow older. Kids need school stability. Healthcare becomes complicated. And sometimes, the pull of home grows stronger than the promise of staying away.

In 2025, more Britons are returning from life overseas than at any time since the early 2010s. It’s not about failure; it’s about priorities realigning. And that moment, when it comes, is rarely sudden – it builds slowly, until one day the UK feels like where life makes sense again.

At Total Moving Solutions (TMS), we’ve supported thousands of people through that change – from Spain, France, Portugal, Ireland, and beyond. We’re not tax or visa specialists, but we know the challenges returnees face because we see them every week: the emotional weight, the paperwork maze, the logistics of moving an entire life home.

This guide looks at why people return, how they manage it, and what to expect – emotionally, financially, and practically – when coming home.

The emotional pull – family, belonging, and cultural comfort

Homesickness vs financial sense: What really wins?

When expats decide to return, it’s rarely about money first. What drives them is connection. Around 30% of those who move home cite homesickness as a major factor, while family proximity often ranks just behind. It’s not about abandoning life abroad — it’s about needing to be close when it matters most.

We’ve heard it again and again from clients over the years:

We loved life in the Algarve, but when Dad’s health declined, distance became unbearable.

It’s not an impulsive decision. It’s often a slow realisation – that missed birthdays, delayed visits, and online celebrations can’t fill the space that family once did. And when the emotional maths outweighs the financial, the decision makes itself.

Escaping social isolation and the ‘in-between’ feeling

Even in the most idyllic places, expat life can feel lonely. Surveys suggest that nearly 9 in 10 long-term expats experience isolation at some point. Over time, the feeling of being “in-between” – not fully local, not fully British – starts to wear on even the most adaptable people.

Studies show that expats consistently report higher rates of loneliness and emotional strain than those living in their home country – even when financial life abroad seems easier. This emotional fatigue often outweighs the practical benefits of staying away.

Language barriers, cultural gaps, and different social norms can make it hard to truly settle. Returning to the UK, despite its costs and weather, feels instinctively easy – like slipping into an old pair of shoes that still fit.

It’s not rejection of the host country; it’s relief – the comfort of understanding humour again, of not needing subtitles, of being surrounded by familiarity.

Reverse culture shock – the hidden challenge of coming home

One of the least-discussed parts of returning is what happens next. Many expats expect to slide back into life easily, only to be blindsided by reverse culture shock — the emotional adjustment to a country that feels both familiar and foreign.

This phase often follows what psychologists call a “W-curve”:

• The honeymoon stage – excitement and relief at being back
• The disillusionment stage – frustration at bureaucracy, prices, and pace
• The adjustment stage – gradual acceptance and routine rebuilding

It typically lasts 6-12 months, and many returnees describe feeling like a stranger in their own country. Everyday life seems louder, faster, more expensive. Relationships may feel slightly off until they resettle into place.

There’s also a mental health angle that’s too often overlooked. Returning expats are at greater risk of anxiety and depression, largely due to the loss of identity and community built abroad. Recognising that this adjustment is normal – and temporary – can make the transition easier.

If you are tackling a full life reset, including finding a new community, dealing with isolation, and changing career paths, our in-depth guide provides everything you need for a confident, fresh start in a new UK town.

At TMS, we often see this emotional dip surface during or just after the move itself. Knowing it’s coming – and planning for it – helps returnees adapt more smoothly and avoid “repatriation regret.”

The financial shock – healthcare, taxes, and UK cost of living

The NHS factor (why peace of mind trumps cost)

Healthcare is one of the biggest deciding factors for older expats. Private cover abroad can become expensive, often £300–£500 per month in Europe, and far higher elsewhere. In Spain, private medical insurance averages £1,500–£2,300 per year, while in Switzerland it can reach CHF 350–400 per month. For retirees managing ongoing health needs, that’s a heavy burden.

Returning to the UK restores access to the NHS, and while it’s not perfect, it offers security and familiarity — care without monthly premiums or insurance claims. Many clients tell us it’s not about saving money, but about peace of mind.

Avoiding the expat financial squeeze

Since Brexit, the financial equation has changed. We’ve seen countless expats talk about admin fatigue and the unpredictability of juggling currencies, taxes, and pensions across borders. Exchange rate drops alone have cut some retirees’ spending power by up to 15% since 2016.

In recent surveys, more than half of returning expats said rising costs abroad were a major factor in their decision, particularly energy and healthcare expenses.

We always recommend getting professional advice on tax and residency, but from what we hear daily, many returnees move home simply to simplify life — one currency, one tax system, one healthcare framework.

The UK’s housing reality – priced out and renting

The financial adjustment doesn’t end when you land. Property prices in many UK regions have risen by 20–40% over the last five years, leaving some returnees priced out of areas near family. Renting is often the bridge — a way to return first, then reassess.

At TMS, we see many clients using our short-term storage service during this transition. It gives them time to find the right property rather than rushing into a quick fix — a calm approach to a complex stage.

The administrative burden … visas, paperwork, and logistics

Brexit bureaucracy (the tipping point for many)

For a large number of expats, Brexit wasn’t just a political shift – it was the start of bureaucracy chaos. Residency renewals, visa income proof, and customs restrictions have made long-term living abroad harder to sustain.

The phrase we hear most often is “death by a thousand forms.” For many, that cumulative stress – the admin fatigue – is what finally breaks the tie.

Not everyone is returning to Britain – for some, it’s about going home to Europe. We’ve explored this in detail in our guide on returning to Portugal from the UK, which covers the grants, tax breaks, and incentives available to Portuguese nationals moving back home.

We’ve seen how quickly the joy of coming home can turn into paperwork fatigue … which is exactly why our Move Managers handle these details step by step.

That’s why our Move Managers focus on handling everything related to logistics – from packing and transport to customs paperwork. We can’t stop the world’s bureaucracy, but we can make yours easier.

Moving possessions – avoiding the ToR tax trap

When moving back to the UK, one of the most important steps is applying for Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief — it’s what prevents your personal belongings being taxed as imports. Without it, Customs could charge VAT of up to 23% on your returning household goods — a costly mistake that catches many returnees off guard.

Our Move Managers cut through the paperwork, guiding clients through every step of the ToR process to ensure documents are filed correctly and on time. They also help prevent common pitfalls — such as triggering VAT on household goods or missing DVLA re-registration for imported vehicles.

Pet transport, too, now requires updated Animal Health Certificates post-Brexit — another layer of bureaucracy that our team coordinates seamlessly.

We often describe our role as your single ally against admin chaos. Because when you’ve lived abroad for years, that kind of expert guidance isn’t just convenient — it’s essential.

Learn more about our European removals service for smoother coordination across borders.

The resettlement question: Where do expats move to in the UK?

New priorities – family proximity and work-life balance

Returnees rarely go back to their original postcode. They choose places that fit the life they have now – not the one they left behind.

According to UK relocation data, housing in Manchester, Bristol, and Edinburgh offers 30–50% savings on average rent and transport compared to London. Typical monthly rent for a one-bedroom flat is around £850 in Manchester versus £1,500+ in London, with lower commuting costs and shorter travel times (the North West averages 25-minute commutes).

Regional cities also deliver real value: Edinburgh and Glasgow can be up to 30% cheaper than Dublin, and areas like Bristol and the North West combine a healthier work-life balance with strong job markets in tech, aerospace, and the creative industries.

When families return, they increasingly choose areas with good Ofsted-rated schools (checkable on gov.uk). We hear from many parents who plan their entire return around school catchments and proximity to grandparents – prioritising stability above everything else.

Practical steps for re-registering your life

Coming back means rebuilding your practical foundation. Most returnees tackle the following within the first three months:

• File a P85 with HMRC to update tax residency
• Secure UK residency proof (utility bill or tenancy)
• Register with a GP and rejoin the NHS
• Arrange council tax and utilities
• Reactivate or reopen UK bank accounts
• Register to vote and update National Insurance details

And because not everyone has a permanent address immediately, many use our storage solutions as a buffer – keeping belongings secure until the right home is ready. It’s one less decision to rush.

The TMS solution (turning chaos into a smooth homecoming)

How a managed move reduces repatriation stress

At Total Moving Solutions, our goal is simple: to take the chaos out of coming home.

Every client is assigned a dedicated Move Manager who coordinates packing, customs, and delivery from start to finish — ensuring timelines are met and paperwork is watertight. They’re there to stop common pitfalls before they happen: the ToR tax trap, missed customs signatures, or DVLA fines on imported vehicles.

Each service is transparent and fully managed, from weekly routes across Europe to flexible storage in the UK. We can’t eliminate bureaucracy, but we can simplify it — and we do, every day.

Avoid the “repatriation regret”

The hardest part of returning isn’t the packing or even the paperwork — it’s the adjustment. But regret rarely comes from moving home. It comes from rushing it.

With the right planning — and a team that handles the complex parts — repatriation becomes far smoother. We’ve seen families save thousands by decluttering before shipping, retirees avoid customs penalties, and countless clients arrive home with everything in place.

TMS delivers repatriation peace of mind: transparent, fixed-price managed moves with customs expertise and complete logistical care — turning expat chaos into a smooth homecoming.

Our Move Manager handled everything – from customs forms to coordinating delivery when our rental fell through. I don’t think we could’ve faced it alone.

Still have questions about your move home? Here are some of the most common ones we hear from returning expats.

FAQs on returning to the UK

Whether you’re still deciding or already preparing to pack, understanding what drives people home can help you plan your move with more clarity and confidence.

Coming back home is a big step

Returning to the UK isn’t just a relocation … it is a readjustment. It means reconnecting, rebuilding, and redefining what “home” means now. It can be emotional and messy, but also deeply rewarding.

At TMS, we see every move not as a shipment, but as a story. With decades of experience across Europe and beyond, our fully managed removals service makes that story easier to live. Transparent pricing, expert packing, and dedicated Move Managers mean you can focus on what truly matters: starting your next chapter.

Ready to make your move back to the UK a little easier?

Get your free quote today, and let’s make your return as smooth as it should be. No forms to decipher, no hidden fees, just honest help from people who know what you’re going through.