The Number of Britons Living in Spain Continues to Grow

When the UK made the decision to leave the EU, many commentators predicted that, in a post-Brexit world, the number of Britons living in Spain would decline. This was in part due to the comparative difficulty in securing a visa allowing Britons to remain in Spain for more than six months of the year. But actually, this prediction couldn’t have been further from the truth: throughout 2021, the number of British nationals living in Spain continued to grow, showing an increase on the number of British nationals living in Spain in 2020.

This clearly demonstrates that the dream of Spanish homeownership is strong for many Brits, and that the results of the Brexit referendum have not lessened this desire. Here is everything you need to know about the number of Britons living in Spain this year:

The Current Number of Britons Living in Spain

According to the latest data published by Statista, in 2021 there were 313,975 Britons living in Spain. This figure is greater than in the years between 2013 and 2018, and is only just lower that the peak number of Britons in Spain, which was recorded in 2013: that figure was 316,362.

Between 2013 and 2018 the number of Britons choosing to live in Spain declined, but since 2018 the figures have risen every year. This is certainly true of the two latest recorded figures. In 2020, there were 300,640 Britons that were registered as residents in Spain. That means that the 2021 figure of 313,975 is an increase of 4.4%. We only expect this same trend to continue into 2022 and beyond.

Which Areas Are Most Popular for Britons in Spain?

If you’re thinking of moving to Spain and looking for the areas with the greatest numbers of British ex-pats then here is a breakdown of the ten most popular areas for Britons, based on 2021 figures gathered by Statista:

• In Andalusia there are 88,233 British residents
• In Valencia there are 85,025 British residents
• In the Canary Islands there are 28,723 British residents
• In Catalonia there are 23,940 British residents
• In the Balearic Islands there are 17,953 British residents
• In Murcia there are 16,625 British residents
• In Madrid there are 11,605 British residents
• In Galicia there are 2,315 British residents
• In the Basque Country there are 1,676 British residents
• In Asturias there are 1,135 British residents

When looking at these figures on the whole, it is clear that Spain remains one of the top destinations for Britons purchasing homes overseas: and why wouldn’t they choose Spain for their relaxing home in the sun?

How Easy it is to Secure Residency in Spain?

Since the UK left the EU, Britons are not permitted to spend more than 90 days out of any 180 day period in the EU without securing a visa. Luckily, there are still a large number of residency visa options available to British citizens that wish to move to Spain: it will just take a little longer to secure your residency than it might have before. Some of the visa options available to Britons include:

• The Golden Visa (A visa which you can secure by investing a significant sum in either a Spanish property or Spanish business)
• The Non-Lucrative Visa  (A visa which you can secure by demonstrating your ability to support yourself financially in Spain without working in the country)
• The Digital Nomad Visa (The newest Spanish visa aimed at encouraging remote workers to choose Spain as their base)

Are you thinking of living and working in Spain? Does the idea of a laidback Spanish lifestyle appeal to you? Whether you dream is to buy a property in Spain or rent a property in Spain, Right Casa Estate Agents is perfectly placed to help you find the home of your dreams with offices in Calahonda and Alhaurin de la Torre, we have over 2000 properties on the Costa Del Sol for sale! Get in touch today to find out more about how we can help you.