According to a report in June from the Resolution Foundation thinktank, the expensive property prices in London are leading to an exodus of people in their early 30s. Once housing costs are taken into account incomes in London were £21,350, compared to £22,250 across the UK.



We hear from some of those who left London in their 30s and how their lives have changed since leaving the capital.



High living costs: ‘We were spending astronomical amounts on rent’

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol. Photograph: Chris Hepburn/Getty Images/iStockphoto

“London is a hard place to live. If you’re struggling financially, living there can feel like you’re fighting a battle you’re certain to lose. But it’s tough in many other ways too. It can be a very lonely place. I was miles from many of my close friends I shared a city with - friends I see more now I’ve left than I did when I was there. My partner and I (now wife) left in the summer of 2016. We moved to Bristol, as her family are from this part of the world and it still felt doable for our jobs. We were 30 when we left. As with so many people our age, we left out of desire to own our own house. We hadn’t even really considered leaving London until we started pursuing the idea of what we could afford to borrow for our mortgage. We were very quickly faced with the realisation that whatever we could afford to buy in London would be a huge step down from our cosy North London one-bed flat. We decided to make the leap and we’re so glad we did. It’s felt feels like the best decision we’ve ever made.

The great London escape – why coming back north was the best thing I did | Helen Pidd Read more

“We rented for 12 months in a gorgeous flat in the centre of town: something that was never an option for us in London. As we’re both freelance, we had a lot more flexibility about when and where we moved - but that comes at a cost. It took us some time to build our work back up and our yearly earnings certainly took a dip for a while. But we didn’t really notice to be honest - our rent was half what we paid in London, we walked or cycled everywhere. It was fantastic. I think we were both amazed by how pent up and anxious we’d been in London - something we only noticed in it’s absence once we’d left. It genuinely felt like a weight had been lifted from us. We’ve been here two years now - we’ve bought a three bed house in a great neighbourhood, a house and an area that would never have been an option for us in London. One piece of advice I would give to anyone who decides to leave. Throw all of yourself into the move. Give your new home a chance to grab hold of you the way that London did when you first moved there.” Lee, 32, freelance musician, moved to Bristol when he was 30

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Sophie and Andy’s house in Shrewsbury

“In my opinion London is the best city in the world. We left London in September 2017 (at the age of 31) after both living in London since 2009 (when we were both 23). Having met in London, we both lived in various locations in and around Hackney. We now live in Shrewsbury in Shropshire and we love it! We had lived there since 2009 and had planned our move for about a year. Our main reason for wanting to leave was down to affordability. We couldn’t afford to buy a home, and we were spending astronomical amounts on rent each month. We also didn’t want to settle there long-term, so decided to move to Shrewsbury in order to get on the property ladder, and settle down somewhere closer to our families.

“Living outside London is great; we are paying a fraction of the price on our house. We are able to save a lot more money, which means we’ve been able to have holidays to Thailand and Italy this year. We’re also closer geographically to our families so weekends seem to be a lot more relaxing, as we’re not escaping the city each weekend to visit people and the countryside - they’re all on our doorstep! Don’t get me wrong, we miss London a lot, but it’s nostalgia more than wanting to still be living there now. We’re lucky that we still have friends there so we get the best of both worlds by being able to visit regularly.” Sophie and Andy, 32, working in marketing and operations respectively, moved to Shrewsbury when they were 31



Commuting: ‘You get home so tired you don’t even want to move’

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Commuters disembark from a Central Line underground train in London. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images

“Along with not feeling safe anymore, prices going up and poor air, there’s also the time spent commuting. You spend at least two hours a day travelling on packed public transport and get home so tired you don’t even want to move. Then all your energy has to be directed to your job, because you need to have a career path that’s always on the up, so you end up working more hours because you can’t afford to ‘lose the promotion’. We moved to Oxford and we’re enjoying it so far. The air is fresh and clean, we are amongst trees, squirrels and lawns, our flat comes with a garageand it takes eight minutes to reach the closest supermarket. Most things are within walking distance. I miss London’s delis and foodie places but the quality of everyday life isn’t comparable. Claudia, 34, restaurant manager, moved to Oxford when she was 33

Family: ‘Once we had our son we knew we had to either stay squeezed or move



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Gabriella’s home in London.

“My husband and I were lucky enough to have been able to buy a gorgeous little one and a half bed flat in Alexandra palace in 2009, but once we had our son, and wanted more children, we knew we had to either stay squeezed into where we are or move. My husband had to leave his job so that we could move but our flat in London had doubled in value and we were able to get a mortgage for a beautiful four bedroom house with the most stunning views.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Gabriella’s home in Hebden Bridge.

“The sombre part of the story is that we had a daughter who has a serious genetic condition meaning that she is seriously disabled and needs full-time care. Luckily, thanks to our move, we have enough space for all her equipment and having got the mortgage on my salary have been able to remain here with my husband not working. Our flat would have been unsuitable for a disabled child, and with one of us not able to work we would not have been able to afford the mortgage. I dread to think what would have happened but an awful situation would have been made so much worse. We love it here and would not move back.Some of my oldest friends are in London and I miss them but they come and stay, and are slowly also all leaving London as they just can’t afford it.” Gabriella, 33, NHS worker, moved to Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire when she was 30

Air pollution: ‘I’ve noticed I don’t have as many sneezing fits’

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Air pollution over London. Photograph: Nick Ansell/PA

“I was born and raised in London but the idea of living in the capital has lost its appeal due to a number of factors. These include the high rent and living costs, air pollution and in some areas land pollution, particularly in crowded or less affluent areas. In addition, London has become a city that is detrimental to upholding good mental hygiene, based on these factors.. My husband and I, along with a kind gift from family, managed to put together a small amount of money for a deposit, but only for a property outside London.



“We now live in a small two-bedroom house with a garden in Hertfordshire. Apart from the financial benefit we now know our neighbours, get involved in our community and we finally have a dog which we’ve always wanted. Our experience has been incredibly positive. The air feels fresher and I’ve noticed I don’t have as many sneezing fits, which I attribute to pollution. We have more space to live in, to enjoy our married life with our dog and hopefully with children in the not too distant future without worrying about moving because the landlord has decided to sell, increase rent, or simply because no children or pets are allowed. Moving outside of London has given us the opportunity to just simply live.” Tina, medical writer, moved to Hertfordshire when she was 29

Loneliness: ‘I felt isolated when I didn’t get home until at least 8pm’



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Elizabeth’s flat in London.

“I lived in London for nine years and absolutely loved it. My boyfriend (now husband) lived in Northamptonshire and we spent five years trailing up and down from London at weekends. I moved out to be with him and spent the money I had been spending on rent on my season ticket for the train, whilst my boyfriend paid the mortgage on our four bedroom cottage. I didn’t feel ready to leave London when I did - it was for practical reasons. However once I made the leap I realised that life outside London can be so much richer.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Elizabeth’s home in Northamptonshire.

“One of the first things that hit me was living in a real community. All the areas of London I’d lived in seemed so segregated. I suddenly had elderly neighbours, families living nearby, a council estate and very large houses all within a small area. It wasn’t until I went on maternity leave in 2016 that I felt part of the area for the first time. But then I felt isolated from the community again when I didn’t get home until at least 8pm. I’ve now found a job more locally and although I’ve taken a £7k pay cut I end up financially better off because of the cost of commuting. Plus I’ve gained two-to-three hours a day of free time.” Elizabeth, 35, charity fundraiser, moved to Northamptonshire when she was 31



Brexit: ‘The situation is a serious detriment to the city and country as a whole’



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Flags are seen ahead of a joint press conference of Michel Barnier and Dominic Raab in Brussels, Belgium. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

“I am a Londoner, born and bred. I still love the city however I wanted more space, less stress, better weather and no Brexit: Ibiza is perfect. My wife and I had been planning the move for several years as we were both keen to have a different lifestyle. The weather was a big driving factor but Brexit was definitely the final straw. We both feel that the situation is a serious detriment to the city and the country as a whole and we’re glad to have left this behind. The move so far has been amazing - even better than expected. Ibiza is a beautiful place to live and there is so much natural beauty here. There are around 300 days of sunshine a year, more than 40 great beaches and vast countryside. It’s only been a few months but so far (and to my surprise) we’ve not missed London at all.” Oli, 38, project manager, moved to Ibiza in April 2018

