Majority of young voters consider leaving London due to cost of living
A majority of young Londoners have considered leaving the capital due to the high cost of living, with one in four actively looking into moving, according to a new survey.
Just under half – 47 per cent – of all Londoners have thought about moving out of the capital, with that figure rising to 54 per cent for those between 18 and 34, according to the latest Morning Wire/Freshwater Strategy poll.
A combination of rising taxes, higher rents and food inflation has pushed many in the capital to the brink, with the difficulty of saving for a housing deposit putting home ownership out of reach.
The Morning Wire poll of Londoners found that over one in four renters as well as one in six mortgagees in London are likely to move in the next six months due to the cost of housing.
The Chancellor’s decision to extend the freeze on income tax thresholds is likely to hit young professionals the hardest – some are set to be hit with marginal tax rates of more than 50 per cent.
Chris Eldridge, CEO at Robert Walters UK&I, said that real wage stagnation should be a “stark warning to the nation’s employers”.
“As tax considerations continue to dampen professionals’ pay ambitions in their current company, this could drive an exodus, particularly of top talent, as they look to secure more substantial salaries elsewhere,” Eldridge added.
Meanwhile, the survey found that 37 per cent think high street shopping has deteriorated, and one in four think the experience of eating out and going to the pub has worsened.
Three times as many British nationals left the UK last year than officials previously thought, at 257,000 versus the earlier estimate of 77,000.
Method note: Freshwater Strategy interviewed n=500 eligible voters in London, aged 18+ online, between 28 – 30 November 2025. Margin of Error +/- 4.4%. Data are weighted to be representative of London voters.