Embargoed until 01.05 (Wednesday): 15 million Brits preparing for Brexit, with plans ranging from stockpiling groceries to moving abroad
*Under embargo until 00.01 on Wednesday, 1 May 2019*
Three in 10 Brits (15 million) are making specific preparations for Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, according to new research from personal finance comparison site, finder.com.
The most common plan is to stock up on groceries, with one in 10 (10 percent) saying they will do this ahead of Brexit. Similarly, five percent will also buy presents for Christmas and birthdays before the leaving date.
Not everyone will spend more in preparation for Brexit though, as nearly one in 10 (nine percent) of Brits are already spending less on non-essential items due to worries over how their disposable income will be affected.
Of those concerned about access to the EU, 1.7 million Brits will apply for another passport from an EU country, while one million even say they plan to relocate to the EU in the wake of Brexit.
Good value holidays are the top priority for some Brits, with 1.7 million planning to get their flights to the EU booked before the withdrawal date and 2.2 million deciding to purchase a foreign currency ahead of this. However as previously revealed by Finder.com, over half of Brits may go on less European holidays - 56 percent said they are considering UK staycations over EU mini-breaks.
Generation Z are the most likely to make changes ahead of Brexit
Brits aged 18-24 are the busiest generation when it comes to making plans for Brexit, with over four in 10 (43 percent) of generation Z planning to take action ahead of Britain’s exit from the EU. Over one in seven (13 percent) of generation Z plan to cut down on essentials ahead of Brexit, while over one in 10 (11 percent) plan to stock up on presents.
In contrast, baby boomers are the least likely to make preparations with 81 percent claiming they won’t take any specific actions ahead of Brexit.
Those in the West Midlands are the most worried about running out of food
Residents in the West Midlands are the most concerned about running out of food with nearly one in seven (14%) planning to stock up on groceries, while 1 in 10 (9%) are also buying their gifts ahead of Brexit.
Residents from the North East are the most likely to stock up on foreign currency (13 percent) and seek out a passport from an EU country in the event of Brexit with over 1 in 14 (seven percent) planning to apply. They are followed closely by London and Northern Ireland where over one in 20 residents plan to apply for a foreign passport in the wake of Brexit.
Overall, those residing in Northern Ireland and the North East of England will do the most to prepare for Brexit with over a third (35 percent and 36 percent respectively) planning to take action ahead of the new potential exit date in October 2019.
To view the complete breakdown of Finder’s Brexit preparations statistics, including gender, age and regional figures please visit: www.finder.com/uk/brexit-preparations.
Commenting on the findings, Jon Ostler CEO (UK) of finder.com, said: “This research shows that continued delays and uncertainty around Brexit are leading a significant number of Brits to take matters into their own hands and start making both small and major preparations.
“Some plans, like relocating to another country or gaining citizenship, are big undertakings that will need serious research and careful thought, but others are more straightforward. With many of us still set to travel to the EU over the next few years, it’s worth monitoring the pound’s strength against foreign currencies to make sure you book a trip or exchange currency at a good time. This Brexit exchange rate tracker shows the pound’s value alongside key Brexit events, to help explain how these events seem to have driven fluctuations in sterling’s value.”
ENDS
Methodology
Finder.com commissioned Onepoll to carry out a nationally representative survey of adults aged 18+
A total of 2,000 people were questioned throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with representative quotas for gender, age and region
The research was conducted in April 2019
Jon Ostler, CEO (UK) at finder.com is available for comment regarding the research
For further press information, please contact:
Matt Mckenna
Head of UK Communications
matt.mckenna@finder.com
M: +44 747 921 7816
T: +44 20 3828 1338