• [Daily Mirror Icon]
• Travel
• Europe
• Travel

'We quit Britain for stunning island that's like UK with better weather and fewer taxes'

One beautiful European island is proving to be a popular destination for Brits looking to move abroad with its warm weather, English-speaking locals and low tax rates

[Woman sitting in deckchair, Comino island, Malta]

View 3 Images

Malta has favourable tax policies for Brits(Image: Getty Images/RooM RF)

Brits are abandoning Dubai in favour of relocating to a stunning island merely three hours from the UK where tax bills are minimal.

Another perk of relocating to the sun-drenched Mediterranean haven is that English serves as one of the official languages.

A journey to Valletta, Malta's capital, requires just over three hours from London with temperatures reaching as high as 21C even during November.

This proved irresistible to Louise Burley, 46, who relocated from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, alongside her husband Kevin, 70. The couple settled in the village of Ta' Xbiex.

Speaking to the Times, she revealed numerous aspects of the sun-kissed island that remind her of home. She explained: "They drive on the same side of the road, there are red postboxes, HSBCs on the corner and they have Marks & Spencer," reports the Express.

"I don't think we could have coped with being in the UK much longer. We were getting ... squeezed every day, taxed on everything. We have a couple of houses we rent out and there is hardly any point in keeping those."

[View of Saint Julian, Malta]

View 3 Images

Brits are moving in their droves to this sun-kissed island(Image: Getty Images)

Beyond the climate, the taxation system presents another major draw for prospective expats. The tax residency programme enables participants to enjoy a favourable 15% tax rate on overseas income brought into Malta.

Profits from foreign assets remain tax-free whilst there's no inheritance, wealth or estate tax liability. The visa additionally provides access to statutory healthcare.

Jamie Favell, from the Tax Advisory Partnership specialising in cross-border tax planning, has highlighted Malta's appeal to British expats due to its "straightforward" tax system, a legacy of its time as a former British colony.

This has led many Brits to choose Malta over other popular expat destinations like Dubai, Italy and Portugal.

Malta was under British rule from 1814 until it gained independence in September 1964, after Britain helped free it from Napoleon's control.

[Valletta in Malta]

View 3 Images

Valletta is the capital of Malta(Image: Getty Images)

The late Queen Elizabeth lived on the outskirts of Valletta for two years before her ascension to the throne, during Prince Philip's Royal Navy posting there.

With English and Maltese as the country's official languages, it's easy for expats to settle in.

Bradley Thurston, who relocated permanently to Xemxija in Malta earlier this year to avoid a hefty bill for renewing his wife's UK visa, is one such expat.

Speaking to The Times, the 54 year old said: "She is putting her salary in the bank and we are living off mine. It's a no brainer. We will never come back. The only thing I miss is the football."

[Daily Mirror Icon]

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.