• 1 in 10 (10%) Brits plan to stock up on groceries in advance of Brexit
• 1.7 million will apply for a passport from an EU country
• 1 million claim they plan to move to an EU country
• Generation Z is most likely to plan ahead
• Those in the North East of England and Northern Ireland are doing the most to prepare

30 April 2019, London-

3 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 1 in 10 (10%) saying they will do this ahead of Brexit. Similarly, 5% will also buy presents for Christmas and birthdays before the leaving date.

Not everyone will spend more in preparation for Brexit though, as nearly 1 in 10 (9%) 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 1 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 fewer European holidays – 56% said they’re 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 4 in 10 (43%) of generation Z planning to take action ahead of Britain’s exit from the EU. Over 1 in 7 (13%) of generation Z plan to cut down on essentials ahead of Brexit, while more than 1 in 10 (11%) plan to stock up on presents.

In contrast, baby boomers are the least likely to make preparations with 81% 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 1 in 7 (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%) and seek out a passport from an EU country in the event of Brexit with over 1 in 14 (7%) planning to apply. They’re followed closely by London and Northern Ireland where over 1 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% and 36% respectively) planning to take action ahead of the new potential exit date in October 2019.

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