Move to Ireland
from the UK

Just a short hop across the Atlantic from the UK, the Emerald Isle is famous for incredible scenery, friendly locals, and a lively social scene, and it attracts more UK expats every year.

Often when British citizens relocate to a different country, they can find it difficult to integrate into their new community.

As Irish people already speak English, it’s easy to enjoy that Irish charm and make friends much more quickly, as well as having better employment options.

The British Footprint

Census 2022 counted 83,347 UK-born residents in Ireland - down 19% from 2016, though that decline almost certainly reflects naturalisation rather than departure.

Once you've lived here five years and picked up an Irish passport, you stop showing up as British in the census. The true number of people who moved from the UK and stayed is way, way higher.

Of major significance to Brits is the Common Travel Area.

No visa. No work permit. No registration. No time limit.

Britain and Ireland have maintained this arrangement since 1922, through EU membership, through Brexit, and it shows no sign of changing.

Among all 27 EU nations, Ireland is the only one where a British citizen can step off a plane and start working without needing an employment permit.

That alone makes it unique in the European countries we’ve covered…

Why Ireland Works for Brits

Many of the biggest draws are fairly self-explanatory.

It’s an English-speaking country. There’s a common law legal system. They drive on the left. We have shared cultural touchpoints on so many levels, for everything from Six Nations rugby, to a similar sense of humour, even half the TV schedule overlaps.

Form a career perspective, Dublin has become Silicon Docks: you’ve got Google, Meta, Amazon, and Salesforce all running their European headquarters from the Docklands (mostly for tax purposes).

The tech job market is world-class in this part of the world. And you're an hour's flight from home… Ryanair runs eight daily London services, often for less than a round at the pub!

Where Brits Cluster

• Dublin professional suburbs - Ballsbridge, Rathmines, Howth. Tech workers, corporate transfers, young professionals priced into flatshares.
• West Cork villages - Schull, Skibbereen, Ballydehob. Probably the densest British community in Ireland since the 1970s. Artists, writers, retirees, and people who wanted out of the rat race before it was fashionable.
• Galway - university city, creative scene, strong arts community. Mostly younger British expats here
• Mayo and Donegal - these are remote, beautiful, cheap. More suited to retirees and remote workers who don't need to be anywhere near a city.

Daily Life In Ireland

Ireland feels familiar in many ways, but it's subtly different too.

The pace is noticeably slower.

The legendary pub functions in much the way of a community centre, not just for drinking endless pints of Guniness.

Catholicism is still deeply embedded in the Irish way of life, even as church attendance declines. You need at least a working knowledge of British-Irish history… arriving cheerfully ignorant of the Troubles, partition, or the Famine will not endear you to anyone.

The Irish are welcoming but they notice, and they certainly remember.

Who Thrives

One of the largest markets for expats is professionals walking into Dublin's booming job market.

You’ve also got retirees wanting English-speaking safety with EU membership.

Then we have creative types drawn to the west coast's extraordinary light and pace. Or families wanting excellent English-speaking schools without the private school price tag.

And basically anyone with Irish heritage wanting an EU passport… post-Brexit, that's a prize with a value that cannot be overstated.

Who Struggles

For some reason, there is an expectation that Ireland will be cheaper than the UK itself.

This is sorely misplaced.

Dublin rivals London for housing costs.

Impatient types who find the slower pace maddening rather than charming will grow tired fast.

Anyone who moves without bothering to learn Irish culture, assuming it's basically the same country with different accents.

It isn't!

Pros

• No visa or work permit needed under the Common Travel Area - unique among all EU nations
• English-speaking - no language barrier for daily life, work, or dealing with bureaucracy (which feels different to the UK)
• Drives on the left - one less thing to adjust to, and you can bring your UK car without modification
• Strong job market in tech, pharma, and finance - Google, Meta, Amazon, Salesforce, Pfizer, and Lilly all have major Irish operations
• One of the safest countries in Europe for families - consistently ranks in the top 10 of the Global Peace Index (currently #2)
• EU membership means Ireland is your gateway to living, working, and travelling across the European Union
• Irish citizenship available after 5 years - no language test, no civics exam, dual nationality permitted
• Extraordinary natural beauty - Wild Atlantic Way, Connemara, the Burren, Kerry. Forty shades of green is an understatement
• UK state pension fully payable and index-linked - the triple lock continues, unlike frozen-pension countries
• Multiple daily flights from under £30 - Dublin to London is one of Europe's busiest air corridors

Cons

• Dublin housing crisis is severe - fewer than 1,800 rental listings nationwide in February 2026, properties let within 7-10 days with 40-50 applicants each. It’s insane.
• Cost of living 20-30% higher than UK average outside London - groceries, dining, and childcare all sting the pocket
• GP visits cost €50-70 - it’s not free like the NHS, and you pay upfront every time (unless you qualify for a Medical Card)
• Higher top marginal tax rate of 52.2% versus UK's 47%… income tax, USC, and PRSI stack up quickly
• Capital gains tax at 33% versus UK's 18-24% - with an annual exemption of just €1,270 compared to UK's £3,000
• Childcare is among the most expensive in Europe - full-time nursery can still rise to €740-870 per month even with subsidies
• Weather is wetter than most of England - the west coast gets 200+ rain days per year.
• Public transport outside Dublin is poor to non-existent - a car is essential anywhere outside the capital
• Irish language is compulsory in all state schools - not really a con, but worth noting
• Non-EEA family members face much tougher immigration processes - the CTA covers you but not your foreign spouse

The Health Service Executive - the HSE - is not really comparable to the NHS.

Many Brits are surprised just how different the two systems can be.

There is no universal free-at-point-of-use healthcare in Ireland.

You pay to see a GP, you pay for prescriptions, you pay for dental work. The CTA means you access the system on exactly the same basis as Irish citizens - which is good - but the system itself costs more out of pocket than anything you'll be used to coming from Blighty.

Without a Medical Card

GP consultations cost around €50-70 per visit.

Turning up at A&E without a GP referral costs €100+.

Public hospital inpatient stays have been free since April 2023 (a welcome change). And the Drugs Payment Scheme caps prescription costs at €80 per month per household, which is actually more generous than NHS prescription charges for families.

Dental work is stubbornly expensive across IE: €50-60 for an exam, €140-220 for fillings, from €850 for a crown.

The Medical Card

If your income is below certain thresholds, a Medical Card covers everything - GP visits, hospital care, prescriptions, dental, optical.

The thresholds for this are means-tested: roughly €184 per week net income for a single person under 70, €550 per week for a single person over 70, €1,050 per week for a couple over 70.

The amounts change yearly and can be found on the HSE notice page.

If you qualify, it's actually more comprehensive than the NHS. All children under 8 now get free GP visits regardless of income. Everyone over 70 gets an automatic GP Visit Card.

Private Health Insurance

Around 50% of the Irish population holds private health insurance… which tells you something about confidence in the public system!

The average annual premium is €1,886 and rising at about 8% per year.

The main providers are VHI, Laya Healthcare, and Irish Life Health.

A family of four typically pays €4,220-6,050 per year. Tax relief at 20% takes some of the edge off, but you’re still looking at a pricy investment. Private insurance primarily buys you faster access to consultants and private hospital rooms… the actual clinical care in public hospitals is the same.

Mental Health

Significantly underfunded.

Mental health receives just 6% of the total health budget, compared to 14% in England.

At the time of writing, latest reports suggest 4,300 people are on counselling waiting lists. Private therapy is available but it’s expensive. This is a noteworthy gap in the Irish system and worth knowing about before you move, particularly if you or family members have ongoing mental health needs.

Comparison to the NHS

So what do you gain with Ireland’s health system?

More patient choice, a helpful prescription cap at €80 per month, seamless CTA access with no registration bureaucracy.

What you lose is the simplicity of "free at point of use."

GP visits costing money feels wrong after a lifetime of the NHS (but goes some way to explaining why the NHS is so crippled!).

Dental work is expensive across the board. Elective surgery waits are often longer than the NHS. Ireland's public waiting lists are a perennial political scandal.

The system is functional, sure, but it feels less comprehensive, and you will certainly notice the costs adding up.

Ireland's schools are excellent and they're in English - two things that, combined, no other EU country can offer.

The state system is free, well-funded, and internationally competitive: Ireland ranked 2nd globally in reading and 11th in maths in the 2022 PISA assessments.

Your kids can start on Monday morning without a language barrier. That's worth more than most expats appreciate until they've actually tried moving children into a foreign-language school system.

The School System

Primary school runs from age 4-5 to 12 (Junior Infants through Sixth Class).

Secondary school splits into Junior Cycle (12-15), an optional Transition Year (unique to Ireland - a year of work experience, projects, and personal development), and Senior Cycle (16-18) all leading up to the Leaving Certificate.

The Leaving Cert is accepted by UK universities through UCAS, so a return to the UK for university is fairly straightforward.

The Irish Language Question

Irish is compulsory in all state schools from Junior Infants through to Leaving Certificate.

Before you panic: exemptions are available for foreign students.

If your child has completed primary education outside Ireland, or is over 12 and has spent at least three years in school outside Ireland, they can apply for an exemption from Irish classes.

Exempted students study another subject during Irish periods. The process is again fairly straightforward… if you meet the criteria, you get the exemption.

International Schools

Most of these are limited and Dublin-focused, though honestly less necessary here than anywhere else given the state schools teach in English:

• Nord Anglia International School Dublin - IB curriculum. The most established international option.
• International School of Dublin - IB Primary Years Programme, approximately €11,000 per year.
• SEK Dublin International School - €15,000-35,000 per year depending on level. IB World School.

Compare those figures to London international school fees of £22,000+ and the value is clear.

But for most British families, the Irish state system is still the better option - it's what the locals use, including wealthy locals.

There’s much less of a classist “private vs public” divide when it comes to schooling.

Childcare

Expensive, but the subsidies are getting better.

Full-time nursery pricing comes to €740-870 per month if we go by the latest Numbeo figures (self reported).

The National Childcare Scheme provides a universal subsidy of €2.14 per hour for all children, plus an additional income-assessed subsidy for households earning under €60,000.

The ECCE programme provides two free pre-school years for children aged 2 years 8 months to 5 years 6 months - so this is effectively free childcare for 15 hours per week, 38 weeks per year.

No, it's not as generous as - say - France, but it's improving at a good tick.

Family Life

Ireland is famously among the world's safest countries (“Who would attack the Irish?”) - consistently in the top 10 of the Global Peace Index. Currently sat at #2 as of 2026.

GAA clubs exist in every community and welcome children from age 4-5, providing instant social integration for the whole family.

The culture is seen as child-friendly in a way that goes beyond tolerance - children are expected in pubs (until a reasonable hour), at community events, and in restaurants. Family ties run deep in Irish culture and that warmth extends to newcomers, tourists and expats alike.

Tempted to make the jump across to the Emerald Isle?

Here are a few practical points that you still need to consider…

Getting Around

Ireland drives on the left - so no adjustment needed, and you can bring your right-hand-drive car over without modification.

Dublin has decent public transport: the Luas tram system, DART suburban rail, and Dublin Bus carried 363.5 million journeys in 2025.

A monthly Leap Card pass costs €96 (roughly £84). Outside Dublin, you need a car. That's not a suggestion - just it's a statement of fact, sorry!

Rural bus services are sparse and rail coverage is severely limited (and hilariously slow, even when the trains arrive).

You can exchange your UK driving licence at the NDLS (National Driver Licence Service) for €65 - it takes about three weeks, no test required.

Dublin to London is one of Europe's busiest air routes in Europe. Ryanair alone runs eight daily flights.

Phones & Connectivity

UK–Ireland roaming charges are not governed by the Common Travel Area.

The Irish government notes that mobile operators are no longer legally required under EU law to offer roaming to the UK at no extra charge, so it is a commercial decision whether charges apply.

In most cases, you can keep your UK SIM workingwhile you sort out an Irish one - but please check with your provider beforehand.

Irish SIM-only plans start from €13-15 per month (GoMo and Clear Mobile are the budget champions). Fixed broadband averages at €26-61 per month with 72% FTTP fibre coverage nationally (OK but not amazing).

Decent rural broadband is still patchy in the west, but the National Broadband Plan is slowly fixing that.

Banking

The main banks are AIB, Bank of Ireland, and Permanent TSB.

You'll need your PPS number to open an account.

The big story over here is Revolut: 3.1 million Irish users from a population of 5.2 million. Wow!

It has basically become a mainstream bank here and is ideal for the GBP-to-EUR transition period - you can hold both currencies, swap at interbank rates, pay with either.

We still say that Wise remains the best option for regular international transfers, particularly if you're receiving a UK salary or pension.

Buying Property

No restrictions to worry about for British citizens.

Stamp duty is 1% on properties up to €1 million, 2% on the portion between €1-1.5 million, and 6% above €1.5 million.

Mortgage lending is capped at 4 times your gross income (Central Bank rules - no exceptions here). Dublin average house prices sit around €475-500K. If you want a West Cork cottage with a sea view, you're looking at €150-200K.

Galway and Cork city are mid-range. Limerick and Waterford are the bargain picks.

Bringing Pets

Unfortunately, UK pet passports are no longer valid since Brexit.

You will need an Animal Health Certificate from an Official Veterinarian, issued within 10 days of travel.

Dogs must have tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival in Ireland. Budget £150-450 per trip depending on the vet and the number of animals.

We suggest you start the process 4-5 weeks ahead - OV appointments tend to book up quickly.

Once you're resident in Ireland, your local vet can issue an EU Pet Passport for future travel within the EU, which simplifies everything enormously.