The United Kingdom has secured the 12th position in the 2025 World Citizenship Report (WCR), released by CS Global Partners. With a score of 79.3, the UK ranks behind several Nordic nations, including Iceland, Finland, and Sweden.
The report assessed a total of 188 countries this year, with Switzerland emerging at the top with a score of 85, displacing Ireland, which held the top spot in 2024 but has now dropped to 8th place.
The WCR, developed through rigorous qualitative and quantitative research, evaluates 188 nationalities across five core motivators of citizenship: Safety and Security, Economic Opportunity, Quality of Life, Global Mobility, and Financial Freedom.
The final rankings are determined through a proprietary formula that combines each country’s score in these motivators, weighted according to their relevance to high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs).
Micha Emmett, CEO of CS Global Partners, emphasised the depth and precision behind the WCR methodology, stating that the results reflect a broad spectrum of factors that matter to today’s global citizens.
“Our report goes beyond simple visa-free access, it is designed to understand what motivates individuals to value one citizenship over another,” Emmett said.
Micha Emmett further stated that the report echos what we are seeing in the industry as HNWIs vote with their feet. The UK has seen a notable outflow of millionaires and HNWIs in recent years, a trend that has accelerated dramatically since the announcement of non-dom reforms.
A Deeper Look at the UK’s Performance
The UK’s performance marks a slight decline from last year, when it held the 9th position. A contributing factor to its lower ranking is the country’s rising annual inflation, which reached 3 percent in January 2025, up from 2.5 percent in December 2024. Additionally, ongoing challenges in housing affordability, taxation, and access to public services have led many residents to explore alternative citizenship options.
Despite these setbacks, the UK continues to score well in the “Quality of Life” pillar, maintaining its 6th place ranking, the same as last year. This reflects the country’s enduring strengths in healthcare, education, cultural richness, and lifestyle offerings.
The 2025 World Citizenship Report signals a shifting landscape in global mobility and quality of life considerations, with nations like Switzerland, Italy, UAE and Singapore becoming increasingly attractive to HNWIs looking for stability, opportunity, and better living standards.
Global Competition is Intensifying
The 2025 WCR results reflect not only individual national performances but also shifting global preferences. Countries like Switzerland and the Nordics have demonstrated that social cohesion, low corruption, and proactive governance are now central to the definition of a valuable citizenship.
The UK, while still powerful diplomatically and economically, must reckon with how domestic policies and quality of life metrics resonate with a mobile, discerning class of global citizens. Furthermore, the drop in Ireland’s position despite its previous top ranking serves as a reminder that no nation’s status is immune to change.
For the UK, the current ranking offers both a reflection and a challenge to regain its competitive edge in a world where citizenship is no longer just a legal identity, but a lifestyle choice.
