[Mark Stücklin]

The latest census figures by province and nationality are just out from the INE. They show the British resident population of Alicante province has collapsed. I suspect this is largely due to Spanish Government policy, driving away people who would otherwise spend their money in Spain. Madness.

I will do a detailed article on the figures in my blog, but in the meantime this is what The Courier, a local English-language newspaper, has to say about it.

The official British population in Alicante Province is down to under 14,000 according to the latest government figures based on the local padrón registrations. 131,000 British residents were on council padróns three years ago, but figures have collapsed due to an apparent combination of people not renewing the document as well as those who are quitting Spain to return to the UK.

http://thecourier.es/2016/05/06/the-brits-go-missing-costa-blanca-and-murcia-padron-collapse/

[Anonymous]

So where are all these huge increase in house sales to foreigners happening? How can property prices increase if people are leaving in droves, or does Spain defy the global property trends?

 

[Mark Stücklin]

I guess they are buying second-homes as non-residents, or just dropping off the radar.

[jp1]

I also suspect that a lot of those residents are still living full time in Spain, but have now declared the UK to be their habitual place of residence to avoid declaring world wide assets.

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