UK stars flee to Dubai as relocations surge to tax-free UAE

Dubai is drawing a growing cohort of high-profile names away from Britain, driven by year-round sunshine, a lifestyle seen as more relaxed than in the UK, and a tax-free environment. The trend—evident as UK policy debates, including Labour's proposed mansion tax, fester in the public discourse—has accelerated into the new year as a broader group of business leaders and sports figures consider relocating to the UAE.

Among the latest relocations is Luisa Zissman, 38, who said she is moving with two of her three children to join her Irish millionaire husband Andrew Collins, who has already relocated from the UK. Zissman, a familiar face from reality TV, has posted about leaving the UK’s weather and crime rates in favor of Dubai’s safety and lifestyle. She also indicated that she and Kate Ferdinand would be neighbors, after Ferdinand and her husband Rio relocated earlier in the year. Zissman noted that her eldest daughter, 15-year-old Dixie, will remain in the UK to finish her education.

Petra Ecclestone, Formula 1 heiress and daughter of billionaire Bernie Ecclestone, announced plans to move to Dubai in the new year, with husband Sam Palmer. The couple reportedly will relocate from their current residences in Los Angeles and London to the UAE. Ecclestone has cited safety concerns in the United States and said she and Palmer want a secure environment for their four children.

Kate and Rio Ferdinand moved to Dubai in August, purchasing a £6.5 million home in the gated community of Al Barari. They announced their relocation via Instagram, describing it as a “new chapter” and a chance for fresh starts in the city where the couple first met eight years ago. Rio Ferdinand said education was a key factor, noting the availability of the English curriculum and expressing concern for how teachers in the UK are valued. The move has added to a growing expatriate community in Dubai, with children and extended family adjusting to a different lifestyle.

Amir Khan, the former boxing champion, relocated to Dubai after a gunpoint robbery in London left him feeling unsafe. He and his wife Faryal Makhdoom have since established a UAE-based home, joining a growing list of sports figures seeking security and a new base for their children.

Other names tied to the trend include Arabella Chi, who moved to Dubai with her partner Billy Henty and their baby daughter Gigi; Laura Anderson, the Love Island alum who has previously based herself in Dubai, and Amber Turner, a TOWIE star who moved to Dubai after her split with Dan Edgar and has since documented a busy Dubai-based lifestyle. Industry observers say the trend reflects three core factors: climate and lifestyle, the tax-free environment, and perceptions of safety and stability for families. Some point to evolving UK policy debates and rising costs of living as additional drivers, while others stress that for many celebrities the move represents a multi-year chapter rather than a guaranteed permanent relocation.

As Dubai cements its place in popular culture, the celebrity migration underscores a broader shift toward the UAE among high-net-worth individuals seeking a different pace of life, with many weighing long-term residency plans against personal and professional ties to the United Kingdom.