Crossing the Canal. Only 1 in 7 Brits believe they will be able to live a comfortable retirement in the UK
With high living costs and decreasing pension pots, only 1 in 7 people believe that they will have enough money to live comfortably in the UK once they stop working according to a survey from the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF).
Data from the NAPF highlighted that the UK could witness a large numbers of retirees moving overseas in an attempt to find better value for money with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) citing destinations such as France, Spain, Australia, the USA and Canada as top picks for UK pensioners.
Danny Silver, expert in French real estate and MD of The Villages Group, comments,
“The numbers speak for themselves – 34% of those who took part in the NAPF survey said they would rather retire somewhere cheaper overseas than start paying more into their British pension while 24% of those aged 55 to 64 shared the same view, indicating that their inability to save more for retirement left them feeling more pressurized into moving abroad.
“Of course, as more and more people in their ‘third age’ see their costs of living rise and their standard of living drop, it is hardly surprising that they are looking for better deals overseas. France for instance is undoubtedly one of the ultimate retirement destinations for a wide variety of reasons. It’s close to the UK, celebrated for its cuisine and culture and affords a varying climate depending on what part of the country you reside in be that Bordeaux for its stunning countryside or the long sandy Mediterranean coastline of Languedoc.”
With this in mind, the Languedoc-Roussillon region makes for a wonderful place to relocate in your golden years. Chosen for its three C’s – climate, coast and countryside as well as being one of the best places in the world to go canal boating, Languedoc is one of the most visited parts of south west France. As a result of Languedoc’s popularity, The Villages Group has decided to develop an active living resort ‘village’ for those over 50 to enjoy at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Canal du Midi, one of Europe’s longest and widest canal systems.
Danny Silver explains,
“Canal du Midi is one of the most remarkable feats of civil engineering in modern times. Laden with plane trees, planted in neat rows in the 1830s to strengthen the banks, this magnificent environment became an integral part of the canal´s beauty and a tourist attraction when it finally ceased to be used for commercial transport in the 1980s. It is a wonderful place for engineering enthusiasts or for those simply wanting to bask in the beauty of the canal.”
The Villages Group will provide a village community of around 116 villas on the banks of the Canal du Midi. This village site will afford full on-site amenities including tennis courts, indoor pool, gymnasium and quality entertainment programmes, perfect for living an active and fulfilling life within a community of like-minded individuals.
For more information on a fresh alternative and unique lifestyle choice for the active over 50’s please contact The Villages Group on + 33 1 4007 8625, email villages@pdfparis.com or visit www.thevillagesgroup.com.