The number of British people who are choosing to move abroad is rising, according to an expert.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch UK, told the Daily Mail that a number of different issues are prompting Britons to relocate to a new home.

Speaking to the newspaper, he said emigration has doubled in the last couple of years, partly because people are attracted by potential lifestyle improvements overseas.

“People find the UK is getting more and more crowded and they see crime rates going up,” Sir Andrew commented.

He added that the recent economic slowdown in Britain has also contributed to a surge in the amount of outward migration.

According to the Spanish Property Owners Guild, many people from the UK are choosing to start a new life in Spain because they are dissatisfied with life at home.

The organisation highlighted a number of reasons for this trend, such as concerns over taxation, crime levels and the rising cost of living in Britain.

Fuel prices in Spain are relatively low in comparison to other European countries, according to new figures.

Statistics from the Post Office show that unleaded petrol costs £1 a litre in Spain - 30 per cent less than in Belgium and the Netherlands.

In addition, the research revealed that a litre of diesel costs 94p a litre at Spanish petrol stations, making it 26 per cent cheaper than the UK.

This has prompted the Post Office to recommend that British people who plan to take a motoring holiday overseas consider visiting the country.

The organisation commented: “Spain emerges as the best value destination for UK holidaymakers in Europe.”

In addition, it stated that the cost of hiring a car is also much lower than in neighbouring European countries.

This comes after a study by American Express found that ten per cent of British families are considering going on a driving holiday in Europe this summer.

People who have invested in the Spanish property market could be set to receive a substantial tax rebate, it has emerged.

Authorities in the European country were recently alerted to an error which was made when foreign property sellers were taxed on their capital gains.

Whereas they should actually have been charged for 15 per cent of their returns, they were actually forced to hand over 35 per cent because they are not Spanish nationals.

However, such a practice is illegal under European Union rules and means that the government must now return the extra money it has taken.

Lawyer Emilio Alvarez, who helped expose the mistake, commented: “This tax trap is thought to have affected hundreds of thousands of people across Europe and in the UK.”

It is thought that British investors were overtaxed by about £37 million, which works out to £11,000 for each sale.

According to Holiday-Rentals, Spain is currently the most popular country in the world among British property buyers.