Immigration, trade, and the economy were pivotal topics during the Brexit campaign. Below are some statistics illustrating how each has transformed since that historic vote.
Immigration
The free movement of people within the EU was a central issue for many voters, who sought to limit immigration to the UK.
From 2012 to 2016, EU nationals accounted for between 74% and 81% of the UK’s total net migration, which regularly exceeded 200,000 annually, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In contrast, net migration from non-EU nations remained relatively low, ranging from 61,000 to 90,000 each year.
After the 2016 referendum, however, that trend shifted significantly, contrary to the expectations of Brexit supporters.
Net migration from the EU decreased consistently, dropping from 253,000 in 2016 to 70,000 in 2020.
Conversely, numbers from non-EU countries rose from 90,000 in 2016 to 186,000 in 2019, before falling to 101,000 in the pandemic-affected 2020.
This divergence became even more pronounced beginning in 2021, as new immigration regulations were implemented.
Net migration from non-EU countries peaked at over one million in 2023, while net migration from the EU fell into negative territory—more EU nationals departed the UK than arrived.
As a result, overall net migration declined from its peak of 972,000 in 2022 to 308,000 in 2025, but the underlying trend remained intact.
Now, the incoming migrants predominantly hail from non-EU nations.
The EU nationals’ exodus
The exodus of EU nationals was largely driven by Polish migrants.
Net inflows of Polish nationals peaked at over 100,000 in 2014 before transitioning into substantial net outflows by the early 2020s, according to the ONS—though changes in data collection methods after 2020 also affected comparisons.
Many returned to their thriving home economy, but the pandemic also seemed to play a role.
Migration from Romania plummeted as well, falling from a peak of 90,000 in 2016 to negative net migration by 2023.
There were smaller yet persistent reversals among Lithuanians, Portuguese, Spaniards, French, and Italians, further reinforcing the downward trend.
Economy
While Brexit proponents argued it would have minimal impact on the UK economy, opponents contended that leaving the common market would instigate a crisis.
Raw GDP figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicate that the UK performed comparably to other advanced economies in the years following the 2016 referendum.
However, since the early 2020s, it has increasingly trailed behind the United States and Canada.
Immediately post-referendum, the UK fared slightly worse than the EU and suffered greater impacts than its European neighbors during the pandemic.
While there was a stronger rebound initially—UK GDP growth was higher than that of the EU right after leaving the single market in 2021—it fell behind Europe again in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
A BBC report stated that the UK economy had incurred a 6% detriment from Brexit, according to analyses of internal Bank of England data.
Also read: Timeline of events in Britain’s exit from the European Union
Trade
Supporters of exiting the EU single market claimed it would enable the UK to expand trade with global partners, while critics warned it would lead to disaster.
Goods exports to the EU decreased from 205 billion pounds in 2016, adjusted for inflation, to 185 billion pounds in 2025, despite a brief post-pandemic rebound.
In the same timeframe, goods imports from the EU fell only slightly, widening the UK’s trade deficit with its largest trading partner from 113 billion pounds to nearly 140 billion pounds, according to ONS data.
Non-EU goods exports were approximately 204 billion pounds in 2025, similar to 2016 levels, failing to bridge the gap.
On a positive note, rapid growth in services exports—from 357 billion pounds in 2016 to 519 billion pounds in 2025—enhanced total UK global exports from 765 billion pounds to 908 billion pounds over the same period.
Despite this, imports grew at a faster pace, resulting in a UK global trade deficit of about 65 billion pounds in 2025, which is 3 billion pounds larger than in 2016.
