How HNW families are relocating to Europe – and what happens to their private staff

With the UK government abolishing the long-standing “non-dom” tax status, a quiet but significant shift is underway among high-net-worth (HNW) families. Now faced with the prospect of losing key tax benefits, many internationally mobile families are opting to relocate to Europe – seeking greater financial clarity, lifestyle benefits, and long-term security. According to Henley & Partners’ 2024 Private Wealth Migration Report, the UK is projected to lose 9,500 high-net-worth individuals this year more than double the number who left in 2023. New World Wealth places that figure even higher, at 10,800, marking a 157% year-on-year increase. This exodus is widely attributed to changes in the UK’s tax regime, including the end of non-dom status, alongside political and economic uncertainty. [source, City AM]

But what’s often less discussed in these transitions is the fate of the private households and family offices that support these families: the House Managers, Nannies, Chefs, Housekeepers, Butlers, Chauffeurs, Personal Assistants, Chiefs of Staff and Lifestyle Managers, that keep operations running smoothly.

At Cora, we specialise in supporting HNW and UHNW families through complex transitions like these – helping manage and maintain private household staffing and family offices across borders. Whether a family is relocating to France, Switzerland, Italy, or Portugal, or elsewhere around the world, we ensure the right people, systems, and support are in place to preserve continuity, trust, and discretion throughout the relocation.

In this blog, we’ll explore:

Why HNW families are leaving the UK
What’s driving the non-dom tax shake-up
What happens to private domestic staff during relocation
The challenges of hiring or relocating staff abroad
How Cora helps families navigate private household recruitment across Europe

Understanding the Shift: Why HNW Families Are Leaving the UK

To understand the current movement among HNW and UHNW individuals and families, it’s essential to clarify what is non dom status. Non-domiciled (non-dom) status allowed certain UK residents to limit their tax liability on overseas income. For decades, this favourable tax status positioned the UK as a premier hub for international wealth.

In April 2025, non dom status was abolished and replaced with a residence-based regime, as part of the government’s efforts to bring foreign earnings into the UK inheritance tax system.

The key reasons HNW families are relocating include:

The removal of the remittance basis for taxation
Increased exposure to UK inheritance tax
A new four-year residence rule with stricter tax implications
A desire for more transparent and stable tax jurisdictions

Popular relocation destinations such as France, Italy, Portugal, and Switzerland offer incentives such as flat tax schemes, residency-by-investment routes, and top-tier infrastructure.

As a result, many families are not only reconsidering their base of residence but also restructuring their estates, businesses, and private households accordingly.

What Happens to the Private Staff?

When a family relocates, so does their way of life – and central to that is their trusted team of private staff. For many HNW households, domestic employees are not just part of the payroll – they are part of the family infrastructure.

So, what happens when a family leaves the UK? There are three typical approaches:

Relocate trusted staff abroad – This requires careful planning to address international contracts, local employment laws, visas, and tax compliance.
Hire domestic staff locally in the new country – This demands insight into the local job market and access to reputable private household recruitment agencies.
Build hybrid teams – Retain core UK staff for seasonal or travel-based duties while hiring local staff for everyday support.

Each option brings legal, logistical, and emotional considerations, which is where Cora’s experience becomes invaluable.

Legal, Logistical, and Emotional Considerations

Relocating with private staff is not as simple as offering them a new contract. Every country presents different challenges in terms of legislation, compliance, and culture.

Employment Law & Tax Compliance

Each European country has specific regulations around domestic employment, working hours, pensions, and social security. When relocating staff, contracts must be compliant from the outset to avoid legal and financial risk.

Immigration & Visas

Staff may require work permits or visas, particularly when relocating non-EU personnel to EU countries. Post-Brexit rules have added another layer of complexity. A domestic household staff agency with international reach, such as Cora’s private staffing agency, can really help streamline this process.

Language & Cultural Fit

Even the most experienced UK-based housekeeper may find it challenging to adjust to a new cultural setting. Language skills, understanding local customs, and being comfortable with the new environment are key to long-term success.

Family Continuity & Trust

For many clients, especially those with children or elderly dependents, maintaining continuity is essential. Long-term Nannies, House Managers, or Carers often play critical roles that cannot easily be replaced. Cora’s bespoke relocation planning helps families preserve these trusted relationships across borders.

Case Study 1: Seamless Staff Relocation to Monaco

Last year, our client, a British businessman, decided to relocate their primary residence to the South of France in response to the UK’s shifting non-dom tax rules. They turned to Cora to manage the relocation of their core private staff. The family wanted to retain continuity with their most trusted team members – including their House Manager, Butler, and Private Chef – who had supported them for over five years across multiple residences. Additionally, they required the creation of a new family office, so, working alongside relocation experts, we secured the hire of a Private PA, Chief of Staff, and Accountant to manage local assets and oversee the existing domestic team.

Cora managed the six-week relocation timeline, co-ordinating every aspect of the move, from handling complex cross-border employment contracts to sourcing multilingual household staff aligning with French employment law. Our team worked in partnership with local legal experts and relocation advisors to ensure a smooth transition. We also provided onboarding for staff adjusting to the new setting. As a result, the family was fully operational within weeks – without disruption to their lifestyle or household rhythm.

“We’ve worked with Cora for many years, but our move to France was by far the most complex. Izzy and her team handled every detail with absolute discretion and professionalism – relocating our core team, and helping with our new family office set-up, with minimal disruption to our lives. We simply couldn’t have done it without them.”

— Principal, Private Family (relocated to Monaco)

Case Study 2: Establishing a New Italian Residence for a UK – European Couple

Earlier in the year, a prominent UK–European couple – both high-profile in business and philanthropy – chose to relocate their primary residence to Lake Como, Italy.

As they had never maintained a household or family office in Italy before, Cora was brought in at the earliest stage to design, source, and establish a brand-new domestic team and family office. The couple required a discreet, multilingual staff familiar with both formal service standards and a relaxed, modern approach to European living.

Cora led the full build-out of their household and family office operations, including the recruitment of a House Manager, Chef, Housekeeper, Chauffeur, and Security in the household, alongside a Private PA, Lifestyle Manager and Global Property Manager for the family office – sourcing highly experienced professionals sourced from both Italy and across Europe. We also provided local onboarding support, covering employment compliance and contracts, and liaising with property managers during the set-up phase.

Within two months, the household and family office was fully staffed and operational – reflecting the couple’s expectations for privacy, flexibility, efficiency and elevated service.

“Cora built our household from scratch with incredible efficiency and care. Every member of the team reflects our values and lifestyle – calm, capable, and discreet.

— Principal, Private Couple (relocated to Lake Como)

How Cora Supports HNW Families Across Borders

At Cora, we understand that moving abroad is both an opportunity and a stress point for families. As a specialist private household recruitment agency, we offer a discreet, end-to-end service to ensure your household remains efficient, harmonious, and fully compliant throughout the transition.

Our expertise spans:

International Staff Relocation

Visa assistance and document coordination
Cross-border payroll setup and tax compliance
Cultural onboarding and local orientation
Ongoing HR and wellbeing support for relocated staff

Local Recruitment in Europe

Access to experienced, multilingual household professionals
Tailored search and selection across numerous European countries including France, Italy, Portugal, and Switzerland
Market insight into salary benchmarking, legal obligations, and benefits

Hybrid Household Management

Strategically split staffing between residences
Recruit seasonal, rotational, or travel-based team members
Provide emergency backup and interim cover when needed

Family Office Recruitment and Coordination

Liaison with private offices and estate managers
Align contracts, insurances, and risk protocols across locations
Ensure consistency in service delivery and compliance

Families looking to hire domestic staff abroad or transition current employees to new jurisdictions can trust Cora to manage every step with care, discretion, and professionalism.

Where Are Families Moving? European Destinations Snapshot

Here are some of the most popular destinations for HNW families and key staffing considerations in each:

France

Benefits: Proximity to the UK, high quality of life, generous tax incentives for new residents
Staffing Tips: Contracts must comply with French labour law; fluency in French is often required; social charges can be high

Italy

Benefits: €100,000 flat tax regime for foreign income, cultural richness, strong domestic staff availability
Staffing Tips: Local contracts must meet Italian employment standards; bureaucracy can be a hurdle

Portugal

Benefits: Pleasant climate, lifestyle appeal, and (for now) the Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) tax scheme
Staffing Tips: NHR reforms are underway – seek updated advice; employment law favours permanent contracts

Switzerland

Benefits: Tax clarity, high standard of living, excellent infrastructure
Staffing Tips: Work permits tightly controlled; high cost of living; multilingual staff preferred

Malta

Benefits: Attractive flat-rate tax system for foreign income, English-speaking environment, mild climate, and strong international community
Staffing Tips: Employment law is straightforward, but contracts must comply with local standards; private staff may need work permits if not EU citizens; local talent pool is smaller, so early recruitment planning is advised

Germany

Benefits: Political and economic stability, excellent healthcare and infrastructure, central European location, and favourable tax structures through certain federal states
Staffing Tips: Strict labour laws and robust employee protections; domestic workers must be properly registered with social contributions; fluency in German is often essential for local hires

Monaco

Benefits: No personal income tax, prestigious lifestyle, and strong appeal for UHNW individuals; proximity to France and Italy adds regional flexibility
Staffing Tips: Extremely competitive domestic staffing market; many families recruit from neighbouring regions such as Nice or Milan; roles may require fluency in French or Italian, and accommodation for live-in staff can be a challenge due to limited space and high property costs

If you would like more information on regional salary ranges, unique legal obligations and schooling considerations, feel free to reach out to one of the team.

A Human-Centric Approach to Relocation

Amidst the spreadsheets and legal documents, it’s easy to forget that relocation is fundamentally a human experience. Children must settle into new schools, pets must be moved, and long-standing staff must adapt to new surroundings.

Our private household recruitment, and family office recruitment agency, Cora, provides:

Personalised relocation plans for each staff member
Emotional readiness coaching for families and employees
Mental health check-ins and ongoing wellbeing support for staff and families
Cultural sensitivity training to improve staff-family harmony
On-the-ground support post-move to ease transition

We believe continuity, wellbeing, and trust are the real markers of success in any relocation.

Adapting to the New non dom Tax Rules – What Families Should Do Now

With the UK’s non dom tax changes now in place, proactive planning is more important than ever. Our advice to families and family offices is:

Review all staff contracts and terms
Identify core team members to retain and relocate
Audit your household staffing structure across properties
Engage a reputable private household recruitment agency such as Cora early
Work with tax, legal, and relocation partners collaboratively

Cora’s consultants work hand-in-hand with relocation specialists, legal teams, and family offices to create staffing plans that align with broader strategic goals.

The end of the UK’s non dom status is more than a change in tax policy – it’s a lifestyle shift for many HNW families. And while finances may drive the move, it’s the people around you who make a house feel like home.

Whether you are relocating permanently, managing multiple European residences, or retaining a UK base, Cora is your trusted partner in private household recruitment, family office recruitment, and international staff management.

Please get in touch if you would like a private discussion to help ensure your household and family office remains secure, consistent, and expertly staffed – wherever you are in the world.