Ever More Brits Abroad Require Consular Assistance

Expat Globe

Expats often see themselves as seasoned citizens of the world, unworried by the usual trials and tribulations of the common or garden tourist.

However, even the most entrenched of expats will acknowledge the help the British Consular Office in their adopted country can give when the need arises. And the numbers of Britons requesting such assistance has risen again this year.

Last year (2011/12) an average of 10 Britons a day had to be admitted to hospital, with hospital cases rising 132% in Majorca over the last two years and by 40% in Ibiza. The FO said common causes for all Britons needing hospital treatment included car accidents, pedestrian accidents, balcony incident and heart attacks.

Deaths of Britons abroad rose from 5,972 in 2010/11 to 6,237 in 2011/12, while there were 3,739 hospital admissions in 2011/12 compared with 3,752 in 2010/11.

Instances of rape rose from 115 in 2010/11 to 127 in 2011/12, while the number of lost or stolen passports rose from 25,969 in 23010/11 to 28,569 in 2011/12. The highest number of reported sexual assaults last year were in Egypt (24) followed by Turkey (23).

The number of Britons arrested abroad, first published last month by the FO, reached 6,015 in 2011/12 - a rise on the 2010/11 total of 5,700. Excluding the passport statistics, the number of consular assistance cases rose from 19,228 in 2010/11 to 19.874 in 2011/12 - a 3% increase.

Spain (5,405 cases), the USA (1,822) and France (1,319) were the countries where assistance was most needed last year, with all the statistics covering not only Britons living overseas but also Britons holidaying abroad.

Based on the numbers of British visitors and British residents compared with consular cases, the Philippines was the country where consulate assistance was most likely to be needed, followed by Thailand, Jamaica and Pakistan. France was the country where Britons were least likely to have to ask for consular help.