A global survey has ranked the Isle of Man as the best place to live in the British Isles and the 12th best in the world.

The annual HSBC Expat Survey, which is the longest running independent survey of expats, announced that 92% of respondents who have relocated here felt safer and more secure compared to where they had previously lived.

This was nearly double the average (48%) of other countries on the league table.

The island ranked 4th place overall in terms of political stability and 9th place for a good work and life balance.

Outdoor activities and a strong sense of community were other reasons listed as to why expats are staying in the island longer than planned.

The Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey were new entries to the league table this year with Jersey featuring at 19 and Guernsey at 25.

Daphne Caine MHK, political member with responsibility for Locate Isle of Man, said: ’I am delighted that the island has ranked so highly in such a comprehensive and well regarded survey.

’It is clear that the quality of life we enjoy in the Isle of Man makes us an attractive destination for those looking to relocate to live and work, but it is also fantastic to see how competitive we are on a global scale in terms of political and economic stability, our wellbeing and family offering.’

HSBC’s survey focuses on economic stability, wellbeing and family benefits such as finance, education, healthcare and quality of life to give an insight into how countries compare across the globe.

It was open to those over the age of 18 who currently live away from their home.

A total of 18,059 expats from 163 countries and territories completed the online questionnaire in February and March this year, which was conducted by YouGov and commissioned by HSBC Expat.

A minimum of 100 expat respondents were required for a country or territory to make it onto the league table. Only 33 countries qualified for this year’s table.

Switzerland was top of the chart this year, being named as expats’ favourite global destination to live and work. Brazil ranked last at 33.

In the island it was found that on average expats remain in the island 8.2 years longer than originally planned. The global average was 4.3 years.

A total of 74% of respondents said their quality of life had improved since moving to the island, and almost half said their mental wellbeing has improved.

The survey stated: ’Those who have moved to the Isle of Man sing the praises of the local landscape - only New Zealand and Australia receive more plaudits!’

The island is also more attractive to first-time expats - for 64% of those relocating, it was their first experience of living abroad.

Find the survey’s findings here: http://expatexplorer.hsbc.com/survey