It is the former Soviet bloc state that was once known for its extreme poverty and bread lines.
But two decades after Poland was rocked by mass emigration, Britons are flocking in search of a better life and to escape unemployment.
The country’s combination of low taxes, tightly controlled profits and a flourishing entrepreneurial spirit has led experts to predict it will overtake Britain’s sluggish economy within five years.
Polish economist Rafal Benecki told The Sun on Sunday: “People think that Poles are people who drink too much vodka and eat potatoes. But the reality is that we have invested a lot in education and we have a large number of IT workers.
“We want to catch up with Western Europe and we are working hard to achieve it.
“The average working week is around 53 hours, while in the UK it is 36.5 hours.
“Poland spends 17 percent of its annual budget on its social welfare system. If the UK spends 23.5 percent, that will put it at a competitive disadvantage.”
When The Sun visited Poland’s second largest city, Krakow, nicknamed the Silicon Valley of Central Europe, on Sunday this week, the enormous progress made was evident.
On clean streets, phone thefts are virtually unheard of. And there is a reliable and affordable public transport system that puts the UK’s creaking rail network to shame.
‘In England it just rains’
Customer services worker David Williams is one of a growing number of Britons drawn to Poland’s growing economy.
He left his home in Droitwich, Worcestershire, to work in Krakow in 2018, having struggled to find work after studying computing at Gloucester University.
The unemployment rate currently stands at 4.3 per cent in the UK, compared to 3.2 per cent in Poland.
David, 29, said: “Poland is not as cheap as it used to be and many jobs are now moving to India. But I can’t think of a city in my country that offers the same lifestyle and opportunities that I have here.
“I haven’t been a victim of any crime since I moved to Krakow and the public transport is fantastic. I don’t think I’ll ever go back.”
Language teacher Alexandra Mocroft, 34, moved to Krakow from Faversham, Kent, last year.
She revealed: “Rent in the UK was very expensive.
“I had to live with my parents and it was a nightmare to get to work because the trains were always late.
“People think that Poland is a sad and broken place, but it was a great relief when I arrived here.
“My rent is £500 a month, bills included.
“The food and service are fantastic, the trains are on time and there are lakes where you can do water sports and mountain resorts where you can ski.
“People often say that it rains money in England, but the reality is that it just rains.”
Our report comes after the Office for Budget Responsibility lowered its forecast for the UK’s annual productivity growth by 0.3 percentage points.
The UK economy is stagnating, with growth stagnating at 1.1 per cent last year, compared to three per cent in Poland.
Since 2019, Poland’s economy has grown by 18 per cent, compared to around 1 per cent for the UK.
Public sector debt now stands at 95 percent of UK GDP, while in 2024, public sector debt in Poland was around 55 percent.
And Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk boasted that “the Poles will be richer than the British” within five years. It is no surprise that a third of the million Poles who emigrated to Britain after its EU membership was ended in 2004 have returned home.
Jan and Martyna Niedospial spent six years living in Deptford, south-east London, but moved to Krakow last year over fears that their three children, aged ten, nine and six, would not be safe at the capital’s secondary school.
And in Poland, Martyna is one of 25,000 expats benefiting from the “Polish deal” – exemption from income tax on earnings of up to 85,500 zlotys (£17,500) for four years.
The 38-year-old said: “The reality is we were struggling to make ends meet in London. We were paying £1,800 a month to rent a three-bedroom flat in a council building that was always cold in winter because the energy efficiency was terrible, and we were spending up to £200 a month on gas and electricity.
“There was mold on the walls and the windows were broken, and we were spending £150 a month on council tax and £50 on water bills.
My plan is to return because I believe that life will be better in Poland.
Patryk Janiczek
“Jan’s monthly salary was only £2,000 after tax, so even with £1,200 a month in benefits we couldn’t afford to go out or buy a car.
“We now pay just £1,200 a month, including bills, for a flat twice the size in a beautiful area. It is costing us £600 a month to send two of our children to private school. Plus, childcare is much cheaper (£40 a month including meals for full-time care), which means I can afford to go back to work and earn the equivalent of £800 a month.”
‘Better managed’
Patryk Janiczek, the boyfriend of temporary worker Ula Kuchai, has spent the last three years working in London.
But Ula, 28, says: “He says a single room costs the same as a whole apartment in Poland.
“He wants to return because he is convinced that we will have a better future here. The education system is highly respected in Poland, so it is a good place to raise children and university is free for Polish citizens.”
Patryck, 25, works at a window and door company run by a family member in London.
I have never had to wait more than two months to find a job and Poles are very hardworking. You must present a note from your doctor only to take a sick day.
Martin Perring
He earns £26,000 a year and pays £800 for a room in a flat he shares with two colleagues.
He said: “My plan is to return because I think life will be better in Poland.
“For the same amount I pay to live in a room here, I could rent an entire apartment with my girlfriend, and Krakow is much safer. You can use your phone in public without any problems and the city is much cleaner and better managed.
“There are still opportunities in London, but Poland is improving rapidly. I see a bright future for us there.”
Londoner Martin Perring, 33, moved to Krakow in 2018, where he now works for an advertising company.
He said: “At home I was on a zero hours contract for just over £10 an hour. I was living with my dad with little hope of moving out.
“I’ve never had to wait more than two months to find a job here and Poles are very hard-working. You have to present a doctor’s note just to take a day of sick leave.
“Most days I see a Ferrari parked outside my office and there are a lot of luxury apartment buildings under construction.
“It’s a completely different country than it was 20 years ago.”
