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The UK is comparatively a safe country. The homicide rate in the Uk is also low (1.2 per 100,000 people). The crime rates vary among the four nations. The average crime rate in England and Wales is 7760 per 100,000 people. Scotland has a crime rate of 4510 per 100,000 people. Northern Ireland has the lowest crime rate at 49.8 per 100,000 people. The most common crime of all is pickpocketing. It is especially a major concern in metropolitan cities and tourist places. Terrorist attacks are uncommon, but like pickpocketing, they are also a concern for major cities, transport hubs, tourist places or major events.
Crime is the one issue that everyone notices, while several other major concerns might go unnoticed. The other major concerns include poor air quality or polluted air, flood-prone areas and other similar potential dangers. However, the risk of such natural calamity or disaster is pretty low in the UK. The country is also considered safe from a women’s perspective. It is usually safe for women to travel alone, however, everyone should stay a little precautious when travelling alone.
Whether you are planning to shift to the UK and are finding the safest places to live in the UK or are someone looking to relocate to safer areas, we’ve got you. Continue reading below to find the safest areas to live in the UK.
Safety – A Major Housing Concern in the UK
Like every other industry and market, the property market has also been hugely impacted by COVID – 19 and continues to reshape to date. In the initial months of COVID-19 people were trying to shift to larger spaces with gardens and more rooms, as they wanted to spend the lockdown with ease and comfort. Now as people are ready to continue their day-to-day lives with COVID-19, housing demands in London and other metropolitan cities have again increased.
The Covid-19 phase has deeply affected the way people think and thus has also changed the needs of people. Today, the homeowners and renters would first research how safe the new area or place they are going to shift in is. With everyday increasing rates and uncertainty about any new COVID-19 variants, people are reluctant to move. But when they do, they want everything to be perfect in sense of safest and comfort. Moving away again, if the new area is low on safety or simply doesn’t suit you could become more difficult and hectic than before.
What makes areas ‘Safest Places to Live in the UK’?
Whether you feel secure in your society or city, in general, is depend on more than one factor. Though when you ask someone if the place they are living is safe, they would answer based on the crime rate in that area. While the crime rate is one factor to determine whether places are safe or dangerous, there are other factors to consider as well.
Written below are the factors that you must consider while looking for the safest places to live in the UK.
Low Crime Rate
This as discussed above is the primary factor to deem any area safe. The low crime rate is the key indicator that the particular area is a safe and joyous place to live a happy life with your family. Luckily, the crime statistics of all the areas are easily available to local police forces and other national institutions. This makes it easy to access crime in any area you are considering shifting in.
Crime Volume
This is the rate of crime in any area or place you are planning to build a home. It takes into consideration all kinds of crimes while accessing the crime rate in the places. The low crime rate in a place indicates that the area is highly guarded by police and does not attract any crimes of opportunity or planned crimes. It thus indicates that the place has a good quality of life.
Types of Crime
If you can, try to find out the kind of crimes that take place in those areas. Is the place vulnerable to burglaries? Is the area a hub of professional thieves? Are pickpocketing and mugging a concern in the places you considered? The above-mentioned are a common problem in tourist places and areas around them. Try to find out the type of crime that occurs in the locality and decide if you could be the victim of that crime.
Safety Initiatives by Government
Do not completely rely on the stats. Look for yourself if the local government or the police are taking steps to eliminate crime in the area. How much do the government and the police prioritise or value that particular area? Are they taking initiatives to curb crime? Are they investing well enough in safety improvement? Consider all of this before you buy or rent a house in any area in the UK, as it is a good indicator of the possibility or increase/decrease of crime in any area or place.
High-Quality Buildings
If anything, disasters around the globe have been proof that the standards of your building matter greatly. While nowadays every area uses developers and architects, a good look through the news articles will let you know if the area has a history of poor quality buildings, endemic dampness, collapsed buildings or preventable fires. You can also look at the other projects of the very developer. It could be a good indicator if your building is going to sustain well. The broker and reviews can be of great help here. The quality of raw material and the craftsmanship of the building play a significant role in determining whether any home is safe.
Risk of Floods
Flood is another major concern for people while they look for the safest areas to live in the UK, as they have a high rate of causing disruptions and damage to both life and property. To date, approximately 5 million houses are at risk of flooding in the UK. 1.5 million homes, which would count for 30% of the housing population, have not taken any steps to protect against flooding.
The institutions have also mapped flooding and chances of flooding in the UK, which makes it easier to assess the risk of flooding and compare it to other security factors. Gov.uk provides records of flood data of any place in the past and thus helps to access the risk of flooding in the area. Not to mention, the houses near rivers, in low-lying areas such as valleys are always at a higher risk of flooding and would demand further investigation.
Climate Change
While all the areas would face climate change, some are more prone to it than others. As discussed above, flooding is one major cause of climate change. As an island, the UK is at a greater risk of erosion in its coastal areas. According to the UK Climate Risk report 2021, 28% of the coastline of England and Wales is vulnerable to erosion, for Northern Ireland it is 19.5% and for Scotland, it is 19%.
Good Road System
Road collisions and accidents are another cause of concern. Bad roads can also cause discomfort in your day-to-day life. So make sure your new area has a developed road system. Do check for stats on road accidents in the area. Do not make the mistake of assuming rural roads to be safe. As the 2014 government campaign cited that country roads counted for 60% of fatal collisions.
Air Quality
Air quality is not just about safety, it is about healthy life and well-being. According to WHO, 7 million people die in the world because of poor air quality. While the UK is considered a cleaner country among the developed countries in terms of air quality, it varies from region to region. Here is the website to check the air quality of any region you plan to live in in the UK.
How to decide ‘Top 10 Safest Places to Live in the UK?
While all the points mentioned above are important, crime being the most important one, we’ll focus on the crime rate and determine the safest places to live in the UK. Crime is easily trackable and usually has a huge and regular impact on places.
The list below talks about the 10 safest places to live in the UK. The list is made considering the crime rates of places in late 2020 and the year 2021. The data has been collected from the three reports to collect data from all sections of the UK – Office of National Statistics (Crime in England and Wales: year ending September 2021), Scottish Government (Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2020-2021) and Police Service of Northern Ireland (Police Recorded Crime in Northern Ireland).
10 Safest Places to Live in the UK
| S. No. | Place | Crime Rate (Per 1000 people) |
| 1 | Shetland Islands | 19.76 |
| 2 | East Renfrewshire | 22.54 |
| 3 | Ards & North Down | 37.23 |
| 4 | Aberdeen City | 51.27 |
| 5 | Wiltshire | 52.17 |
| 6 | North Yorkshire | 52.73 |
| 7 | Surrey | 53.91 |
| 8 | Devon and Cornwall | 56.29 |
| 9 | West Mercia | 65.31 |
| 10 | Cumbria | 65.62 |
Safest Places to Live in the UK 2022- Brief
Shetland Islands
While many people fall for the BBC 6-series crime drama based in the Shetland Islands, please remember that is not the reality of Shetland. The place is known for being one of the safest places in the UK with the lowest crime rate.
Why live in the Shetland Islands?
You would be surprised to know that a total of 452 crime cases were recorded here in the year 2020-2021, making it one of the safest places to live in the UK. The Shetland Islands is also the safest and most alluring place to spend relaxing time, away from the hustle and bustle of the mainland.
East Renfrewshire
Situated to the southwest of Glasgow, East Renfrewshire is among the 32 council areas of Scotland.
Why live in the East Renfrewshire?
This rural area is small but inviting. This area is highly supportive of small businesses. Also, the residents here like to stay interconnected, which automatically reduces the crime rate in the area.
Ards and North Down
One of the safest places to live in the UK, Ards and North Down is a district in North Ireland. The government district is situated to the east of Belfast, the capital of North Ireland.
What adds Ards and North Down in suitable places?
With a coastline extending to 115 miles, it is among the most beautiful parts of the country. The city is also a tourism hotspot with its ancient castles, military forts, abbeys, and holy wells. The fact that the city attracts so many tourists is also partly due to the low crime rate and high safety in the area.
Aberdeen City
Situated in northeast Scotland, the port city of Aberdeen is famous for its historical and architectural wonders. The slow pace of life here, away from the hustle and bustle of the mainland makes it a more pleasant place.
Why Aberdeen?
The city has been an important port for hundreds of years. It is also known as Europe’s energy capital. The place is not only rich in opportunities but also has a blessing of beauty. The area is filled with green spaces and parks, which makes it one of the most suitable places to live in the UK.
Safest Place in Scotland
The city was also voted the safest place to live in Scotland.
Wiltshire
One of the safest places to live in the UK, Wiltshire is somewhere in the middle of Oxford, Southampton and Bristol. Home to Stonehenge, one of the seven wonders of the world, Wiltshire is green, beautiful and full of history. Prosperity and development often result in a low crime rate, which is also the case with Wiltshire.
It is a large county in England with several gorgeous towns and stretches, which also makes it a good tourist spot. Wiltshire has the mix of both – rural retreat and hustle-bustle of the city.
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a large country in the UK with an area of 8608 km². Despite being a large county, the people of North Yorkshire like to live in a community and togetherness. This sense of togetherness has played a significant role in keeping the crime rate low in the county.
The county is also one of the most beautiful counties in England, with rolling hills, gorgeous coastline and beautiful countryside.
Surrey
Another among the safest places to live in the UK, Surrey is situated in the south of England. The county is expanded into 1,663 km² with a population of around 1.2 million people.
What makes it desirable?
Sandwiched between Hampshire to the East and London to the North West, surrey has abundant employment opportunities, infrastructure development and easy accessibility. All these factors contribute to making places safer than the others. The county is also blessed with numerous beautiful parks.
Devon and Cornwall
One of the famous tourist places in the UK, Devon and Cornwall are also popular for their low crime rate and friendly inhabitants. The place also has an abundance of beauty with its gorgeous coastal line, clotted cream, fun-filled surfing etc. While these features do attract a lot of tourists every year, the friendly, helpful and welcoming nature of the locals, and low crime rates also play a significant role.
Why Devon?
A small and scenic county in the England region of the UK, Devon is a place you must consider if you are looking for a peaceful and calm place to live in. The place has a serene aura and has no shortage of scenic places and attractive cities.
West Mercia
West Mercia is the point that connects Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Telford & Wrekin. Together these counties boast a great combination of excellent schools, natural beauty and great job prospects. With new investments adding in regularly, West Mercia is enjoying a low crime rate and high prosperity in the region.
Where to live?
If you are confused between the counties, while West Mercia is a good option, you can also consider Shropshire. Situated in the West Midlands of England, Shropshire is an affordable place which has much to offer to its residents.
Cumbria
Home to the famous Lake District National Park and a part of Yorkshire Dales National Park, Cumbria is known for its natural beauty. Situated in the right end of England, thanks to its peaceful and tranquil aura, the place is among the safest areas to live in the UK.
Why Select Cumbria?
From gorgeous sceneries to great schools, this north England county has something for everyone. While many factors need to be considered while selecting the safest places to live in the UK but it can be safely said that Cumbria is a place you won’t be disappointed with.
