The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Victoria Smith
A list of the UK’s top ‘perfect’ retirement locations has been revealed – and there are some surprising names on the list.
The stereotypical retirement destination, in most peoples’ minds, is a seaside town such as Bournemouth.
But instead, a new ranking system has calculated that regions such as the Outer Hebrides, Exeter and Kirklees are the top places for retirement when all pensioners’ needs are factored in.
Consumer group Which? has taken retirees’ wish-lists for their later-life locations to work out its own grouping of the 12 top places to spend your golden years.
Going in waves: Many pensioners choose to live in seaside towns, but new analysis shows this may not tick all the boxes when it comes to retirement needs
The 1,000 people surveyed said healthcare access was the most important factor in what they wanted in a retirement location, with 88 per cent prioritising it.
Healthcare was followed by access to green space (75 per cent) and local leisure activities (31 per cent) as priorities, along with low crime, affordable houses and how happy local residents are.
The consumer group then took this list and worked out the top local authority in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as hotspots for each of the nine regions of England.
Twelve locations, one for each region, were identified as the best areas to retire.
The top scores were awarded to Broxbourne, Elmbridge, Exeter, High Peak, Kirklees, Merton, Mid and East Antrim, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Outer Hebrides, South Tyneside, Stockport and Wrexham.
Which? found that more than a third (36 per cent) of people approaching retirement age want to move house or have done so already.
