The safest cities in the UK
We all like to feel safe in our homes – it’s a fundamental human right. However, you are more likely to feel safe in one area than you are in another – this is how house prices are governed and how lives are shaped.
Nowhere is this truer than in the city, where there is a perpetual conflict between wanting to be close to the action and also wanting your own safe space to call home.
We scoured the internet and the various reports undertaken in the last 3 years to try to pinpoint exactly which cities in the UK are the safest according to their own residents.
Hopefully, the results will let you know just how much you should be spending on your home security solutions and, if safety is a paramount concern, perhaps where you might want to be looking for your next big move.
Worcester – According to the Unbroken Britain report conducted https://www.leefireandsecurity.co.uklast year by onepoll.com, which asked inhabitants of 30 locations in the UK to rate the safety of their local area on a scale of 1 to 10, Worcester was the city that came out on top, with an average score of 7.76.
Edinburgh – In the Scottish capital, which is famous for its art, history, and nightlife, almost 90% of city residents feel safe, with only 16% admitting to experiencing crime at any point in the last few years. This was according to a study conducted during the documentary series Murdertown on Crime and Investigation. The research found that 82% of Edinburgh residents would recommend the city.
Birmingham – In a Compare the Market study, Birmingham was found to have only 87 cases of crime per 100,000 of the population and had excellent healthcare, with an ambulance response time average of around 3 minutes.
Plymouth – The largest city in Devon is also the city in the south-west where residents feel the safest. It was named as one of the top five safest cities in the UK after the Compare the Market study that polled 30 of the largest cities in the country.
Bristol – In the same documentary (see above), it was found that Bristol was crowned the second safest city after Edinburgh. Bristol, however, was ranked as only the 26th ‘happiest’ city for residents, according to a study by Provident. In that same study, Worcester came 1st, which shows it truly is a city with a lot going for it.
Cambridge – The city that’s often paired with Oxford (not only academically but due to its proximity), Cambridge was found to be the 5th safest place in the UK according to the onepoll study. However, Cambridge (alongside Oxford) is also an incredibly expensive place to live in any capacity.
The most dangerous cities in the UK
On the flip side, it might come as a shock (given the furore surrounding knife crime in the city in recent years) to learn that according to thetravel.com, London only ranked as the 7th most dangerous city in the UK. The top spot went to second city Birmingham, with Sheffield, and the cosmopolitan Bristol coming in 2nd and 3rd respectively. For those of you paying attention, this might come as something as a shock given the inclusion of both cities in the list above.
In Birmingham, 42% of locals feel at risk during the day and night, which is a shame given the various revitalisation projects that have given the city a new lease of life in recent years. The problem is, if you only focus on the figures then you’re only looking at a fraction of the story.
In Manchester (5th on the list), for example, where the robbery rates are at 2.5 per 1,000, the city is still thriving and tourism has never been more healthy. In London too, (7th) the sheer gravitational pull of the city and its culture, eclecticism and job opportunities, has meant that despite the statistics, people will never be scared away from the wonders of the big smoke.
Wherever you live, look after yourself
The takeaway here is that it doesn’t really matter where you live. The fact that Bristol and Birmingham both showed up on both the safest and most dangerous cities lists should underline that fact. It would appear the only thing separating one study from the next isn’t where the study was conducted, but who they asked.
Crime can happen anywhere, but as long as you’re prepared to face it head-on, with preventative measures then you should be able to sleep soundly at night. Investing in a complete modern home security system is a good start, but also consider joining a neighbourhood watch, getting friendly with your neighbours and generally keeping up to date with what’s going on in your area.