It’s no secret that crime is on the uptick across the United Kingdom. Official figures show that the rise in crime this year was the largest in a decade. I mean, I was walking from Primark in Birmingham the other day when a bloke got tased by five policemen for wielding a knife at people right in front of me. How scary is that?! Crime isn’t the same everywhere though (phew!). Some cities and towns are statistically more vulnerable than others. Dense population, a wide gap between income levels, and a stretched police force create a breeding ground for violence and criminality. This is probably the reason why London is the least safe place to live in the UK, followed by Birmingham (yeah, well, great, innit).
There are, however, cities and towns that offer high living standards and a low crime rate. Based on a survey by Provident Personal Credit entitled “Unbroken Britain,” here are some of the safest places to live in Britain:
1. Norwich
Norwich is probably the safest spot in all of East Anglia. People here consider the city safe enough to open their doors to neighbours and help a stranger in need. People from the city ranked it 7.5 out of 10 on a measure of safety.
2. Worcester
Crime has been trending downward in Worcester for a while now. Nearly half of the people surveyed said they felt safe and would never consider moving away.
3. Edinburgh
The capital of Scotland is more than just a gorgeous city; it’s a safe community. Nearly 92% of those surveyed here said they would greet a random stranger on the street and invite someone over for drinks or dinner. However, it seems crime in the city could be tough to detect and the rate might be the highest in Scotland.
4. Oxford
The university town of Oxford has had one of the lowest crime rates in the country for much of its history. Close to 1300 crimes were reported here in 2016, of which nearly a 100 were related to stolen bikes.
5. Wrexham
The third safest place in the country is also the second safest place in Wales.
6. York
York has a population of just 200,000, which may explain why crime is so rare here. Each year, about 1500 crimes are reported and most of them are related to minor offences.
7. Plymouth
Plymouth is the largest city in Devon and is the safest spot in the south western part of the country.
8. Aberdeen
Aberdeen is the safest city in Scotland and one of the safest cities to live in the UK. The city regularly celebrates being the second safest city in the country and ranks highly for LGBTQ friendliness.
9. Aberystwyth
Widely regarded as the safest and friendliest city in the UK, Aberystwyth is home to a strong community. Most of the people living in this popular Wales city say they would greet a stranger. Nearly 80% of those surveyed said they do so regularly.
If you’re planning a move or worry about where you live, these are some of the safest cities and towns in the country.