Making the decision on where to buy investment properties or even raise one’s own family in the UK requires the due diligence and exacting standards of dedicated research. Fortunately, there is a wealth of data, reports and continually updated information from reliable and independent sources that details how safe all locations are. Obviously, discretion and common sense are always to be added into the mix for proper consideration, but these facts do present a good foundation for people who want to learn more about neighbourhoods and counties across the country.
This guide profiles ten of the areas that consistently appear as the safest across the UK. It considers available crime statistics, a sense of the overall lifestyle and any specific safety features that are currently in place.
Shetland Islands
Shetland
Shetland has the lowest rate of crime anywhere in the UK. The impressive and enduring social cohesion present here is often thought to be a defining factor, with interdependent communities and a high level of civic engagement and social responsibility in place. This is a famously remote Scottish archipelago of vast open landscapes and incredible wildlife, where families are as safe as the granite cottages, beautiful croft houses and recent eco-home developments that make up their housing stock.
Orkney Islands
Orkney
There is evidence of human settlements in Orkney that date back over 5000 years. This has inevitably informed a resolutely strong network of communities that creates a cultural identity where crime becomes exceptionally rare. The peaceful atmosphere and breathtaking natural scenery undoubtedly have an effect on residents too, with the Skara Brae, Maeshowe and the Ring of Brodgar forming an overall area that is accredited with UNESCO World Heritage status. The stone cottages and sympathetically designed modern developments exist in harmony together with a great balance for all of Orkney.
Newton Mearns
East Renfrewshire
The town of Newton Mearns remains statistically the safest area in mainland Scotland. Although it is just seven miles from the centre of Glasgow, it has the altogether different atmosphere of a village from another age. This was originally agricultural land owned by noble families until the 20th century saw a mini boom as a garden suburb for professionals in the surrounding areas. As a result, the crescents and estates of interwar houses benefit from a collective responsibility with local policing acting swiftly for elevated security to all residents.
Wokingham
Berkshire
Wokingham in Berkshire is a great example of a town that had its status accelerated following the Industrial Revolution. Georgian and Victorian properties remain from those eras in a showcase of well-kept modern estates that continued this prosperity for generations to come. Although its excellent links to London are well documented, Wokingham still feels very self-contained and that may account for an exceptionally low crime rate that is achieved through local vigilance and an embedded collective security philosophy.
Harrogate & York
North Yorkshire
The immense and country-shaping history of York and its surrounding areas has made it one of the UK’s most important cities for hundreds of years. Nearby Harrogate flourished from its proximity as a spa town for the North Yorkshire elite that definitely made the most of its natural awe and scenic wonder. Consistently low crime remains across these districts through a combination of affluent demographics and a huge emphasis on heritage-led planning for any new housing.
Salisbury
Wiltshire
The 13th-century cathedral in Salisbury is at the centre of a community that evokes ideas of simple living with civic pride. The attendant sense of combined responsibility from residents is a large reason for the town having one of the lowest crime rates in southern England. Surrounded by chalk downs and ancient monuments like Stonehenge and Old Sarum, there have been human settlements in this county for millennia and that may well encourage a deep-rooted sense of place and purpose that residents are keen to protect.
Truro
Devon & Cornwall
The cathedral city of Truro is perhaps the best example of Cornwall’s blend of tradition and modern cultural appeal. The rural calm and efficient policing have kept this place amongst the UK’s lowest crime rate areas for generations. Networks of families and strong ties to local business and industry have ensured that the population remains well-connected and stable here. As one of the smallest cities in the country, its population of around 20,000 are always keen to look after the safe status for every resident, old or new.
Guildford
Surrey
The data shows that Surrey, as a county, maintains a pleasingly low crime rate of approximately 50 crimes per 1000 people. The elegance and verdant sophistication of Guildford could easily make it the poster town for the county in this regard, with its promotion of a gentle and more serene lifestyle. With such affluence and prosperity, inevitably comes large investment, and with priorities high for town planning and policing, Guildford looks set to continue developing with safety in mind.
Rutland
East Midlands
This delightful area that occupies a small space between Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire is the smallest county in the whole country. A small population and well-engaged parish-type community ensures that the neighbourhoods are instilled with a commendable civic pride that dates back to mediaeval times. This is perhaps best demonstrated when Rutland briefly lost county status between 1974 and 1997, successfully restored because of a well-coordinated local campaign. As a result of this enduring philosophy, crime rates remain remarkably low.
Brecon
Powys
It seems impossible not to be moved by the hills, rivers and overall majesty of the Brecon Beacons. What was once a Norman stronghold in the middle of Wales beside the river Usk became a fashionable Georgian market area that served the towns and villages around it. In modern times, the density of people and properties remains very low for the overall space and its reputation for peace and community means it runs to its own steady and safe rhythm at all times.
Spending time in any of these areas and their surrounding counties is bound to be an enjoyable experience. The data can only guide one so far to understand how a location operates and feels in terms of its welcome and safety credentials. It does however, present a useful map of the country to begin from when planning any breaks, research trips or extended stays.
