Buckinghamshire, Surrey, the Scottish Borders and other great places to retire in Britain

With many regions in Britain having a great deal to offer retirees, new research delves into the happiest places for older people.

Choosing where to retire is one of life’s biggest decisions.

Whether you're after coastal calm or a lively town with great amenities, finding the right spot can make an enormous difference to your quality of life in your golden years.

Following our recent piece on the best places to retire abroad, our latest article focuses on Britain’s hotspots – revealing what makes these locations so attractive for pensioners.

What makes an ideal spot for retirees?

Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to where you should live in later life.

However, the most appealing regions offer a strong mix of affordability, access to healthcare, low crime, community spirit and local amenities.

With this in mind, insurer Legal & General analysed data from 632 Local Authorities to determine which areas are best suited for older Brits.

As well as financial factors, the experts also looked at natural resources and access to local amenities.

Based on these findings, each area received a score out of 100.

Best areas to retire in Britain

Here’s how the top 10 areas ranked overall:

Constituency	County	Out of 100	Health	Social & Community	Financial	Amenities
Chesham and Amersham	Buckinghamshire	74	93	69	78	64
Beaconsfield	Buckinghamshire	72	91	69	79	61
Dorking and Horley	Surrey	71	85	82	72	44
Godalming and Ash	Surrey	71	86	71	77	54
Mid Sussex	West Sussex	70	81	80	77	53
Woking	Surrey	70	84	74	80	30
Farnham and Bordon	Surrey	70	85	71	69	55
Esher and Walton	Surrey	69	91	54	76	45
Suffolk Coastal	Suffolk	69	59	78	76	74
East Grinstead and Uckfield	Sussex	68	82	79	76	42

Source: Legal & General

As you can see from the table above, Chesham and Amersham ranked most highly overall, with a score of 74 out of 100.

The region performed particularly well in terms of healthcare, with a score of 93, meaning that most residents over 65 enjoy strong mental and physical health.

Best areas to retire in Scotland

And what about those north of the border?

Constituency	County	Out of 100	Health	Social & Community	Financial	Amenities
Mid Dunbartonshire	East Dunbartonshire	55	46	79	87	54
Stirling and Strathallan	Stirling	52	42	54	86	78
East Renfrewshire	East Renfrewshire	51	50	82	79	23
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine	Aberdeenshire	51	44	59	91	51
Na h-Eileanan an Iar	Na h-Eileanan Siar	50	20	72	65	62
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber	Argyll and Bute	50	38	69	68	69
Perth and Kinross-shire	Perth and Kinross	48	40	49	84	61
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross	Highland	48	40	71	52	78
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk	Scottish Borders	48	48	53	67	75
Dumfries and Galloway	Dumfries and Galloway	48	33	66	52	78

Source: Legal & General

When it comes to Scotland, Mid Dunbartonshire grabbed the top spot, thanks to strong marks in the social/community and financial security categories.

Best areas to retire in Wales

Constituency	County	Out of 100	Health	Social & Community	Financial	Amenities
Monmouthshire	Gwent	53	46	67	69	72
Dwyfor Meirionnydd	Gwynedd	49	37	62	63	90
Vale of Glamorgan	South Glamorgan	48	39	58	71	43
Ynys Mon	Gwynedd	48	34	55	62	63
Mid and South Pembrokeshire	Dyfed	47	29	62	59	75
Bangor Aberconwy	Clwyd	47	41	43	63	72
Caerfyrddin	Dyfed	47	24	52	63	72
Gower	West Glamorgan	46	38	52	84	46
Bridgend	Mid Glamorgan	44	18	67	66	47
Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe	Powys	44	23	52	66	76

Source: Legal & General

If you’re planning to spend your golden years in Wales, Monmouthshire in Gwent could be your best bet, rating highly for financial security and community spirit.

How to choose your ideal retirement location

If you’re planning to relocate when you stop working, here are some steps to help narrow down your options:

List your priorities: do you want community, countryside, a coast or convenience?
Set a budget: include property/rental costs, Council Tax and transport
Visit off-season: this is especially for coastal areas that get crowded in Summer
Check public transport: remember, you may not be driving forever
Ask about services – is there a good GP nearby? Pharmacy? Community centre?
Try before you buy – rent short-term to assess the area before committing

Have your say

Are you a retiree or reaching that age? Do you live in any of the regions on our list? If so, what has been your experience of affordability, healthcare and local amenities?

We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.