With advances in healthcare and improved living standards, we are living longer than ever before. This trend continues as life expectancy for UK adults increased once again in 2022–2024, with, on average, women living until 83 and men until 79.
With a long retirement ahead of many people, it is more important than ever to find an area that supports your needs as you get older. That’s why we looked at nationwide data on factors important for retirement and calculated a score for retirement living for each region in the UK.
Factors Considered When Ranking the Best Places to Retire
We looked at data that addressed different aspects of healthy retirement living to create a holistic picture of the best places to retire in 2026.
This data included social and economic infrastructure, specifically average house prices and the number of hospitals.
We also looked at lifestyle and living standard factors, namely the number of free events, which allow social interactions irrespective of your finances, the crime rate and air quality.
We additionally looked at the number of people aged over 65 already living in the area, representing a ready-made retirement community, and the risk of falls per person.
Where are the best and worst places to retire?
Considering data on all of the factors described earlier, we gave each region across the UK a retirement living score. The best place to retire received a score twice as high as the worst place to retire.
So what were the results?
In first place, ranked as the best place to retire in 2026, was the East Midlands, with its reasonable house prices and air quality, and at least one hospital per 100,000 people.
The East Midlands was closely followed by Wales and the South West. Regions with middling scores for retirement living were Northern Ireland, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, the South East, North East, North West and Scotland.
The 2 regions with notably lower scores for retirement living than the rest were the East of England and, in last place, London. London scored lowest largely due to having the highest house prices nationwide and the third-highest crime rate.
The safest places to retire
Safety is a top priority for most residents, but particularly those who are older. For those living alone — and 3 in 10 adults aged over 65 in the UK do live alone — crime rates can be an even more pressing concern.
Looking at the data, Northern Ireland had the lowest crime rate, with 50 crimes per 1000 people, followed by Scotland (54.5 crimes per 1000 people) and the South West (66.4 crimes per 1000 people).
Regions with larger retirement communities
Areas with larger retirement communities can provide stronger social networks, more tailored services and peer support. All of these benefits can significantly improve your health, well-being and quality of life.
To get an idea of regions likely to have larger retirement communities, we looked at the most recent Government Census for the number of people living in each region aged 65 and over.
The South East ranked top with a population aged 65+ of over 1.8 million people. The North West and South came next with around 1.4 and 1.3 million people aged 65 and over.
Regions with the lowest risk of falls
A region’s fall risk is unsurprisingly linked to the number of older people living in the area and their health. Nationwide, around one-third of all adults aged 65 and over will have at least one fall in a year; this increases to half of all adults aged 80 and over.
While a fall can easily cause injury to anyone of any age, in those aged 65 and over, the risk of fractures, serious health complications and long-term disability is significantly higher.
This can have a major impact on quality of life after retirement, with reduced mobility and poor health often leading to social isolation, depression and anxiety.
Given the impact falls can have on older adults, we calculated each region’s fall risk via Freedom of Information requests to local ambulance services. We asked for the number of calls made to each service in relation to falls. We then calculated the risk by factoring in the population of the region.
The 3 regions with the lowest fall risks were the East, South West and Wales. However, whether you live in a region with a high fall risk or a low fall risk, you can take steps to reduce your personal risk, as explained by our Orthopaedic Knee Surgeon, Mr Mark Frame:
“Most falls result in bruising or sprains, but we frequently see fractures of the wrist, ankle and hip. In older patients, hip fractures are especially concerning as they can significantly impact mobility and independence.
In terms of prevention, maintaining strength and balance is one of the most effective protective measures. Regular activity such as walking, swimming or balance-focused exercises can significantly reduce fall risk. At home, simple steps such as improving lighting, securing loose rugs and wearing appropriate footwear can make a substantial difference.”
When it comes to walking for exercise, enjoying the outdoors in areas of great natural beauty can benefit both your physical health and your mental health. Every region in the UK offers stunning scenery, from picturesque countryside, forestry and parks, to scenic coastlines and mountains.
Combining nature and exercise can reduce your fall risk and boost your mood. Just remember to wear appropriate footwear to avoid slips and trips, and suitable clothing for the weather.
The most sociable regions for retirees
After retirement, without the social interactions that arise through work or raising children, it is easy to feel socially isolated and lonely. This can lead to depression and anxiety. The impact on your mental health can have knock-on effects on your physical health.
However, financial constraints can often mean certain paid social activities are out of reach. We, therefore, looked at the availability of free social events in each region per 100,000 people.
Leading the way are the East Midlands, West Midlands and Wales. Free social events allow older adults to develop a greater sense of community and can provide a way to develop new friendships. This can make retirement an exciting new chapter of your life.
