Manchesterhas been named one of the seven happiest places in the UK to settle down and retire, according to new research.
Our city has claimed a fair few new titles in recent weeks.
First up, it was crowned the best UK city for retail and leisure in 2022, and it was also voted as the top rated city to replace London as the UK capital, and then, just last week, it was named by The Economist as the 28th most liveable city in the world in the ‘Global Liveability Index 2022’ – being the highest-rated UK city on the list, and beating out big hitters like Barcelona, New York city, and our own country’s capital in the process.
But it seems like the titles just won’t stop coming, as it’s now been revealed that Manchester is considered to be one of the top seven places in the UK for a happy retirement.
With more and more people now choosing to relocate after their careers draw to a close, the UK has seen a huge surge of demand for retirement homes over the last 12 months, and now, some new research from Lottie has analysed several lifestyle factors crucial later in life to determine where retirees should head to, the Metro reports.
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Lottie looked at factors such as the popularity of the area, affordability for day-to-day living, investment prospects, air pollution, and crime rates to determine the happiest retirement locations across the UK.
Manchester was named number six on the list.
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With Wiltshire taking the top spot as the happiest retirement location, and the majority of other locations on the list being sought-after rural locations, Manchester was selected as being the place for retirees to head to if they aren’t after “a slow life in the countryside”.
Manchester has been named one of the seven happiest places in the UK to retire / Credit: Unsplash (Josh Taylor | Chris Curry)
“With the perfect mix of a bustling city centre and leafy suburbs, Manchester is near the Peak District and Lake District, which is perfect if you fancy a bit of of time away from the city,” the research by Lottie explained.
The research also revealed that Manchester has the highest retirement affordability score in the top seven, which means you “won’t have to sacrifice price or location”.
“Our new research shows that locations offering a balance of affordability, community spirit and security are the happiest places to retire in the UK in 2022,” explained Nick Jones – head of retirement living at Lottie.
Top 7 Happiest Places to Retire in the UK
Wiltshire
Buckinghamshire
Dorset
Somerset
West Midlands
Manchester
Nottinghamshire
Manchester is the place for retirees if they aren’t after “a slow life in the countryside” / Credit: Fraser Cottrell (via Unsplash)
He continued: “There are lots of factors that determine the perfect retirement location, and this is different for us all.
“For example, locations popular with retiree’s offer great opportunities to socialise and build friendships later in life. Affordable locations can help make it easier to live comfortably on a fixed income, while good investment prospects can help your pension pot to go further – as we face a rising cost of living.
“Researching the air pollution of an area can help determine how beneficial a new location may be for your overall health too.
“Low crime rates also offer a sense of safety and security.”
Featured Image – Visit Manchester
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Motorists warned of common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines
Emily Sergeant
With the temperatures drastically dropping now as we head into winter, motorists are being warned against a common driving habit.
On a wintry morning when the windscreens are frozen and your hands are equally as frozen too, it’s pretty common for drivers to start the engine, turn the heater right up, and remain stationary for several minutes to warm the car up before setting off on their journey… but did you know that doing this could see you, inadvertently, fall foul of the law?
That’s right – as ridiculous as it sounds, leaving your car engine running ‘unnecessarily’ while parked on a public road is illegal.
And to make matters worse, the rules on ‘engine idling’, as it’s known, apply regardless of whether the driver is using the heating, waiting for someone, or simply sitting in the vehicle.
Known as a stationary idling offence, Rule 123 of the Highway Code states that drivers must not leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while it is stationary on a public road, and according to the rule, a fixed penalty of up to £80 can be issued, right there and then.
Motorists are being warned of a common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines / Credit: PickPik | Wikimedia Commons
Fines will only be handed out if a motorist is stopped by a police officer who asks them to switch the engine off, and they fail to comply.
“However tempting it might be to sit in a vehicle with the engine running and the heater on to warm up, we strongly advice against it,” commented RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis.
“As well as polluting the air and wasting fuel, drivers who leave their engines idling unnecessarily on a public road also risk an on-the-spot fine of £80. On cold mornings, the best approach is to clear any ice or snow properly and ensure windows are fully de-misted before setting off, then get on your way and let the car warm you up.”
There are some exceptions to the rule, however, as keeping the engine running is permitted in certain circumstances.
This includes when a vehicle is stationary because of traffic conditions, when the engine needs to run so a mechanical fault can be investigated, or if certain work is being carried out on the side of the road.
Manchester has been named the most ‘pet-friendly’ city in the UK
Emily Sergeant
A new index has revealed the best cities for pet owners in the UK, and it’s great news for Manchester.
Millions of us share our home with a pet, and making sure we give them the best possible life is often at the forefront of our minds, right?
While there’s a lot people can control about their pet’s lifestyle, many of the factors that affect their happiness are determined by location, and sadly for the 83% of the UK population who live in more urban areas, the challenges to give a pet a good life can feel even greater – with less access to green space, and fewer social spaces to take dogs, for example.
But when it comes to cities, which are the best ones to own a pet in? Well, pet insurance firm Lassie has decided to get to the bottom of this and do some updated research.
Lassie analysed data across nine metrics that determine a pet’s wellbeing to create a ‘Pet-Friendliness Index’, and using this index, the UK’s five most populous cities were each assigned a score out of 100 and ranked to determine which is the most and least pet-friendly.
/ Credit: Gustavo Fring (via Pexels) | Manchester City Council
The index looks at four main categories to gauge how suitable each city is for pets – green space, environment, health, and infrastructure.
Then, within these, experts compared a range of measures, including air quality, temperature, costs, access to vets, road safety, pet-friendly rental housing, social opportunities, and many others.
And Manchester has taken the stop spot, with a score of 66.
The UK’s Most Pet-Friendly Cities
Manchester
Birmingham
Liverpool
Leeds
London
In-keeping with its general growing popularity as a city, Manchester leads in the health category, with a high number of vets per head and the lowest rate of serious road collisions, while also ranking highest in terms of publicly listed dog friendly venues per resident.
“We tend to think that being a good pet owner comes down to what we do at home, but your postcode could be playing a much bigger role in your pet’s happiness and health than you realise,” commented Hedda Båverud Olsson, who is the CEO and co-founder of Lassie.
“Our findings show that not all cities are created equal when it comes to pets. The difference between living in Manchester and London isn’t just about green space or somewhere to walk your dog, it can mean higher vet bills, poorer air quality and fewer veterinary practices nearby.”
Featured Image – Paul Harris / National Trust (Supplied)
Emily Sergeant -
30th June 2022 
