A list of the UK places where motorists are most likely to get handed a parking fine has been released… and it’s grim reading for Mancs.
That’s because our city has, unfortunately, claimed the top spot.
In recent months, Manchester has found itself either at the top of, or ranking amongst, a couple of not-so-desirable lists, including being home to the ‘nosiest’ neighbours, the city with the lowest rate of fixed reported potholes, and, probably the worst of them all, one of the UK’s ‘chlamydia capitals’.
And now it seems we’ve done it again – but this time around, it’s drivers who need to take note and keep an eye on where they leave their vehicles.
Manchester’s less-than-ideal new title as the UK’s number one parking fine hotspot comes after injury lawyer experts at Claims.co.uk recently carried out a study where they analysed Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) data from 2020 to 2021 in a bid to find out which towns, cities, and regions have been the hardest hit by motoring fines.
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Manchester motorists are the most likely to get a parking fine in the UK / Credit: PublicDomainPictures | IPTC (Ronald Hudson)
On top of this, they also looked at which UK areas residents have been the most successful at appealing these notices.
As mentioned, Manchester came in at number one on the top 10 list, with an eye-watering rate of 99,348 PCNs issued per 100,000 people – which is a whopping 901.33% higher than the national average of 9,922 notices per 100,000 people.
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Manchester saw the most penalty charge notices issued of any area in the UK, with 546,270 fines issued overall, and considering that the population of the area that the City of Manchester covers is only 549,853, that’s almost one penalty charge notice for every person.
Of those 546,270 fines, only 660 were appealed, and just 478 were successfully overturned following those appeals.
Brighton and Hove, Reading, Cambridgeshire, and Nottingham round out the top five.
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The top 10 parking fine hotspots in the UK
Manchester
Brighton & Hove
Reading
Cambridgeshire
Nottingham
Bristol
Cardiff
Slough
Portsmouth
Derby
The city has been named the UK’s top PCN hotspot / Credit: Ocean Outdoor
Elsewhere on the list, Bristol has secured sixth place, with the Welsh capital of Cardiff trailing not so far behind, followed by Slough and Portsmouth, and the midlands city region of Derby rounding out the top 10 rankings.
Across each area of the UK, the average number of PCNs issued over the period worked out to be 26,512 – which is a total of 9,922 per 100,000 people.
On the other end of the spectrum, Hyndburn in Lancashire was revealed as the UK area that’s the least likely to be hit with a PCN, seeing only a minuscule 46 fines issued between 2020 and 2021, which works out to a rate of just 56 fines per 100,000 people.
Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK – this is why
Emily Sergeant
A list of the top 10 most affordable cities in the UK has been revealed, and Manchester has made the cut for one very specific reason.
On a bit of a budget? Aren’t we all.
The cost of living crisis has been raging on for quite a few years now, and unfortunately, despite how much we all wish for it to, it doesn’t appear to be slowing down – with prices for everyday items, especially typical fridge and cupboard stables, shooting up by the day, even though supermarkets are showing efforts to prevent it.
And it’s the noticeable price increases in groceries that led delivery insurance provider, Street Cover, to uncover which UK cities don’t strain your food shopping budgets too much just yet.
As it was found that food and non-alcoholic drinks inflation reached 1.3% this past summer, a new study has revealed that Sheffield is officially the most affordable city in the UK, with several other northern locations on the list.
Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK / Credit: MCC | Aldi
The study compared the 2026 Grocery Index for the largest UK cities with the UK average, as well as available 2025 Grocery Indices, to track the changes in food affordability.
The cities are ranked by the index difference from the national average – which is 67.3 – but the report also uses direct monetary values for a grocery basket to provide some additional context too.
Manchester took sixth place on the list, with an average grocery basket price of £23.08, while some of the other northern cities in the top 10, besides Sheffield at number one, include Liverpool, Leeds, and Newcastle.
Top 10 Most Affordable UK Cities For Groceries
Sheffield
Milton Keynes
Liverpool
Reading
Newcastle
Manchester
Leeds
Bristol
Cardiff
Southampton
As the only other North West city in the top 10, Liverpool may have come in third place overall, but the study found that the grocery bill here is the smallest in terms of actual monetary numbers – with it setting shoppers back £22.08 for a regular supermarket basket, which is a whole £1 cheaper than in Manchester.
“Data shows households in the North East of England have the lowest average food spend in the country, around 11% below the UK average, while Yorkshire sits 6.6% below,” Al Taylor, who is the Head of Street Cover, commented on the study’s findings.
“Sheffield’s position at the top reflects lower property costs for retailers, less competition from premium chains, and a supermarket landscape dominated by value-led options.
“The practical implication for household budgets is significant – the difference between budget and premium shopping can easily be £1,000 or more per year for a family, which can be spent on other things or saved for future plans.”
Featured Image – Aldi
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Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’
Emily Sergeant
Call yourself a clever clogs? The BBC is currently looking for contestants to take part in what is widely considered the hardest quiz show on TV.
That’s right – Only Connect is back for another series on BBC Two.
Presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell and first broadcast all the way back in 2008, Only Connect takes TV quizzing to the next level, as it sees two teams compete against each other by finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues.
In this quiz show – which viewers have dubbed one of the most challenging there is – knowledge only takes you so far, as the ability to think laterally is also deemed ‘vitally important’.
A casting call for the upcoming 2027 series has been shared on the BBC website, with people from Greater Manchester encouraged to apply.
Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’ / Credit: BBC
The casting call reads: “The popular BBC Two quiz show presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell returns for a new series in 2027.
“Only Connect is seeking teams of three players OR single applicants or teams of two looking for like-minded teammates to pool their combined wits to solve fiendish conundrums and vexing puzzles.
“This is the quiz series where, as in life itself, knowledge will only take you so far: patience and lateral thinking are also vital. It’s all about making connections between things which may appear, at first glance, not to be connected at all.”
Reckon you’ve got what it takes then? Applications are now open, and all applicants must be aged 18 or over and a resident in the UK or Channel Islands.
Emily Sergeant -
12th February 2024 
