The official list of the happiest places to live in the UK for 2021 have been revealed thanks to an annual poll by property platform Rightmove.
But Greater Manchester is nowhere to be seen.
The ‘Happy at Home’index – which is now in its 10th year – was conducted using the responses of more than 21,000 people across the UK, who were asked to explain how they feel about where they live.
Respondents were asked to rate several aspects of where they live for the study, such as friendliness, community spirit, nature and green spaces, schools, restaurants, shops, and sports facilities, and were also asked about opportunities locally to develop skills and whether people feel they can be themselves.
The Northumberland market town of Hexham has been named Britain’s happiest place to live this year, after having already claimed the title back in 2019.
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Last year’s number one, St Ives in Cornwall, was eighth in the 2021 rankings.
The top five was rounded out by Richmond-upon-Thames in London, Harrogate in North Yorkshire, Hove on the East Sussex coast, and the Welsh town of Llandrindod Wells, while other North West towns on the 2021 list include Kendal in Cumbria at 14th place, and the nearby Cheshire town of Macclesfield at 15.
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Yet the region of Greater Manchester does not have any representatives within the top 20 list.
According to Rightmove, around a third of this year’s top 20 towns are market towns, while the study also revealed that people living in coastal villages tend to be happiest.
It also found that 69% of people who had moved in the last year have relocated to a new area, with 64% now feeling happier where they live.
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81% of those who moved from a town to a village said they now feel happier.
Top 20 Happiest Places in the UK
Hexham
Richmond-upon-Thames
Harrogate
Hove
Llandrindod Wells
Stirling
Monmouth
St Ives
Anglesey
Leamington Spa
Perth
Hitchin
Woodbridge
Kendal
Macclesfield
Exeter
Salisbury
Horsham
St Albans
Guildford
You can read the full results of the 2021 ‘Happy at Home’ index on Rightmove here.
Featured Image – Flickr (Billy Wilson)
Trending
First look images released of new BBC drama series from Happy Valley creator filmed in Yorkshire
Emily Sergeant
A new BBC series telling the story of five women who come together to create a makeshift punk-rock band is set to air later this year.
Riot Women, the brand-new drama from the multi-BAFTA award-winning writer Sally Wainwright – best known for being the creator of Happy Valley – is a six-part series set and filmed in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.
First look pictures of the new show have now been released.
Starring Joanna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Tamsin Greig, Lorraine Ashbourne, and Amelia Bullmore as band members, alongside a talented supporting cast consisting of Taj Atwal, Chandeep Uppal, and Macy-Jacob Seelochan as the band’s riotous backing singers, the newly-released pictures show the women in action.
First look images have been released of a new BBC drama series filmed in Yorkshire / Credit: BBC
According to a synopsis on the BBC website, Riot Women dives headfirst into the world of five women who come together to create a makeshift punk-rock band in order to enter a local talent contest.
But, in writing their first original song, they soon discover that they have a lot more to say than planned – and this is their way to say it.
As they juggle demanding jobs, grown-up children, complicated parents, husbands who’ve buggered off, and disastrous dates, and relationships, the band becomes a catalyst for change in their lives, and it’s going to make them question everything.
📸 Here's your first look at Riot Women – the new drama from Sally Wainwright coming to @BBCiPlayer and @BBCOne in 2025
New pictures feature Joanna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Tamsin Greig, Lorraine Ashbourne, Amelia Bullmore, and more
Creators and producers say the show is a testament to the power of friendship, music, and the resilience of women who “refuse to be silenced by age or expectation”.
Speaking ahead of the show airing later this year, Riot Women creator, Sally Wainwright, commented: “I’m having a whole new buzz of excitement about the show as we bring it together in the edit, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.”
Riot Women will premiere on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK later this year.
Featured Image – BBC
Trending
A Manchester barbershop is offering a ‘pay what you can’ service this month
Danny Jones
Amidst the tidal wave of January deals on food and drink in Manchester, a local barbers is championing their own ‘pay what you can’ offer to help people along this month.
Jefe’s Barbershop, located in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, is one of the best barbers in the city centre, offering a wide variety of cuts and facial hair grooming services – they even offer a subscription service that helps people save money on regular trims.
That being said, they are well aware of those January blues and the mounting obstacles and anxieties that come with weeks of penny-pinching to make it to month’s end, as well as the general toll it can take on people’s mental health.
So this January, Jefe and his team are doing something different – as he puts it, “something special”: the barbershop is allowing customers to simply pay what they feel comfortable handing over and, in the case of those struggling, whatever they can afford.
It’s a simple gesture with a big purpose which helps ensure no one has to miss out on a feel-good moment or the confidence that comes from a fresh trim.
“All we do is laugh and joke about life—that’s why people come here,” Jefe explains. “I don’t want anyone to lose the chance to be present, to feel good, and to laugh with us.
“Men often need more help than they’re willing to let on and we want to be a helping hand they can rely on.” Now that’s a cause all of us can and should get behind.
Community support has remained at the core of Jefe’s Barbershop since the beginning when he swapped a basketball career for providing a much-needed service to Mancunian men.
From partnering with Manc sandwich shops and offering free haircuts for the homeless, to hosting street parties with local events companies and providing £5 trims to promote men’s mental health in 2023 when the cost of living crisis really kicked in – Jefe’s is always trying to make a difference in the area.
You’ve got to love businesses that go the extra mile.
If you want to make the most of this wholesome deal or just feel like you’re in need of a trim, you can book HERE or call them directly on 0161 818 7659.
The ‘pay what you can’ offer runs Monday to Thursday, 9am-7pm, subject to availability. You’ll find Jefe’s Barbershop on Stevenson Square
Because as the man himself puts it, “Everyone deserves to feel their best”.
Emily Sergeant -
24th November 2021 
