An annual survey of 100,000 people has revealed the 50 worst places in the UK to live. You can view the full top 50 worst places to live here, but we’re going to focus on the top 20. Read on to find out where makes the list and to see whether you agree or not…
England’s 50 “worst places to live” have been revealed after more than 100,000 people took part in an annual survey.
The satirical website iLiveHere once again asked residents throughout the UK to decide whether their hometown deserved the ‘honour’ of being crowned, as residents across the country were asked to ponder whether their town or city could be regarded as amongst the worst in the country.
Last year, called by some a “concert jungle and eyesore”, the worst place to live in the UK was a title awarded to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.
The new winner for 2023 has appeared in the worst top 10 for many years’, and is a southern town with a population of 215,000, which makes it one of the largest towns in the UK.
It is also home of the Vauxhall car manufacturing plant, which has been in operation since 1905 and it has a diverse population with significant numbers of South Asian and Eastern European residents. Can you guess where it is?
Luton Takes Bottom Place
Now despite not living in Luton but having visited a couple of times, I’m going to maintain an impartial tone. I’m sure even the very worst places in the top 10 will have lovely areas and a great sense of community. Towns that once thrived around the highstreet and town centre have all suffered in recent years with the move to out-of-town retail estates which have helped to hasten the decline of the traditional town centre many of us knew and loved.
With decreased investment into many towns leading to lower footfall, its no wonder then that some are little more than ghost towns whilst others have seen a sharp decline in facilities whilst simultaneously witnessing a rise in antisocial behaviour.
Top 2o Worst Places To Live In The UK 2023
- Cheshunt
- Croydon
- Oxford
- Coventry
- Liverpool
- Kensington & Chelsea
- Birmingham
- Henley-on-Thames
- Reading
- High Wycombe
- Bradford
- Bournemouth
- Swindon
- Andover
- Aldershot
- Aylesbury
- Slough
- Portsmouth
- Peterborough
- Luton
Some of the places included in the top 20 are nothing short of baffling, towns and cities that attract huge numbers of tourists (perhaps the reason they are on the list?) and as a visitor, seem to have an awful lot going for them, think places like Liverpool, Henley-on-Thames and Oxford.
At number 4 is a town often featuring in the top 10, Slough. One potential reason why Slough has attracted such a negative reputation could be its portrayal on TV and in literature. For example, the TV series “The Office,” is based in Slough which makes it look like an unappealing and dull place to work. In literature and music, Slough is often depicted as a symbol of urban decay and industrialization.
We must admit to feeling a little bit bad for the places that make the annual list as there are bound to be redeeming features of even the ‘worst’ places and whether that’s amazing food as a result of a multicultural population, abundant green spaces, thriving commercial manufacturing or a lively arts and entertainment scene.
Regardless of where you live, if you’re planning to move this year, hiring crates for your move from Crate Hire UK can help make the moving process that bit easier!