When you think of retirement, it’s likely you think of relaxation, comfort, and making the most out of life. But is finding the right place to enjoy it all as easy as all that?
To help pensioners find the best places to live to make the most out of their golden years, Profile Pensions has conducted a study into which areas in the UK offer the most in the way of entertainment options like pubs, cinemas, and sports clubs for the least cost.
Retirement Central
Although many will choose where to retire based on family or where they’ve lived previously, the locations with the most to offer pensioners include:
- Plymouth – Plymouth’s top offering is its large number of religious centres – but with a significant selection of parks, affordable homes, and proximity to the sea, it has a lot to offer anyone.
- Southampton – Despite a comparative lack of bingo halls, Southampton makes up for it with the highest density of cinemas and pubs throughout major cities in the UK.
- Nottingham – Nottingham doesn’t quite have the highest density of golf courses in the UK (that title goes to Bristol) but with 8 available it’s one of the best places to go if you’re likely to want to spend your time on the green.
- Cardiff – Cardiff benefits from affordable homes, with the average house price only £212,508. But with a steady mix of golf courses, cinemas, and parks, the only thing lacking is a selection of lawn bowls courses, for which it fares poorly.
- Derby – Derby has the most affordable retirement homes in major cities across the UK, with the median price only £72,475.
London Losses
While many will have worked in London at some point during their lives, the capital is far from the best place to retire. With the highest cost homes – both standard and retirement homes – it’s not a cheap investment.
And although it has a high number of entertainment options, considering the size of the city, it’s comparatively few across the board in terms of density. Green spaces suffer too, with golf courses and lawn bowls clubs scarcer in the capital.
A representative from Profile Pensions said: “Retirement is a chance to really take care of yourself after years of work, and enjoy your family, pension, and life.
“We’ve created this study so existing pensioners and those coming up to pension age can choose somewhere to live that really suits their needs and their tastes – whether that’s places to go with friends and family like the cinema or a café, or somewhere to find some peace and quiet, like the golf course.
“Whatever you’re looking for in retirement, make sure you’re picking the right place for you when you look for a new home.” And if buying a property is not an option for you, Movingsoon has a great guide to renting in retirement that you might want to check out.
