The best place to raise a family has been identified as Hertfordshire, according to the Better Family Life Index published by uSwitch. The county directly north of London tops the list compiled by the UK-based price comparison service, which usually provides consumers with the ability to compare prices for a range of energy, personal finance, insurance and communications services.
Having turned their attention to the housing market, and specifically which areas are best suited to raising families according to 33 factors they deem vital to family life, uSwitch compiled the list by comparing 138 local authorities and comparing statistics such as exam results, average income, broadband speed, amount of annual sunshine and the number of local doctors in practice.
Central Bedfordshire Offers Best House Price Value
Out of the top three locations for raising a family, it was third-placed Central Bedfordshire which featured the best house price value compared to the top two places. In second place was Cambridgeshire, which while not having quite as good a house value score as Central Bedfordshire, did score higher among enough of the other 32 factors.
The number one ranked place, Hertfordshire, scored particularly high with regards to job prospects, with 81% of people living there between the ages of 16 and 64 engaged in employment that earns them a higher-end average salary of £33,435. Much of that is helped by Hertfordshire’s number of commuter towns which enable the residents to maintain employment in the capital while then leaving the city to enjoy a less stressful home life than London usually has to offer.
Another significant factor that helped Hertfordshire hit the top spot was the close proximity of important amenities such as local doctor practices and schools. On average, it takes Hertfordshire residents just nine minutes to travel from their home to their GP, and just a little under ten minutes to travel to the local primary school.
Index Reveals Inequality of UK Family Life
The Better Family Life Index has revealed quite a lot of differences between the qualities of family life across the UK. Tashema Jackson of uSwitch said, “The Better Family Life Index shows that life is far from equal for families across the UK. Although there is much to celebrate in many areas, it’s not surprising that so many families are thinking about moving to a new region to improve their circumstances.
“With the new government yet to announce its budgetary priorities, it is vital that positive changes are made to help give all families fair opportunities no matter where they live, whether it is access to a good education, childcare, housing, GPs or jobs. Quality of life should not be a postcode lottery.”
