Maidenhead is in top 20 for best place to retire in Britain
A pension company has carried out extensive research
Nestled in leafy Buckinghamshire, Chesham and Amersham have taken the top spot in an index of Britain’s best places to retire.
The area – popular for its transport links to London, its charming and historic streets, and for being gateway for walkers and cyclists to the picturesque Chilterns – was ranked the highest in an index compiled by L&G.
L&G said the area performed “exceptionally well” on its health measure, reflecting a strong proportion of over-65s in good physical and mental health.
It also scored highly on financial security and in other areas, such as access to nature and community, making it a well-rounded environment for later life, according to the index.
Maidenhead was 18th with neighbouring Windsor 19th.
The study scored areas across a range of factors that make up a happier later life, including access to healthcare, opportunities to build social connections, access to nature, local amenities and financial security.
The index was compiled by scoring areas against six “pillars” – housing, health, social and community, financial, nature, and amenities.
This was based on analysis of a wide range of existing data including Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures, census data and housing and house price reports.
Opinium survey findings from research among 3,000 UK retirees in April 2024 were also analysed. The happiest retirees were defined as those with a life satisfaction score greater than the sample median average.
Lorna Shah, managing director – retail retirement, L&G, said: “This research gives us a more complete picture of what shapes a happy later life. It’s not just about one factor – it’s the combination of health, social connections, environment, and financial security that all play a part in retirement wellbeing.
“Financial security in particular, is an enabler for many of the other measures, giving people the freedom to choose where and how they want to live in later life.”
Here are the best places to retire in Britain:
- Chesham and Amersham, Buckinghamshire
- Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
- Dorking and Horley, Surrey
- Godalming and Ash, Surrey
- Mid Sussex
- Woking, Surrey
- Farnham and Bordon, Surrey
- Esher and Walton, Surrey
- Suffolk Coastal, Suffolk
- East Grinstead and Uckfield, West Sussex
- Henley and Thame, Oxfordshire
- Sevenoaks, Kent
- New Forest West, Hampshire
- Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, Outer London
- Tatton, Cheshire
- West Dorset
- Surrey Heath, Surrey
18. Maidenhead, Berkshire
- Windsor, Berkshire
- Guildford, Surrey