Wigan one of the most rat infested areas in the UK

Wigan has been named as one of the worst places in the UK for rat infestations.

New research shows that last year the local authoritie dealt with 4,715 rodent infestations, that's the equivalent of 13 per day.

Councils having to spend £36 million

The research from Direct Line Home Insurance also showed that each local authority across the UK spent an average of £101,044 dealing with residential rodent infestations in 2022, bringing the estimated yearly total to £36 million.

Almost one in five (19%) local authorities provide these pest control services for free, but households that don’t qualify for discounts, typically get charged £80.

Which areas were the worst hit by rats?

Last year, the City & County of Swansea dealt with the most residential rodent infestations, a total of 16,767.

Southwark Council and Birmingham were the second and third busiest councils, dealing with 16,665 and 12,736 infestations respectively.

Eastbourne Council saw the highest increase in rodent infestations in 2022 with 598, up from 208 in 2021 (a massive 188% increase).

The top 10 Local Authorities dealing with the most rodent infestations in 2022:

1. City & County of Swansea - 16767 infestations
2. Southwark Council - 16,664
3. Birmingham City Council - 12,736
4. Liverpool City Council - 10,373
5. City of Glasgow - 10,323
6. Sunderland City Council - 5,968
7. Wigan Metropolitan Borough - 4,715
8. North Lanarkshire Council - 4,462
9. London Borough of Lambeth - 3,645
10. Nottingham City Council - 3,573

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