York revealed as UK’s friendliest city, as Aviva research finds the nation’s community spirit is strong – but millions are without access to pubs and gyms
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Survey of over 6,000 people finds the UK is more trusting, friendly and community-minded than some may think
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Three quarters of people trust their neighbours (73%) and think their communities are friendly (74%)
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York is the UK city with the friendliest community, the people of Exeter trust their neighbours the most, while Londoners are mostly likely to say feeling part of a community is important to them
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79% of people are happy with the quality of their local green spaces, but only 35% are satisfied with local pubs and just a quarter (28%) are happy with gyms, sports and fitness centres in their area
The United Kingdom is more united than people may think, according to a new study from Aviva.
The survey of more than 6,000 UK adults finds nearly three quarters (74%) of people think their communities are friendly, while a similar number (73%) trust their neighbours. Nearly four in five (77%) UK residents also say their local community is a good place to live.
York is revealed as the UK’s friendliest city, while Exeter is pinpointed as the home of neighbourly trust. The top ten UK places for both categories are revealed as:
And it’s time to challenge the idea the UK’s capital is an isolating and unfriendly place: 85% of Londoners* say being part of the local community is important, compared to 74% nationally.
Being part of a community is a key factor in quality of life
Aviva’s research shows being part of a local community improves overall life satisfaction: 8 in 10 (83%) of those who feel they are part of their community are satisfied with their overall quality of life, in comparison to just 45% of people who don’t feel part of their community.
And while people are largely in agreement that local community is important, there’s room for improvement in terms of satisfaction with community life. While 74% of people nationwide think it is important to be part of their community, only 69% are satisfied with their local community, though the gap is lowest in the South East and Wales (two points respectively).
Community means people first, and the UK is seen as a green and pleasant land
Aviva asked the UK what they believe constitutes a local community. Overwhelmingly ‘the people who live near me’ was the most popular answer across all generations, showing human connection and proximity makes a community, not digital connections.
Access to green spaces matters to everyone and is often viewed as a necessity: 90% of respondents say it’s important for them to have access to green space in their local community, and 79% are happy with the quality of their local green spaces. The cities with the highest levels of happiness with their green spaces are Plymouth, Brighton and Hove, Edinburgh and Bath.
However, Aviva’s research suggests that many people do not have access to certain amenities in their local area. Nearly a third (32%) say they do not have access to pubs in their local community, while 42% say the same about libraries and 46% have no access to gyms, sports and fitness centres in their area. Perhaps ironically, 56% say they don’t have a community centre in their local community.
Claudine Blamey, Chief Sustainability Officer says: “Like all countries, the UK faces challenges, but we also have great opportunities and strengths, particularly in local communities, as this research shows. Aviva is here to help overcome the challenges and make the most of the opportunities.
“This research shows just how deeply people value feeling part of a strong, connected local community. We are supporting people to get ready for the future with confidence, including by reinvesting an average of 2% of our group adjusted operating profit annually back into our communities. Over one million people are estimated to have benefitted from our community investment programmes in the UK, Ireland and Canada.
“Across the UK, from north to south and east to west, it’s heartwarming to hear people feel they are part of friendly communities and trust their neighbours – and that being part of a community is having a positive impact on their wellbeing.”
- Edelman UK
