10 Best Places to Retire in Great Britain

If you are looking forward spending your golden years abroad, have a look at these best places to retire in Great Britain.

The United Kingdom, Great Britain, England, the British Islands…Terminology can be confusing when realizing that all these terms are not synonyms. To put it simply, in this article we’ll be occupying on Great Britain, which is the main British Isle and includes the countries of England, Scotland and Wales – all parts of the UK, but not Northern Ireland -also part of the UK, nor the Republic of Ireland, which is a different country altogether.

Great Britain has many perks for aspiring retirees. Rich culture, picturesque landscapes, one of the world’s strongest health care systems, and a long history of political stability rank among its highlights, but none surpasses the fact that English is the main language everywhere, which can make things pretty simple for those considering a retirement plan abroad. Though the British government is not big on giving out free citizenships, there is hope for folks with European ancestry, since anyone with an EU passport can live freely in British territory.

Still, if the language is not a problem for you, or you’re willing to try your luck in spite of language barriers, you should check out our list on the 10 best places to retire in Germany, where many great possibilities are open for expat retirees.

In putting together this list, we searched for the places that had the largest amount of appearances in similar reports from various sources like Expática, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Independent, and The Telegraph. We choose the cities or regions that had at least two appearances and got a list of our first 14, which we ranked according to a number of times they were present in these reports. The more times a place appeared the higher the scoring. To get our final results, we made an average of each place’s position between our own list and The UK Quality of Life Index provided by uSwitch, which ranks 138 British cities and regions by 26 different criteria including life expectancy, hours of sunshine, food and energy bills, general cost of living, crime rates and tax prices.

So, whether you’d like to get in touch with your family roots, or just to enjoy the quality of life in one of the world’s most developed countries, check out our list of 10 best places to retire in Great Britain!

10. Norwich

This medium-sized city is a popular destination for retirees seeking a culturally rich atmosphere without having to inhabit a big metropolis. Norwich hosts a wide variety of cultural venues and activities including the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, one of Britain’s oldest music festival with roots going back as far as 1772.

9. Brighton

Nicknamed as the “gay capital of the UK.” Brighton’s large LGBT population makes it a good destination for retirees looking to establish in a spot that hosts an important LGBT community. But still, gay or straight, its seaside charm and its fairly hot weather make it quite appealing for anybody looking to relax and enjoy their golden years next to the ocean.

8. Manchester

The first big city on our list, with a metropolitan population of over 2 and a half million, is surpassed only by London in terms of population. Manchester thrived during the industrial revolution, but it’s still at its peak today, offering all the major aspects of a global city, and representing a great spot for retirees wanting to establish in a city with a top notch medical care.

7. Plymouth

Adjacent to the Cornwall County, Plymouth is a great location to live for folks wanting to reconnect with Celtic roots while still enjoying the perks of urban life. Daily trips to ancient Celtic historical sites are available as well as cheap ferry rides to both Spain and France, making it a great base to get to know the rest of Britain and Europe.

6. Cardiff

Wales’s capital has many advantages to offer people wishing to retire in a quiet city filled with historical and cultural monuments. Wales Millennium Centre is one of the Britain’s most important venues for music, theater and performing arts. But sports fans will be happy as well, since the city has more than seven stadiums for every sport you can picture. Finally, its international airport is a great bonus since family visits are important for expat retirees.

5. London

England’s capital ranks fifth on our list of the 10 best places to retire in Great Britain.

Why? Being one of the world’s most important centers for culture, finance, and services, it will guarantee that you won’t run out of things to do. While shopping and strolling through many parks and green areas here, you’ll frequently come across new spots that will surprise you. Theaters? Check. Galleries? Check. Museums? Check. Shopping? Check. There’s virtually nothing that can’t be found in this city.

4. Oxford

Not everyone living in Oxford is a college student, but everyone is bound to enjoy the wonderful architecture of the college’s buildings that fill the city and make Oxford, one of the best examples of English classical architecture. Though ancient in aspect, the city’s large student population give it a fresh, colorful atmosphere.

3. Birmingham

Though competing with Manchester as Britain’s second largest city, Birmingham still manages to let its inhabitants breathe, since it encompasses more parks than any other European city – over 571, including Sutton Park, one of Europe’s largest urban parks.

2. Bristol

Bristol’s manageable size makes it a great option for those looking for a place that offers a lot of the same possibilities as London, but in a much quieter atmosphere. Because of the bombing that occurred in the WW II, the place needed re-building, which made it one the England’s most modern looking cities

1. Edinburgh

With its picturesque architecture, Scotland’s capital doesn’t cease to amaze whoever visits it for the first time. Its Old Town, a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site, is among Britain’s most beautiful cityscapes. With one of the country’s lowest crime rates, cheap living costs and unique culture, Edinburgh managed to be number 1 on both our first cut and uSwitch’s list, thus making it first of the 10 best places to retire in Great Britain.