How safe is the UK?

[FortVictoria]

I am British, but didn’t grow up in the UK, and haven’t lived there for 20 years. DH and DD aren’t British, but have the right to live in the UK (ancestry visa). DH is in the final recruitment stages of a job offer in the UK - likely to be, but not definitely, in Reading. We have one DD, aged 15. We are all pretty unhappy where we are, but conversely, I am concerned about relocating to the UK because of DD’s safety. I completely realise that news outlets publish bad news over good news, but from the outside looking in, the UK looks pretty unsafe. Sexual assault and violence looks common. But, wise Mumsnetters, what is the reality like? Can teenagers generally safely navigate their way around a city in daylight without being assaulted or attacked? How safe are schools? I would really appreciate some balanced views.....,,,,,,

I think drugs are more of a worry than violent crime. The drug and binge drinking culture isn't great.

@BlueCowWonders if I can answer any questions on HK, for your DCs friends let me know. It's definitely an interesting time to watch history in the making.

I live in the U.K. and basically have done my entire life. I have a 15 yr okd and a 14 yr okd. They both go out on their own on the train , into London into nearby towns. I have never ever worried at all aboht this aspect of their safety. I have never experienced this happening personally or to anyone I know. I am 46 and live in the SE. Not sure if that helps.

If you have a postcode, you can put this into the UK Crime Statistics & it will show a break down of how many & different types of reported crimes

There are good and bad parts of the UK and are some pleasant parts of Reading or nearby. Certainly some good schools in the area.

It's pretty save, remember we have a population of 65 million and only had things get in newspapers! We have had high profile murder recently but it's only high profile because it's so rare. Most crime is either low level or between gangs etc, my girls have always walked after dark too. Cities obviously have a bit more than rural but don't get too worried. Not sure what Hong Kong is like but I thought there were gangs there too

West Yorkshire here in the north, UK. We live semi rurally and have all my life. Keep my back door open pretty much permanently too as we have a cat who hates the door being closed. Never had any issues.

No knife crime or shootings or anything like that have ever happened to me, my family or my friends. Had my car broken int o once but that was in Manchester centre in a dodgy car park! Obviously in the wider areas such as London where it’s busier and more expensive and diverse you hear of it but that’s probably common in most capitals anywhere surely?

I moved to live in Reading & lived tbere for 20+ years, although I don't live there now

It is a University town, so you will meet people from lots of different places in the UK & abroad. For example I used to work with people from Nepal, Ghana, Thailand, India other parts of Europe, so muti cultural

It has a mainline train station, 30 minutes direct journey to London
The motorway M4 also runs near Heathrow airport to London
So good travel links to London & the other way to Swindon, Bristol, Oxford

It is an area of high employment

Property prices to rent or buy are expensive, compared to cities further North
However, cheaper than London

I lived in the town centre & also in some of the out lying villages

There are a couple of annual music festivals held near the river, look up Reading & Leeds music festival

I used to work late & walk home on my own, but I am street wise

I would say that there are good opportunities if you choose to live there

In comparison

I lived in Slough & I didn't enjoy it

I lived in Bracknell & I didn't enjoy it

Windsor is far too expensive

I enjoyed Reading

I used to work in Reading and happily walked across the town centre after work (even when it's dark in the winter months) to one of the large multi story car parks. I've eaten out of an evening in central Reading and seen no trouble or violence. I don't think the UK is generally a place where teens are frequently assaulted in daylight in town centres. There are areas with a probably very well deserved reputation for gang and teen violence but these are in the minority compared to places which are just normal.

Thanks, everyone - I really appreciate your input. I feel a bit better about it!

@NameChangeNameShange and @BlueCowWonders - yes, it’s an interesting time to be in HK. My DH was offered a permanent / long term job here in 2019. We made the decision to come because we thought it was a safe city and the permanent job offered us some security. No sooner had he accepted than the whole place erupted in riots, then it was COVID so we couldn’t meet/make friends, then freedom of speech went out the window, then, despite two cracking appraisals and a performance bonus, the “permanent” job finished at the end of the project. This is despite the company assuring him that the role would be permanent and long term. It’s now clear that they needed his experience and expertise for this particular project only. His employment was with a well known company who have “integrity” as one of their core values, too! So all told it’s been a tough time. Onwards and upwards, though

Is it safe to live in the UK ?

I have lived in lots of different parts of the UK

Yes, it is safe

@FortVictoria that's really tough. Having been here for over a decade the past 2-3 years have been incredibly hard especially to those who just moved here. Hope you start a lovely new chapter in the UK. Big un-mumsnetty hugs

@NameChangeNameShange - thanks for your lovely message. Hugs (mumsnetty or otherwise!) are both needed and appreciated

I know Reading well and think it's fine. There are good parts and bad parts, like anywhere but it's a large population and you bad incidents are rare which is why they make headlines. I've walked through Reading town centre by myself in the dark and never felt unsafe. There are plenty of nice areas surrounding the centre and many good schools.

I live in London and would say it's pretty safe. My DD (like me) has always been quite independent travelling home after dark, walking and getting public transport. I have never been mugged and most people I know have not been victims of crime.

I've live in London since I was 21 and was single for a loooong time. I've always felt safe here..I've travelled back alone from gigs at all hours (I didn't drive for years) and felt perfectly safe.
I always feel that big cities are safer because there are a lot more people around and it's well lit, good transport etc. I always feel pretty safe in NYC too (San Francisco on the other hand...)

I would say UK as a whole is pretty safe, schools are very safe but it does vary by area. I've lived rurally for half my life and never had any crime nor known anyone and lived in London half my life and experienced a lot of crime including being mugged with a crowbar hitting me around the head and knew people who had experienced horrific crime there. I also have a 15 year old DD.

I would have no concerns about moving to Reading. I don't know the area but that is generally a very good sign. Places with high crime get in the press. I would ask for local advice on areas and maybe rent first. Schools are very safe and staff are police checked, obviously odd dodgy person slips through the net but as soon as there is the slightest hint of anything they are dealt with and anything of serious concern they would be banned from working with kids. I would go through basic safety advice with her as to dealing with boys /men like don't give any dodgy photos of yourself, don't give your phone number out, be careful being alone if you don't know the person, just general safety advice you would give anywhere. I wouldn't say don't look or speak to strangers, that is fine.

I've always found you can do pretty much what you like in daylight with no concerns even in dubious areas though I would avoid having valuables on show. The knife crime tends to be either gang related or for high value items on show like expensive phones but it only happens in certain areas. Re walking alone at night that is something I would discourage though the danger is often when you are walking alone and the only person on the street in a dubious area. That's when I was mugged but it only happens if there is someone dodgy out there at the time and the police also said all his victims looked like me so probably loads of people were fine.

I let my daughter take the train by herself in London and public transport in London, that is pretty safe though guys ask for her number since she was 11. I also tell her to go on a carriage with other people.

When you've had crime happen to you, you do have to be careful not to overprotect as well as anxiety can be as much of an issue as being a victim of crime and also can mean a child isn't very streetwise when they leave home making them an easy target. Schools do give basic safety advice, unfortunately sometimes its just you were in wrong place at wrong time but its certainly not a daily thing - even in a dodgy area its more one incident every 10 years.

I moved to London from Australia when I was 19. I think Australia is considered safe (or at least it was then - my mum never locked our front door!) and I’ve never felt unsafe in London (although I definitely do lock my front door!).
I’ve never been mugged. I think in some respects I’ve been lucky but I’ve been here over 15 years now. It also depends on your DD’s temperament. I’ve known people who could find trouble anywhere.

I live near Reading. I love it and we would rather live there than the shitty posh market town we are currently stuck in. I have many happy memories of Reading. You might also want to look at Bracknell, it's really turned a corner and is only a few train stops from Reading, or a quick drive down the A329m.

I've lived in or near London for over 40 years. I was groped once, flashed at once (both when I was a teenager), mugged once (30s) and burgled once (40s).

In contrast I lived in small town France for a year and was flashed at, followed and sexually assaulted. I lived in Belgium for a couple of years and was punched by a taxi driver who tried to overcharge me. I felt less safe in these places than I do in London.

A lot of the knife violence in the U.K. is gang and drug related. If you stay out of that you would be unlucky to be caught up in it.