To think the north of England offers a worse quality of life than the South or Midlands?

[DDRickyDD]

I was thinking of moving to Lancashire, but having done some research online, it seems a lot of people have negative opinion of it. I'm now set on Warwickshire or Leicestershire. Does the north in general offer a worse quality of life than the Midlands? I know its cheaper up north but is it much worse up there?

Obviously the South-East offers the best quality of life in the country but its too expensive for most people

Based on what metric? Being able to afford housing and other essentials is pretty far up most people's list of priorities when evaluating their 'quality of life'.

So I'd argue against the SE offering the best quality of life to most people when they either simply can't afford suitable secure housing, or they can only find housing at significant detriment to their overall wellbeing, eg too small for their needs, being so expensive that it leaves insufficient income for other essentials like food, travel to work/school, being far away from work/school so they have to spend an unaffordable amount of money and time on travelling to places they need to be daily, can only afford to live in an undesirable area where they feel unsafe etc.

In reality, the SE only offers the best quality of life if you are of well above average means, which by definition, most people aren't.

Any 'quality of life' indices worth considering will have far finer granularity than 'the north' and 'the midlands'. That's why you're getting these responses.

Obviously the South-East offers the best quality of life in the country

Depends what you're into, doesn't it? If your requirements for good quality of life include wide open spaces, hills or lakes then the south east is generally poor.

I can't give a you a meaningful comparison because the SE I know was a 'coastal town' ... not the sort of south east you're thinking of, I suspect. And the midlands I'm familiar with was Birmingham- not entirely negative but a hell of a long way out to decent countryside. Whereas the parts of Yorkshire and Lancashire I've lived in have been very nice, and suited our lifestyle.

I always feel a sense of relief once the train gets north of Crewe....the south/home counties/London are all too crowded.

“Quality of life” will mean different things to different people, so I’m not sure what criteria these indices use?

I’m sorry, but I do think, as a very sweeping observation, people do look healthier in more affluent areas and this is another noticeable difference when you go North. I know this will be a contentious thing to say, but I definitely notice it as soon as I get off the train in Liverpool that people, on average, look more haggard than the people back at Euston! It’s the weather again. I think diet as well, to some extent.

Of course you're right @errol. I live in a leafy sort of area with high property prices for my city. 5/10 mins down the road and I can find you a neighbourhood of people that suffer from pretty solid deprivation.

But that's the same the country over. The fact is I spend a much lower percentage of household income on housing and travel than I would in London or the commuter belt and have gorgeous scenery and beaches in short distance.

I find too much of the south far to flat too. No hills anywhere is a bit discomfiting

I’m sorry, but I do think, as a very sweeping observation, people do look healthier in more affluent areas and this is another noticeable difference when you go North

All depends where you go - I can go to Harrogate and see very healthy people, then go to inner city Leeds just 20 minutes away and see real poverty and unhealthy people.

No denying there is real poverty and 'left behind' people in the North. I know there is all over the UK,

I wonder where a lot of the money and resources have gone over recent years?

It’s the weather again. I think diet as well, to some extent.
What an utter utter load of shit.

What an utter utter load of shit

Not really - but then again, it's just a lot of averages.

If your requirements for good quality of life include wide open spaces, hills or lakes then the south east is generally poor.
Or lack of traffic, pollution, noise, avoidance of overcrowding.

What I mean is, you can tell areas where people have harder lives, lower incomes and poorer diets / alcohol dependencies because you can see it etched in their faces and in their general demeanour. It’s not a popular thing to say obviously, but can see the difference when you compare the average person from an affluent part of London or the SE, to northern cities. It hits you as soon as you get off the train and can be quite a shock.

It does amuse me how these threads fill up with Northerners claiming how warm and friendly Northers are thenintheir next breath insulting the cities and people of the south.
On these threads insult seem to flow freely in both directions, but a great deal of (wilful?) ignorance of anywhere outside the M25 always appears too.

It’s not a popular thing to say obviously, but can see the difference when you compare the average person from an affluent part of London or the SE, to northern cities

That’s like comparing apples and oranges.

What about the non-affluent parts of London?

It’s not a popular thing to say obviously
No it's not, because it's utter bollocks based on your anti-northern prejudice.

t’s not a popular thing to say obviously, but can see the difference when you compare the average person from an affluent part of London or the SE, to northern cities

How familiar are you with the poorer parts of London?

Actually I do like Michelin restaurants and was being tongue in cheek when complaining about the ones in Yorkshire.
It is true that London has a better food scene but I actually had more money to spend in restaurants when I lived in Yorkshire.
I now live a a major USA city and I think it has fewer than Yorkshire!

London has world class culture but unless you have a world class income it isn't that easy to access because housing costs are so high.

I truly think access to schools, houses, green space and better traffic all mean that for all but the super wealthy quality of life for families with dc is better for almost all but the very wealthy in the North.

We still have family in London and a house in Yorkshire so visit both areas often.

OP, my grandfather came from Yorkshire, spent 40 years in't pit, man and boy. Eventually, he worked his way up to Second Violin.

So I feel qualified to answer your question: It's all swings and roundabouts. I like the pies and whippets, but I'm not so keen on Clogging, so The North isnt for me. You might like it though.

Most deprived areas of England

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/835115/IoD2019_Statistical_Release.pdf

falafels haha what a load of rubbish.
I've heard it all now... The weather and diet makes northerners look haggard 😂😂😂😂

And yes, I am obviously talking averages and I did say I was making sweeping generalisations. But averages can be noticeable.

SueEllen - have you been to Aberdeen?

@SueEllenMishke I’m rolling 😂😂 I got id’d in lidl the other day and I’m almost ten years past legal age ! I definitely haven’t been made haggard by the freezing awful life of a northerner!

Also that makes no sense because it’s actual sun that makes people old and saggy - old leather bags !

Obviously the South-East offers the best quality of life in the country

It depends what you value, and a lot of people value the things that you tend to find outside the south east.

When I head out on an evening I can walk/run up to the moors and crags in minutes. I often spend time sitting up there, listening to the sound of the curlew and watching the lapwing flying against the backdrop of the sunset. I love the feel of the gritstone under my hands, and the smell of the heather. All of that adds immeasurably to my quality of life, and you won't find it in the south east.

If the main thing I valued was having 10 different bars or restaurants within 10 minutes of my door, or being able to buy milk at 2am, I'd live in London. But it isn't.

The culture and amenities that I can get to from here are fine for me - several cities, all with theatres/bars/restaurants etc. There are some amazing restaurants near here, but that's not something I'm going to do every week, is it? I spend far more time outdoors than I would going to bars or the theatre if I lived in London (I know this having lived there), and the outdoors has the advantage of being free.

(*The sun sets on a proper horizon that isn't blocked by buildings here - you can't see a proper sunset in a city.)

Bamburgh beach...aye it’s grim up north!

Quality of life depends on a lot of things and can be very personal
I don’t see how living in a city with horrendous air pollution is a good quality of life, so I don’t live in a city etc