Would you move to an area more deprived than where you currently live?

[QueenReenz]

I live in a 1 bed property in a deprived area (according to Government data) but I have a mutual exchange opportunity to move 150 miles away to a 2 bedroom property in Castleford, West Yorkshire which is even more deprived than where I am at the moment. I have a 2 year old and I'm in desperate need for a bigger place and a room for my little one but I'm concerned I may be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. Mutual exchanges to my particular area aren't easy to come by and my local housing won't rehouse me any time soon - I'm low level priority banding. I'm looking for some advice on whether I should bite the bullet and move or whether I should hold out until....well, who knows when. Decisions...decisions....decisions. Any advice welcomed - but please be nice. Its my first time posting on here. Thanks in advance .

I understand your situation as I've been in similar quandaries The most concerning aspect of the area is the amount of violent crime that takes place there.

This map is updated regularly and lists the crimes and type of crimes which happen in an area. You click the little numbers and then click them again...and then when the little blue dots appear, you click one and it tells you the types of crime which were committed.

. www.ilivehere.co.uk/crime-statistics-wakefield-castleford.html

So near the shops it's all shoplifting but there are a few streets where there's tonnes of "violent crime' and "Public disorder" etc.

Castleford has a lot of problems....but sometimes, these areas can also be 'ok' to live in but you have to remember that the social issues which are apparent there will be reflected in the school you send your child to eventually.

The children there will be from very troubled backgrounds in some cases.

That doesn't automatically mean a bad school though....check the Ofsteds of each school and especially the one closest to your new potential address.

Remember though that Ofsted reports can change suddenly from year to year.

Consider the flat you'll be moving to (or house)...have you looked at it on Google Maps? Are the other houses in the street well-kept? Or is there a lot of rubbish in the gardens etc?

This will be your community and your child's community...the kids will be her friends and peers.

Thanks BillHadersNewWife for the advice. I did previously check the crime ratings and the area I will potentially be moving to has lower crime levels than where I am currently living at the moment. The only slight concern I have is that the school close by is a 2 star Oftsed rating. Hopefully by the time my little one is ready for school they would have improved. Otherwise I would like to think I can get my little one into a school a little bit further away which is a 3 star but as you say, these ratings could change. I'm going to view the house at the weekend so I will get a much better idea of the state of the actual area then.

Well I have lived in areas similar OP and as you probably know, they're not all bad. I made wonderful friends in one such area...I think that if you live in a place like that, you've got to be involved in improving the community.

For example...if there's a baby and toddler group you could volunteer to help out with it. Joining clubs and helping keep the community together will mean you're around more positive, proactive people AND you're making the place better.

That's what I did. I've lived on a very depressed council estate in South London and one in the NW of England. We have good memories of both places.

Is it a house or a flat?

It's a 2 bedroom semi detached house with a massive garden which my LO will absolutely love. I currently live in a 1 bedroom bungalow with a small garden.

Well I think that sound great...the immediate quality of life improvement would be tempting to anyone. Have you been to see it yet?

I'd be moving if I were you

I honestly don't think you can call it just based on 'government stats'. I live in an old mining village that's classed as falling under 'overall economically low', but in actual fact its not. There's very low level crime (the odd shed break in is big news). It's split into 3 areas of; expensive housing, private standard housing, social housing. But the area all really falls into a standard of 'naice' as a whole. The parish funds regenerate areas and things such as; a 'fancier Christmas tree, excellent playgroup, good local facilities, allotments, fireworks display, and money spent on local walking areas. We're actually really tiny, but loads more on offer compared to some bigger neighbouring areas. On paper we may look to be behind' posher postcodes', but we're actually thriving by comparison.

Dogno the map I linked to is a very reliable police website...it updates with actual crimes committed on a very regular basis. It's not the same as me calling it "overall economically low" at all.

@BillHadersNewWife I was actually just addressing my own views to OP of my local area. I wasn't having a dig at your post at all. And I definately wasn't pointing my post towards you 😳

I know that...I just wanted to point out that because you mentioned government stats...you can indeed call some things on stats. The police stats for example are pretty reliable as an indicator of the safety of an area.

I totally agree on the crime stats as as massive indicator as area. I'm just pointing out that sometimes areas tend to get dragged down based on the government stats for 'average area income based against the national rates', and in those cases I think it doesn't always reflect a true representation of the actual area as a whole. No offense meant 😊

None taken...I've lived in a few areas which are similar...seen as rough/dangerous but in which I made lovely friends etc.

Depends where you live now but yes, Castleford is very deprived and the reality is don't hope for it to get much better.

What is good is proximity to Leeds which is an economic powerhouse. What job do you do currently as that may offer opportunities.

But depending on answers above, I wouldn't go there.

Oh..don't expect a lot either from your MP. Yvette Cooper was parachuted in to Castleford years ago with no connections to the area and appears to spend very little time there. Her husband who was likewise parachuted into the neighbouring constituency as well was booted out in 2015

The Index of Multiple Deprivation map has a useful map showing how deprived different areas are.

With a child I'd be most concerned about the area rather than having another bedroom - crime rates, school performance, peer group, community facilities, public services. All these things would have a bigger impact on our happiness and my child's opportunities than a bigger house.

Obviously those things can be OK in deprived areas, but in general there will be a correlation. Hopefully someone who knows the area will come along. As a poster above said, if you do move I'd try to get involved in groups to improve the community, both to improve it but also to meet people.

What we don't know is your current area - are you happy with the area apart from your house? Do you have friends and family?

Do ou have any support in the area you are now? Is it just the two of you? Any friends or family? Can you go up there for a few days, see what you think of the area? It's a significant distance from where you are now, do Yu know the area at lol? I'd go there for the day at least, get a feel for the town and the area you'd be in, and then make my mind up.

Have you visited the area? Don’t move until you do.

Go on to the local Facebook page and see what entries are there. Are the comments mainly negative (crime etc), or positive (community groups etc). Are there comments about the school. Maybe even pose a general question about what it’s like living in that area.

Look to see what facilities are there for you and your family. Shops? Clubs?

Also, look at Rightmove at houses for sale in the area. How is the area described. Up and coming? Near popular school? Etc.

Sorry...had to finish off earlier post.

Castleford. Known locally as "Classy cassie" (not).
Still impacted by loss of coal pits
Relatively high unemployment. Not related to lack of opportunity though given proximity to Leeds
Lots of drugs, particularly in the large council estates of which there are many in Castleford and immediate surrounding areas.

I've moved to an extremely rural area to get a cheaper house, I'm NHS so I can get a job anywhere.
i thought it would be preferable to moving to a more deprived area which it is.

You need to look at job opportunities too, what work do you do and is it available near castleford?

Very tricky decision. What I would be looking to find out is what the secondary schools are like in both areas as it is in teen years it is so easy to fall in with the "wrong crowd" ... teens need to have the self esteem to be very motivated indeed in a sea of low achievement and ambition.

Thanks all. I'm currently a stay at home Mum and plan to go back to work once my little one is ready to start school which I'm hoping will be after we have settled into our new home. My work experience is mainly recruitment / HR which I have done for the last 17 or so years so I should be able to fall back into that line of work again.

I recognise that I will be leaving family and friends but I'm in need of a fresh start (I've lived here for 43 years) as well as the need for extra space. Those connections will still be maintained but I'm also confident that we will build a new support network and make new friends in no time. We are members of a Christian organisation and once we settle in to our new congregation we will be very well looked after, I have no doubt about that.

I will be going to view the house in the next few days and will look to get a better idea of the area although sometimes with these things you can't get a good view in a day. Where I am at the moment the crime rates (including drugs /gun/knife crimes) are much higher than where the potential move is and the school ratings are pretty much the same. The only other significant difference I would say is the size of my home which I outgrew when it was just me. Now with my LO....it is a bit of a squeeze.

I appreciate all the advice you have given me, it is very helpful so thank you!

Hello. One question I would be asking is why that tenant wants to downsize 100 plus miles away? Is it to be near family or to escape? That being said people thought I was mad moving from a rented newbuild on a new estate to across town to buy my first house which was ex council on a rough ish estate. Though it's a stones throw from my parents and I know the estate well and it's not as bad as it's made out to be and weve been here for 14 years now. Good suggestion regarding the local facebook groups. Funny though someone on MN was asking about my area and I said it was actually nice to live with a great community spirit but they had looked at the towns facebook page and said there seemed to be too much crime. I guess it's down to the individual x

No
I have a friend who lives in a very deprived seaside town and the impact it has on her life is massive
Her door is reinforced, there's a drug alley opposite, she won't go outside at night, last week a police officer got assaulted and armed police came, last year someone running around with a samurai sword armed police again, alley behind there was a stabbing. Cars along road had shit smeared on them last month.
She had no choice she was housed there and is desperate to get out.
Don't do it.

I would go have and have a good look at the area. Try to spend a bit of time there and see it at different times of the day, including in the evening. Maybe a Friday or Saturday night when there’s likely to be more people about. Talk to the locals, see what facilities there are close by. Read the ofsted reports in full. Would you be able to move again before your child reached secondary school?
I would say the same for anyone moving to a new area.

Can you stay over in a nearby travelodge or similar?