Retirement Destinations - The Best Places to Retire in the UK

A practical guide to comparing 10 retirement destinations across England, Scotland, and Wales

Explore how affordability, healthcare, lifestyle, and connectivity could shape where you spend your next chapter.

Retirement can bring greater freedom to reconsider where you live. Without the daily commute, your priorities may shift towards being closer to family, enjoying the coast or countryside, or having shops, healthcare and activities within easy reach.

The right location will look different for everyone. A lively city, a coastal town and a quieter rural community each offer their own advantages and compromises.

Our free guide explores 10 UK retirement destinations, comparing them across five areas: cost of living and finance, health and social care, climate and environment, community and lifestyle, and connectivity and practicalities.

Drawing on the priorities highlighted in Hoxton Wealth's UK Retirement Destination Survey, the guide provides a starting point for comparing locations and considering how each could support your retirement plans.

• 10 destination profiles: Explore Christchurch, Harrogate, York, Argyll and Bute, Chester, Cheltenham, Llandudno, Blyth, Barry and Skipton.
• Comparisons at a glance: See how the report assesses each destination across its five retirement planning categories.
• Affordability considerations: Understand how housing costs and location choices can influence your retirement budget.
• Healthcare and future needs: Consider access to local services, specialist care and the journeys you may need to make.
• Community and lifestyle: Compare cultural amenities, outdoor activities, town centres and opportunities for staying socially connected.
• Climate and surroundings: Explore the different experiences offered by coastal, countryside, urban and market-town settings.
• Transport and connectivity: Consider how easily you could reach family, friends, services and larger transport hubs.
• Advantages and compromises: Look beyond a destination's initial appeal to assess how everyday life there might work over time.

This guide is designed for:

• People approaching retirement who are reconsidering where they want to live.
• Retirees exploring a move within the UK.
• Individuals and couples comparing coastal, rural, and urban lifestyles.
• Homeowners considering downsizing or relocating as part of their retirement plans.
• Anyone balancing affordability, healthcare, community, and proximity to family when choosing a retirement destination.

Where you live can affect your everyday spending, the amount of capital tied up in your home, and your access to the people and activities that matter to you.

Considering your location alongside your retirement income and longer-term needs can help you make a more informed decision about your next chapter.

Download your free guide to compare the destinations, identify your priorities, and explore what the right retirement setting could look like for you.

Complete the form to download The Best Places to Retire in the UK.

This guide provides general information for educational purposes. Destination comparisons are a starting point for your own research and do not constitute personal financial advice. Local conditions, costs and services can change.