National study reveals the riskiest locations to buy a property in the UK
A new study by GoCompare Home has investigated the riskiest (and safest) places to live in the UK.
Data analysts at GoCompare Home looked at a number of different factors including flooding and earthquakes to reveal where they are most likely to strike.
The national index was based on a combination of flooding, earthquakes, building subsidence (also known as sinkholes), fires and coastal flooding. With this data they were able to pinpoint the disaster hotspots across the UK - so which cities are most at risk of natural disasters?
The UK’s 10 most riskiest cities
|
Risk Ranking |
City |
Fire likelihood score (0-5) |
Subsidence risk rating (0-5) |
Flooding likelihood score |
No. Earthquakes 2015-2020 |
No. Houses at risk at costal flooding |
Total risk score |
|
1 |
Bristol |
3 |
4 |
Medium |
3 |
0 |
90 |
|
2 |
London |
4 |
5 |
High |
0 |
0 |
87 |
|
3 |
Southampton |
2 |
3 |
High |
0 |
292 |
86 |
|
4 |
Birmingham |
5 |
3 |
Medium |
4 |
0 |
85 |
|
5 |
Oxford |
3 |
3 |
Medium |
4 |
0 |
82 |
|
6 |
Plymouth/Cornwall |
2 |
2 |
Low |
184 |
478 |
82 |
|
7 |
Newcastle |
2 |
3 |
Medium |
16 |
0 |
76 |
|
8 |
Manchester |
2 |
5 |
Low |
5 |
0 |
69 |
|
9 |
Norwich |
5 |
2 |
Very Low |
0 |
320 |
67 |
|
10 |
Bradford |
2 |
2 |
Medium |
7 |
0 |
64 |
Bristol is the riskiest city to live in the UK
In first place is the picturesque nature city Bristol with an index score of 90. Between 2009 and 2017, Bristol experienced 20 fires. Earthquakes are less common in the city, with only three in the past five years. However, there is a high risk of subsidence damage and a medium risk of flooding, all adding to the city’s total score.
In second place is the capital, London, who scored slightly higher for fires, subsidence and a high likelihood of flooding . Southampton comes in third place, with 292 homes at risk of coastal flooding adding to its overall score.
The UK’s 10 safest cities
|
Safety ranking |
City |
Fire likelihood score (0-5) |
Subsidence risk ranking (0-5) |
Flooding likelihood score |
No. Earthquakes 2015-2020 |
No. Houses at risk of costal flooding |
Total risk score |
|
1 |
Carlisle |
1 |
1 |
Low |
0 |
0 |
9 |
|
2 |
Liverpool |
2 |
2 |
Low |
0 |
0 |
24 |
|
3 |
Northampton |
1 |
2 |
Very Low |
1 |
0 |
24 |
|
4 |
Nottingham |
1 |
1 |
Low |
2 |
0 |
25 |
|
5 |
Aberdeen |
2 |
0 |
Ave. |
0 |
0 |
27 |
|
6 |
Wolverhampton |
1 |
2 |
Low |
2 |
0 |
30 |
|
7 |
Stoke-on-Trent |
1 |
2 |
Medium |
3 |
0 |
32 |
|
8 |
Glasgow |
2 |
2 |
Ave. |
0 |
0 |
33 |
|
9 |
Derby |
1 |
1 |
Medium |
1 |
0 |
35 |
|
10 |
Cambridge |
0 |
2 |
Medium |
1 |
0 |
39 |
In first place is Carlisle receiving only 9 risk points, this Cumbrian city experienced fewer than five fires between 2009-2017, with zero earthquakes and a low risk of both flooding and building subsidence. Its central location also makes coastal flooding nothing more than a bad dream, with landlocked locals free to roam the streets with dry feet.
The second safest place to live in the UK is Northampton. Famed for being in the middle of six fields, it’s only experienced one recent earthquake, while the open land around it sees flooding minimised.
Liverpool completes our top three, with the Mersey hub’s biggest risk coming in the form of fires - they’ve suffered 10 of them in recent years. While their coastal position does pose a slightly higher threat of flooding, the clever architecture and flood defence systems see locals safe from wet socks.
For further information, prevention tips, and warning signs please see here for the full report.
