The data from Confused.com has revealed that 51% of Brits say the sense of safety and security in an area would highly influence their decision to live there.
With this in mind, the firm ran a consumer survey to 2,000 UK homeowners and renters to gauge what makes Brits feel safe (or unsafe) in their home. The survey also revealed the lengths that Brits are willing to go to when it comes to safety– with some admitting to buying dogs to feel safer and others installing fake burglar alarms.
Brits home safety anxiety
A new consumer survey has revealed that for 50% of the UK, the sense of safety and security in an area would largely impact their decision to live there. A further 32% admit that they would research crime statistics of an area before moving there.
Home safety is so important to Brits that 10% of people have installed a fake burglar alarm, similarly 21% own a dog for home protection.
But what does a 'safe' neighbourhood look like?
Liverpool ranked the best UK city overall for safety. According to the data, there are 35,254 CCTV cameras in place to keep an eye on people across the city, that’s more than any other major UK city. Liverpool also has a considerably lower crime rate, with more than 59,000 reports in one year. That’s compared to the UK average of 71,000.
Further research also found that people are happy living in Liverpool. Most (98%) of the UK residents with a Liverpool postcode claim to feel safe and secure in their area. More than one in four (28%) of Liverpudlians claim that CCTV cameras help to make them feel very safe whilst distance to a hospital is important for nearly one in five (18%) people living in the city. The survey also found that one in four (25%) respondents in Liverpool claim to have been a victim of a burglary in the past. More than a third (35%) also know someone who has been burgled.
The cities that feel the most and least secure
According to the survey, Oxford residents feel the safest in their homes out of all major UK cities. 3 in 5 people who live here claim to feel ‘very safe and secure’ in their neighbourhood, Aberdeen followed close behind with 59% of respondents saying they felt very safe.
By contrast, people who live in Portsmouth feel the least secure in the area that they live out of all major cities in the UK. Just 1 in 5 people (22%) feel ‘very safe and secure’ here.
The factors that make Brits feel the most secure
When it comes to making people feeling where they live, some factors are more important than others.
According to the research, loitering on the streets is the biggest influence on people’s sense of security. More than two in five (42%) Brits claim that loitering makes them feel “Very unsafe”. In contrast, low crime rates and the number of streetlights are among the most important factors for helping Brits feel safe where they live.
The top 5 factors that make Brits feel very safe in the area that they live:
The top 5 factors that make Brits feel unsafe in the area that they live:
Many people might look into the local crime rate or the availability of emergency services before they more or buy a home. But this doesn’t mean they are at less of a risk of becoming a victim of crime. In fact, more than one in eight (13%) people in the UK have been a victim of burglary. More than one in three (36%) also know someone who has been burgled in the past.
Of course, there are ways for homeowners and renters to take the security of their property into their own hands. But one in seven (14%) are confused about the most effective way to go about it. More than one in seven (15%) people are also confused about what different security measures will make on their home insurance. According to Confused.com’s expert guide, there are a number of different types of burglar alarms that could increase the security of a home. They could help to keep home insurance costs lower too.
According to Confused.com’s guide, the alarms can be as sophisticated or simple as a household might need. Some offer monitored protection for extra peace of mind. Installing this type of alarms could see a drop in your home insurance premium, while dummy or fake alarms may not offer any discount at all.
Some areas of the UK are evidently safer than others. But investing in home security systems will always help people to feel more at ease in the home they live in, no matter where they live.
Jessica Willock, home insurance expert at Confused.com comments:
“When it comes to choosing where to live, safety is a key consideration. Low crime rates or great emergency services are more likely to make us feel safe and happy living in an area, but this doesn’t mean we’re not at risk of theft or burglaries.
“We are responsible for keeping our properties secure, although many people are confused about the most effective way to do this. Our expert advice suggests that installing a burglar alarm could offer you the best security, with some being more sophisticated than others. Not only this but having certain types of alarms installed could offer a discount on your home insurance costs. This is good news for everyone, even those who live in areas where crime is more common.”
