With remote working set to remain popular even after coronavirus restrictions are finally lifted, property buyers are widening their horizons away from the well-trodden commuting grounds of Southern England in a bid to improve their quality of live. And when it comes to work and life balance, they’d better set their compass north-west, because the Outer Hebrides have been named the best place to live in the money.co.uk’s 2021 Work-life Balance Index.
The first thing we always wonder with these studies is where the data come from — and in this case, the source of the original info is none other than the Office of National Statistics. The analysis uses ONS figures which score local authorities against a range of indicators including happiness, anxiety, access to green space and life satisfaction.
Clearly, there are other indicators that you could use — and we can't help but feel that the final list emphasises life more than work, despite the original phrase suggesting a best-of-both-worlds. That said, the results make for fascinating reading, with the Outer Hebrides firmly at the top, with an overall score of 94.5 (out of 100), ahead of West Devon (92.2) and North East Derbyshire (91.5).
The Outer Hebrides rank especially highly for life satisfaction, employment (the unemployment rate is a little more than half the UK’s average), and year-on-year pay increase (a robust 9.8% against a UK average of 3%), as well as, of course, plenty of opportunities to enjoy Nature. No mention is made of the fact that your family is likely to live several hundred miles away; we'll leave it up to you to decide whether that's one in the 'for' or 'against' column.
Second by a whisker, the rolling countryside and long beaches of West Devon are naturally conducive to happiness and serenity, but a manageable working week of 32.8 hours and good pay also contribute to the area’s appeal.
With a crop of picturesque villages and magnificent country houses, North East Derbyshire is especially rate for life satisfaction but also for the abundance of private outdoor space — a massive benefit in these locked down days.
Top five local authorities for work and life balance
- Outer Hebrides
- West Devon
- North East Derbyshire
- Ribble Valley
- East Dunbartonshire
If you are planning to move, here are five properties to consider, one for each of the top five best-performing authorities.
Outer Hebrides, £25,000
A waterside plot to build your own dream home.
West Devon, £1.25 million
A perfect setting in the Tavy valley make this 19th-century stone farmhouse an ideal place to live.
North East Derbyshire, £1.875 million
This Grade II-listed Georgian house comes with two cottages and beautiful grounds.
Ribble Valley, price on application
Italianate gardens, a swimming pool complex and a beautiful house are the perfect combination to boost quality of life.
East Dunbartonshire, £495,000
A 19th-century sandstone villa with a lovely garden near Bearsden
Buyers only looking for happiness should head to the Fylde, in Lancashire, which comes out top for that indicator, while those that would like less stress in their life could do with moving to Burnley, which has the lowest anxiety levels in the country.
For those that can’t quite range far afield from their place of work, however, the Index also reveals the best places for work and life balance in each English region, plus Scotland and Wales.
- East Midlands - North East Derbyshire (91.5/100)
- East of England - Babergh (83/100)
- London - Richmond Upon Thames (69.3/100)
- North East - Halton (70.2/100)
- North West - Ribble Valley (88.9/100)
- Scotland - Outer Hebrides (94.5/100)
- South East - Arun (84.7/100)
- South West- West Devon (92.2/100)
- Wales - Flintshire (66.6/100)
- West Midlands - Newcastle Under Lyme (85.8/100)
- Yorkshire and the Humber- East Riding of Yorkshire (68.7/100)
And if you really can’t leave the commuting counties of the South-East — England’s most populous region — fear not. Together, South-East England and Scotland account for 40% of the top work and life balance spots.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
-
A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National ParkOld House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
-
The UK gets its first ‘European stork village’ — and it's in West SussexAlthough the mortality rate among white storks can be up to 90%, the future looks rosy for breeding pairs in southern England.
-
A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National ParkOld House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
-
18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeFrom a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
-
If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool5 Wood Barton Town House is part of an exclusive 80-acre development in Devon that also comes with fishing rights on the River Avon and four bedrooms.
-
The sounds of spring and stained glass in an Arts-and-Crafts masterpiece in DorsetWith 35 acres, more than 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court, Winterfield has it all.
-
An eight-bedroom wonder in East Sussex where the outdoors are an adventureThe interiors of Old Middleton are pretty good too.
-
A lakeside farmhouse on the market in the beautiful heart of PembrokeshireA lake, streams, 15 acres and five bedrooms. Rogershook might have it all.
-
An idyllic countryside home that's light, spacious and comes with a Grade II-listed follyHagg House is a gorgeous family home that just happens to have a miniature castle in the gardens. Annabel Dixon explains more.
-
A historic villa for sale on the Via Nomentana worthy of Rome's rich historyThree floors, lots of balconies, and a private garden in one of Rome's loveliest neighbourhoods.
