Brits in rural areas more likely to move home than city dwellers
More than two fifths (43%) of UK adults are considering moving to a different type of setting, as a result of the events of 2020.
But while many experts have predicted an exodus to the country, as city dwellers spend more time working from home, a new study from Aviva reveals a more complicated picture.
A survey of 6,000 people suggests those living in rural or semi-rural locations are actually more likely to want to move to different surroundings than those living in urban and sub-urban areas. More than half of UK adults living in rural (52%) and semi-rural (53%) locations would like a change of scene, a higher proportion than those dwelling in suburban or urban places (39% in both cases).
While the grass may be greener for some in the countryside, many residents of rural and semi-rural locations show a desire to move to places with more facilities. Nearly a third of people (31%) in a rural dwelling wish to move to a semi-rural setting, while almost the same proportion (30%) of people in semi-rural properties hope to move to a suburban location.
When it comes to why people wish to live in a certain location, reasons differ according to the new setting. People are more likely to believe rural (42%) and semi-rural (36%) locations would provide a better quality of life for their family/children. Similarly, more people believe there will be health benefits due to lower pollution in rural (37%) and semi-rural (28%) locations.
Compared to all other types of setting, urban locations are more likely to be chosen for a better social life (23%) facilities (22%), and transport links (22%).
A relatively small number of people say they plan to move because they could work from home and wouldn’t need to commute as often. This is fairly consistent at around 15% across all location types.
A similar number (15%) say they would consider moving to reduce the possibility of infections such as Covid. Generally, this trend leans towards rural (18%) and semi-rural (16%) settings, although 8% of people feel they’d be less likely to be infected in an urban setting.
Finally, coinciding with reports that demands for pets have soared during lockdown, one in 10 residents (11%) report their home needs have been influenced by getting or planning to get a dog.
Gareth Hemming, MD for Personal Lines, Aviva said: “Our research shows a disparity between what we might expect to see and the world as it actually is. As more people and businesses have adapted to home-working, this might suggest that people may want to move out of city locations. But the full picture is much more complicated and many people are hoping to move around for a wide variety of reasons, with some planning to move into more urban spaces.”
Source: Show House News
