Where do Londoners Move to When they Leave the Capital?
By |Published On: 22nd July 2015|

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Where do Londoners Move to When they Leave the Capital?

By |Published On: 22nd July 2015|

This article is an external press release originally published on the Landlord News website, which has now been migrated to the Just Landlords blog.

London’s spiralling rent prices are forcing some residents to leave the capital and search for cheaper accommodation. So where do they go?

The London commuter belt is the most popular choice, with 50.3% of Londoners leaving the capital staying in the South East, according to Homelet.

Broadstone, a small town in Dorset, is the most popular choice.

Where do Londoners move to?

Area

Amount of former Londoners

Broadstone 4.1%
Brentwood 3.3%
Colchester 2.8%
Brighton 2.3%
Reading 2.3%
Manchester 2.3%
St Albans 2%
Bristol 2%
Basildon 1.9%
Luton 1.9%

Of those leaving London, 4.1% move to Broadstone, over three times as many as those that move to more obvious choices, such as Guildford at 1.2% and Sevenoaks at 1.1%.

Broadstone is in a typical retirement area, which includes Poole, indicating that it is likely that these movers are retirees leaving the capital rather than professionals seeking a new career. However, movers are keen to stay in the South, often within commuting distance of London.

Most popular regions for those leaving London

Region

Amount of former Londoners

South East 50.3%
South West 18.9%
East Midlands 6.5%
North West 6.1%
West Midlands 5.7%
Yorkshire & the Humber 4.5%
East Anglia 2.6%
Scotland 2%
Wales 1.3%
North East 1.1%
Unknown 0.8%
Northern Ireland 0.3%
Channel Islands 0%
Where do Londoners Move to When they Leave the Capital?

Where do Londoners Move to When they Leave the Capital?

Just out of the top five is Manchester, with 2.3% of former Londoners. Bristol follows at 2%.

Both Manchester and Leeds are less popular destinations for those leaving London than before the financial crisis, signalling that the economic recovery is uneven.

Homelet found that 0.3% fewer people moved from London to Manchester between 2014-15 than 2007-08, a pattern reflected in Birmingham with 0.4% fewer and Leeds with 0.65% fewer.

High rent costs are almost certainly a factor in Londoners’ reasons to leave.

At an average of £1,515 per month, the capital’s rents are almost £600 more than the UK average and around £800 more than the UK average when London is excluded.

Annual change in average rents

Region

Annual change

South West 11.1%
South East 11%
Greater London 10.1%
Scotland 9.6%
North East 8.4%
East Anglia 7%
Yorkshire & the Humber 4.8%
West Midlands 4.6%
East Midlands 3%
Northern Ireland 2.8%
Wales 2.6%
North West 0.2%
UK average 11.6%
UK average excluding London 7.8%

Additionally, rents in London are increasing faster than most places in the country. Greater London’s rent growth has exceeded all regions, apart from its neighbouring areas. And at 51%, the increase in the average rent since 2007-08 is the largest by far.

Despite the sky-high rents, eager professionals will always see London as an area of great opportunity.

Homelet found that it is the fifth most popular city for new residents to move to – people moving from outside the capital sign 18% of new tenancies in London.

New tenancies going to new residents 

Area

Amount of new tenancies going to new residents

Wakefield 28%
Coventry 26%
Brighton 24%
Nottingham 20%
Greater London 18%

London’s 18% figure is 7% higher than the 2007-08 number, when just 11% of new tenancies went to new residents. London remains a popular place to move to.

 

 

About the Author: Em Morley (she/they)

Em is the Content Marketing Manager for Just Landlords, with over five years of experience writing for insurance and property websites. Together with the knowledge and expertise of the Just Landlords underwriting team, Em aims to provide those in the property industry with helpful resources. When she’s not at her computer researching and writing property and insurance guides, you’ll find her exploring the British countryside, searching for geocaches.

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