When we talk about ‘quality of life’, what is it that we’re actually defining? Well, when it comes to how good it is to live in a certain location then we’re looking at the following qualities:
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Low crime levels.
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Medical facilities
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Clean air and low pollution levels
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Open spaces to enjoy with wildlife and natural resources
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Public transport
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City infrastructure
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Public services
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Employment
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Stability
Of course, you as an individual will have your own requirements as to what might qualify as a necessary quality of life. This will differ depending on your personal circumstances. For instance, a student will be looking for different aspects than that of a family. However, we’ll leave such aspects to one side and look at the above factors in more details.
Crime levels
The Metropolitan Police are responsible for keeping London and her citizens safe. And they’re doing a great job, with crime levels falling year on year. The safest borough to live in London, according to Met Police crime figures, is Richmond upon Thames, followed closely by Bexley.
Medical facilities
London rates as the top city in the UK for quality of life, and this includes the area of medical facilities.
The NHS (National Heath Service) serves to treat all medical issues for those in need. And much as the media might bemoan the state of the NHS, it does continue to be one of the most envied systems in the world. And when it comes to private medical services (those paid for by the individual), London’s Harley Street is renowned for offering the very best medical doctors in the world.
Clean air and low pollution levels
The government is working hard to improve the quality of air in the capital through their latest air quality strategy, known as ‘Cleaning the Air’. Many plans have been put into action, including an ultra low emissions zone for vehicles in the city, increasing the amount of electric vehicles used and cleaning up London’s bus fleet.
Open spaces to enjoy with wildlife and natural resources
London scores extremely highly on this scale, and is one of the greenest capital cities on the planet. With eight Royal Parks to choose from, as well as a multitude of smaller parks and other large expanses of commons and other open spaces, you’re never far away from an area to get away from the hubbub of the city.
Public transport
When it comes to public transport in London, it has to be said that it’s pretty good. Sure, rush hour can be a bit of a challenge, but with the extensive underground train system (The Tube) and London Buses covering both inner and outer London, there’s virtually no need to own a car. There’s also a great overground train system that begins in Central London and allows you to get to the far reaches of the rest of the UK.
When talking about public transport, it’s probably necessary to mention taxis as well. And London’s infamous ‘black cabs’ provide a wonderful way to get from anywhere to anywhere, any time of the day or night.
OK, so they’re not as cheap as, say, New York’s yellow cabs, but you can be pretty much guaranteed that no matter what the time or how busy the streets of London might be, you’re always guaranteed to be able to find a cab.
Mini-cabs are also available. And now thanks to apps such as Uber and Hailo, you can ensure you get the cheapest rate, as well as booking it straight from your mobile phone.
City infrastructure
When it comes to London’s infrastructure, it fares quite well and the government is investing a considerable amount of money on further improvement.
London has a good road network, albeit a traffic issue, from the M25 right into the centre of the city. There are a good number of hospitals, and once again, large investments of cash are being injected to increase the ability of these to cope with London’s ever-increasing population.
Schools are well-catered for, with education provided in both state run schools and private (paid for) schools. In addition, the recently introduced ‘Academy Schools’ are funded by the state but run independently. This new initiative has proved to be a success, providing an alternative to the state or private school choices.
Utilities are excellent, with the option of many different suppliers of gas and electricity – such as EON and British Gas. Independent website, USwitch, also gives you an independent overview of your energy use and shows you the cheapest option for your personal circumstances.
Public services
In London there is an excellent array of public services available to all. Many of these are paid for by what is known as Council Tax, which is an annual charge levied on all properties and paid for by those who live in them (either owned or rented).
This covers the cost of the Metropolitan Police, the Fire Service, rubbish collection and recycling, which in London is collected either on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. The days that rubbish is collected for every area in the city can be found on the Government website. Your council tax also pays for such services as street lighting and CCTV coverage around the city, amongst other things.
Employment
Whilst employment is fiercely competitive in the UK capital, there are a huge amount of job openings. Unemployment levels in Britain have been decreasing steadily over the last few years. Opportunity is certainly ripe in London, with some of the best minds and talent in the world wanting to get a piece of the action. You can find out real-time unemployment levels in all areas of London at The Greater London Authority Website.
For graduates, London really is a city of opportunity, with many large companies such as John Lewis and Marks and Spencer, offering places to those leaving university.
Stability
Living in the city is no more risky than any other western city in our current nervous climate. Within the UK itself there are no major factions that dramatically threaten the stability of the city.
In conclusion, the quality of life here is undoubtedly high. The UK government continues to plan and invest for the future, and this is only a good thing for all those who live, or plan to live, in London.
