BISHOP’S Castle has been named as one of the most affordable places to live in the UK as a single parent – ranking highly for its average salary and low house prices.
The ranking was conducted by family law specialists, Richard Nelson LLP which looked at key affordability factors including average house price, average salary, electricity rate and council tax.
Lauren Greenhalgh, consultant solicitor in the family law team at Richard Nelson LLP, said the research would be crucial for any single parents looking to start a new life.
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She said: “Given the current economic climate, there’s never been a more challenging time to be a lone parent.
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“Despite this, there are more than 2.9 million single parents in the UK therefore we wanted to conduct research to establish which areas of the UK would be best for lone parents to raise their children in.
“The transition to being a single parent can be a real challenge for many, with finances, personal confidence and sense of belonging all thrown into question.
“Exploring a new life in a different location can be daunting and full of challenges, so we wanted our research to offer some insight for those that find themselves in that position.”
Data for each factor was collected for the locations listed in the Times’ Best Places to Live guide.
All locations were then ranked in order to establish which were best for single parents, and analysed further to form the affordability list.
The research comes as we head into the colder autumn and winter months, with millions of households predicted to creep into debt due to rising bills and the end of financial support schemes.
Bishop’s Castle scored an impressive 76 out of a possible 106 in the study for its affordability.
Ranking joint-second overall for its cost effectiveness among single parents is Rutland in the East Midlands.
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Most notably, this historical market town had the second highest average salary at £40,259 out of all of the locations analysed, as well as the fourth cheapest average house price being £270,000.
Topping the list as overall most affordable place to live as a single parent was Leeds in West Yorkshire, with a total affordability score of 100.
This bustling metropolis had the second lowest council tax payments at £1,142.01 and the third cheapest average house price overall.
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