The best places to retire in the UK revealed - and they aren't seaside towns

Britain's seaside towns have not been included in a definitive list of the best places to retire. Instead, market towns in the safe and welcoming Home Counties snatch the top spots, new research reveals. Buckinghamshire, Surrey, and West Sussex head a league table with leafy towns including Beaconsfield, Dorking, Godalming, and Haywards Heath leading the way.

Experts from financial services guru Legal & General crunched numbers on leisure and shopping, health and healthcare, access to GPs and green spaces, income levels, housing and living costs, and community spirit to compile a list of the most desirable destinations. The results show the commuter belt markets towns of Amersham and Chesham, set among Buckinghamshire's Chiltern Hills, rated highest out of 632 areas.

They snatched top spot, scoring 74 out of 100 overall, making it the best place to retire, scoring exceptionally well on health, indicating a strong proportion of over 65s in good physical and mental condition, as well as good access to GPs. It also scored highly on financial security and nature, social and community, housing, and local amenities, making it a well-rounded environment for later life.

L&G retail retirement expert Lorna Shah said: "This research gives us a more complete picture of what shapes a happy later life. It's not just about one factor - it's the combination of health, social connections, environment, and financial security that all play a part in retirement wellbeing.

"Financial security in particular is an enabler for many of the other measures, giving people the freedom to choose where and how they want to live in later life. Our research has shown that having enough set aside can greatly improve retirement wellbeing and a guaranteed income, through products such as an annuity, can lessen anxiety and create a greater sense of certainty. It's the difference between simply getting by and really enjoying this next stage of life."

The forensic study ranked every UK constituency against six core pillars, which measure good quality of later life: housing, health, community, finances, nature, and access to amenities.

Because a fulfilling and rewarding retirement is not defined by one factor alone, each was rated and combined to give a more complete picture of later life wellbeing.

Each area was scored out of 100 to identify where retirees are most likely to thrive.

Mid Dunbartonshire (East Dunbartonshire) and Monmouthshire (Gwent) took top spots in Scotland and Wales, respectively.

London performed poorly in terms of financial security in later life, but scored well for access to amenities, nudging some constituencies up the league table. Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner made the top 20.

The South West performed well in relation to housing, considering factors such as access to residential care homes and the availability of suitable housing.

Meanwhile, the East of England excelled when ranked on the nature pillar, with Essex, Lincolnshire, and South Cambridgeshire making the top three.