York revealed as UK’s friendliest city

Aviva research finds the nation’s community spirit is strong – but millions are without access to pubs and gyms. 

24 June 2025, LONDON: The United Kingdom is more united than people may think, according to a new study from Aviva.

The survey of more than 6,000 UK adults finds nearly three quarters (74%) of people think their communities are friendly, while a similar number (73%) trust their neighbours. Nearly four in five (77%) UK residents also say their local community is a good place to live.

York is revealed as the UK’s friendliest city, while Exeter is pinpointed as the home of neighbourly trust. The top ten UK places for both categories are revealed as:

And it’s time to challenge the idea the UK's capital is an isolating and unfriendly place: 85% of Londoners* say being part of the local community is important, compared to 74% nationally.

Being part of a community is a key factor in quality of life

Aviva’s research shows being part of a local community improves overall life satisfaction: 8 in 10 (83%) of those who feel they are part of their community are satisfied with their overall quality of life, in comparison to just 45% of people who don’t feel part of their community.

And while people are largely in agreement that local community is important, there’s room for improvement in terms of satisfaction with community life. While 74% of people nationwide think it is important to be part of their community, only 69% are satisfied with their local community, though the gap is lowest in the South East and Wales (two points respectively).

Community means people first, and the UK is seen as a green and pleasant land

Aviva asked the UK what they believe constitutes a local community. Overwhelmingly ‘the people who live near me’ was the most popular answer across all generations, showing human connection and proximity makes a community, not digital connections.

Access to green spaces matters to everyone and is often viewed as a necessity: 90% of respondents say it’s important for them to have access to green space in their local community, and 79% are happy with the quality of their local green spaces. The cities with the highest levels of happiness with their green spaces are Plymouth, Brighton and Hove, Edinburgh and Bath.

However, Aviva’s research suggests that many people do not have access to certain amenities in their local area. Nearly a third (32%) say they do not have access to pubs in their local community, while 42% say the same about libraries and 46% have no access to gyms, sports and fitness centres in their area. Perhaps ironically, 56% say they don’t have a community centre in their local community.

Claudine Blamey, Chief Sustainability Officer says: “Like all countries, the UK faces challenges, but we also have great opportunities and strengths, particularly in local communities, as this research shows. Aviva is here to help overcome the challenges and make the most of the opportunities.

“This research shows just how deeply people value feeling part of a strong, connected local community. We are supporting people to get ready for the future with confidence, including by reinvesting an average of 2% of our group adjusted operating profit annually back into our communities. Over one million people are estimated to have benefitted from our community investment programmes in the UK, Ireland and Canada.

“Across the UK, from north to south and east to west, it’s heartwarming to hear people feel they are part of friendly communities and trust their neighbours – and that being part of a community is having a positive impact on their wellbeing.”

How Aviva is supporting the nation in 2025

• Aviva has been part of the UK’s story for over 300 years, supporting customers through industrial and digital revolutions—and is now committed to supporting climate adaptation and a more inclusive future.
• Aviva aims to invest £25 billion in the UK over the next decade, including in social housing, schools, hospitals and green energy projects.
• As part of its climate ambition, Aviva has pledged £100 million by 2030 towards nature-based carbon removals that also benefit communities.  By the end of 2024, £87 million has already been committed to nature-based solutions in the UK, Ireland, and Canada, which deliver carbon sequestration, biodiversity gain, improved climate resilience, and social and community benefits.
• Aviva is supporting a new cancer research and treatment hub expected to create 13,000 highly skilled jobs in health, science, education and construction.
• To make the shift to support new greener transport for Britain, Aviva is funding 190,000 accessible EV charging points by 2030 with Connected Kerb and has committed to investing £2.5 billion in low carbon and renewable energy infrastructure by 2025.
• In tackling cost-of-living challenges, Aviva has donated £13 million to Citizens Advice and Money Advice Trust, supporting individuals and small businesses while gaining insights to better serve its own customers.
• Aviva is also Business In The Community’s first National Place Partner, uniting local councils, businesses and community groups to create a strategic vision for long-term change, with a shared goal of reaching 50 communities across every UK region by 2032.
• Volunteers from Aviva's York site are delivering employability workshops throughout the academic year for Year 7 and 8 pupils at York High School, focusing on essential career skills and real-world workplace insights as part of a partnership with The Place in Westfield.

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Enquiries:

Media: Sarah Poulter: sarah.poulter@aviva.com / 07800 691569

Annabelle Torr, Edelman: annabelle.torr@edelman.com / 07854 348944

Rory Neville, Edelman: rory.neville@edelman.com

_Notes:

_{*Study asked people living in Greater London.}

_{More about the research: The study, commissioned by Aviva, was conducted by Edelman DJE. The self-completion online survey was hosted by Potentia Insight among N=6,089 members of the public living across the United Kingdom, nationally representative by age, gender, region and ethnicity. The research was undertaken from the 31st March to the 21st April 2025.}