THE Outer Hebrides has been ranked the number one best place in the UK to move to in retirement.

Consumer group Which? ranked various areas in Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland out of 10 in a variety of metrics including healthcare, happiness, green space, including parks and sports fields, and housing affordability.

The Western Isles came top of the list scoring 9.7 for healthcare and 8 for happiness. The area also had the cheapest average house price at £137,000.

Jenny Ross of Which? said: “The sooner you can start financially preparing for retirement, the better. Check your state pension forecast and track down any lost pension pots to get a clearer picture of whether you’re on track. That way you’ll be prepared to make the move if you decide it’s for you.”

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It scored very low at 1.6 out of 10 on parks and playing fields – however, the sparsely-populated islands’ peatlands, lochans and beaches mean outdoor spaces are plentiful.

Also on the list were Exeter, Elmbridge, Merton, Broxbourne, Newcastle-under-Lyme, High Peak, Stockport, Kirklees and South Tyneside in England.

Wales was represented by Wrexham while Mid and East Antrim was Northern Ireland's best area in which to retire.