If you’re thinking of moving to London and you want to pick the safest place to raise your family, you’re going to need a bit of help. Read on to find out where the safest suburbs in London are…
There are several things you need to organise and consider before moving to the UK. Whether it’s packing up all of your things, or ensuring your indefinite leave to remain application has been approved, it can be an exciting but equally stressful time.
Thankfully, once you’ve sorted out all the admin, it’s time for the exciting plans such as deciding where you want you and your family to live. As with everything, there are several factors to consider when moving home, but when it comes to family, safety is paramount.
Considering London is one of the largest cities in the world, it has a relatively low crime rate. In fact, it was recently ranked the 15th safest city in the world in The Economist’s 2021 Safe Cities Index based on its health, infrastructure, and personal safety.
But of course, not all London suburbs are as safe as one another. So, in this post, we’re going to discuss the 10 safest ones to help you decide where to immigrate with your family.
What Are the Top 10 Safest London Suburbs to Immigrate To?
The London suburbs we’re going to share in this section are not only the safest ones but they’re also some of the best for families for lots of other reasons.
1. Richmond upon Thames
With only 54 crimes per 1,000 people, Richmond upon Thames is as safe as it is beautiful. Set alongside the River Thames, this London suburb has a village-like feel and is very popular with families due to its fantastic pubs, cafes, and wildlife.
The quality of schools in the area is also very high with 28 state schools in the area having an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating and some of London’s top private schools only a stone’s throw away.
The abundance of good schools, access to Richmond Park, great transport links and overall safety make Richmond upon Thames one of the best choices to immigrate to with a family.
2. Kingston upon Thames
If you thought Richmond was the only London suburb on the Thames fit for your family to immigrate to, think again. Just over a mile south of Richmond, Kingston upon Thames also ranks as one of the safest places to live in London.
With only 57 crimes per 1,000 people, Kingston is known for its exceptional shopping, luscious green spaces, and excellent schools. This suburb has a perfect mixture of families and young people which means there are plenty of things to do with family or with friends.
3. Sutton
If you’re not a fan of the River Thames, and you’d rather immigrate to a more sleepy London suburb with your family, Sutton is a great choice. This area has lots of green spaces, good grammar schools, a bustling town centre and weekly farmers markets.
Sutton matches Kingston for crimes per 1,000 people and routinely surveys at 90%+ for happiness, satisfaction and feeling safe from its residents. The town centre has a strong community feel, and there are gorgeous rolling hills to hike with the family.
4. Bexley
It’s hard to find a place in London that truly feels like a village, but Bexley somehow manages to pull it off. With its friendly local spirit and a huge green area known as Bexley Heath where local festivals and events are held, Bexley truly feels like a small community.
Sitting comfortably between Richmond and Kingston on the crime scale, Bexley has all the amenities of a larger borough despite the village feel. The area has benefitted greatly from urban regeneration and has fast connections to the city.
5. Harrow
If you’re looking for affordability with your safety, and still want a nice area for your family, look no further than Harrow. The area is culturally diverse, offers two large shopping centres and has great transport links to the city making it perfect for families.
With 63 crimes per 1,000 citizens, you’re slightly more at risk of being a victim of one than the other areas mentioned in this post so far, but it’s still incredibly safe. Harrow is also home to one of the nation’s top independent schools, has historic architecture and is a lot calmer than some of its neighbouring areas.
6. Merton
Merton is another safe London suburb to immigrate to with your family. It incorporates Wimbledon, Mitcham, Colliers Wood, Morden, and Rayners Park, all of which have strong residential areas with attractive parks.
At 66 crimes per 1,000 residents, Merton manages to integrate both culture and a cosmopolitan twang into one location.
7. Havering
Despite being only 30 minutes away from central London, the areas that make up Havering benefit from many countryside areas with lots of green spaces.
With slightly more crime than Merton, Havering is relatively quiet, prosperous and has lots of excellent schools. However, these benefits don’t stop it from being the 5th most affordable borough in London, giving you more for your money than some of the other areas on this list.
8. Bromley
Taking the title of the safest area in South East London is the leafy Victorian suburb of Bromley. This suburb has great schools, a notable theatre, and a busy town centre to keep the whole family entertained without the need to travel to the centre of London every day.
Interestingly, Bromley was historically part of Kent, is the hometown of David Bowie and is the largest and most rural borough in all Greater London. You can’t ask much more than that from a place to immigrate to.
9. Notting Hill
Finally, a London suburb you’ve probably heard of due to it being the title of a famous Hugh Grant movie. This global notoriety made it the place to be in the early 2000s, but it has since calmed down to a nice, neighbourly area.
The pastel facades give Notting Hill its charm and families love its vibrancy, sense of community and abundance of interesting events. Also, it’s a very safe place to immigrate to.
10. Ealing
The final stop on our tour of safe London suburbs to immigrate to is Ealing. Having always been known for its family-friendly neighbourhoods, Ealing didn’t have much to offer in terms of entertainment until now.
Ealing now has a Crossrail service to London and has developed an old municipal car park into Dickens Yard, a modern residential neighbourhood with trendy condos, restaurants, and amenities.
Are These the Safest Suburbs London Has to Offer?
In this post, we’ve shared the top 10 safest London suburbs to immigrate to and why you should consider moving there.
There are lots of other London suburbs you could move to but the ones on this list are definitely the safest.
Luciana joined our team as a mum blogger in 2020. A dedicated mum to a lively daughter and a dog, Luna, Luciana brings authenticity and passion to every post. Her expertise in parenting and lifestyle topics offers practical, relatable advice for real-life situations.