A North Wales city has been named among the best places to retire by consumer watchdog Which?.

Which? surveyed over 1000 of its members close to retirement age and found 36% had moved or were considering moving house as part of their later-life plans.

The consumer watchdog said: "Whether you’ve always dreamt of escaping the commuter belt or being beside the seaside, the decision of where to retire can be just as important as when."

Healthcare access (88%) topped the list of important factors for those looking to retire, followed by green space (75%) and proximity to local leisure activities (31%).

Many of those surveyed also highlighted low crime levels as a contributing factor to where they wanted to retire. 

The North Wales city named among the best places to retire in the UK

Wrexham was named among the top 12 best places to retire by Which?.

The North Wales city - rated out of 10 - scored 7.7 in healthcare with only four other towns/cities in the UK scoring higher.

The happiness levels in Wrexham also faired well with a 7.7 rating, similar to all the other locations on the best place to retire list. 

It had one of the best parks and playing field scores with 9.1 while also boasting one of the lowest average house prices with £180,000.

The best places to retire in the UK, according to Which? are:

  • High Peak
  • Broxbourne
  • Merton
  • South Tyneside
  • Stockport
  • Elmbridge
  • Exeter
  • Newcastle-under-Lyme
  • Kirklees
  • Mid and East Antrim
  • Outer Hebrides
  • Wrexham

Tips on planning your retirement

There were three main tips, Which? had, when it came to how to plan your retirement:

  • Check your state pension forecast
  • Track down lost pension pots
  • Understand your options

For more information or tips on planning your retirement visit the Which? website.