The Halifax bank has released its sixth annual Quality of Life Survey 2011, which tracks where living standards are highest in order to produce a list of the UK Top 50 Local Authority Districts. The availability of "good broadband internet access" was found to be one of several key components in deciding who came top.

The top spot went to Hart (Hampshire) in the South East of England where 91% of all households have a good level of broadband access (compared to the UK average of 82%). Sadly the report offers a rather weak definition of a "good broadband service", which is said to be anywhere that offers a minimum download speed of 2Mbps.


According to Halifax, one in three of the local authority districts surveyed had a "good level of broadband access" (as defined above) and some of the areas in central London, such as the City of London, Kensington and Chelsea, managed to deliver nearly 100% household coverage of broadband access at this level.

UK Top 25 Local Authority Districts 2011
1. Hart - South East
2. Elmbridge - South East
3. Wokingham - South East
4. East Cambridgeshire - East of England
5. Brentwood - East of England
6. Wychavon - West Midlands
7. St Albans - East of England
8. Maidstone - South East
9. South Cambridgeshire - East of England
10. Epsom and Ewell - South East
11. Richmond upon Thames - London
12. Tunbridge Wells - South East
13. East Hertfordshire - East of England
14. Waverley - South East
15. Aylesbury Vale - South East
16. Rushcliffe - East Midlands
17. Guildford - South East
18. Uttlesford - East of England
19. Bracknell Forest - South East
20. North Hertfordshire - East of England
21. Hertsmere - East of England
22. Rutland - East Midlands
23. Wycombe - South East
24. Rochford - East of England
25. Mole Valley - South East

The top places to live in the UK is clearly dominated by areas in southern England, with 27 of the 50 being in the South East. Naturally broadband is by no means the only factor in all this with health, the environment, employment levels, low crime rates and many other aspects also playing a part. The full top 50 can be found below.

Halifax Quality of Life Survey 2011 (PDF)
http://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media/pdfs/halifax/2011/241211Halifax_Quality_of_Life_Survey.pdf