England’s friendliest place crowned out of 296 local authorities

18 Aug 2026 • 10:02 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

England’s friendliest place crowned out of 296 local authorities

  • The Isles of Scilly has been named England's friendliest place in the University of Oxford's National Conversation study analysing social division across Britain.
  • Only three per cent of residents on the islands reported feeling lonely, while 94.5 per cent said that people from different backgrounds get on well.
  • Other top-ranking areas for strong community cohesion and civic life include South Hams, West Devon, Derbyshire Dales, and Richmond upon Thames.
  • Barking and Dagenham ranked as the least friendly place in England, with 10.1 per cent of respondents feeling lonely and just 42.8 per cent expressing pride in their area.
  • The survey results will inform an upcoming report by the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion, co-chaired by Sir Sajid Javid and Jon Cruddas.

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