St Helens and Wirral have been named among the best places in the North West to grow old, according to a new study evaluating quality of later life across England. The Twilight Years Capitals index, compiled by care home operator Lovett Care, scored 294 local authority districts across 37 measures grouped into six themes: health, care, getting around without a car, housing and living costs, local environment, and community and safety.
Top scores for Wirral and St Helens
St Helens and Wirral tied for second place in the North West and joint 32nd nationally, each earning a score of 71.3 out of 100. Warrington also made the region's top ten, coming 10th in the North West and 72nd in England with a score of 65.4.
Wirral ranked first in the entire country for getting around without a car, finishing top out of all 294 English districts. It also took second place in the region for health, supported by 51.1% of adults being seen by an NHS dentist—the second-highest proportion in the North West and 11th-highest in England—alongside the region's third-lowest rate of hip fracture admissions among over-65s.
Warrington and other regional results
St Helens followed closely on public transport and accessibility, ranking second nationally for getting around without a car. It also registered the region's third-lowest share of homes off the gas grid and the third-best gigabit broadband coverage, reaching 96.8% of premises.
Warrington placed 10th in the North West with its overall score of 65.4. Westmorland and Furness claimed first place in the North West (13th in England) with a score of 76.6, while Liverpool ranked 35th in the region and 281st nationally, impacted by lower community and safety scores.
Cathryn Fairhurst, managing director operations at Lovett Care, said that while earlier life moves are often driven by work or schools, approaching retirement allows people to prioritize access to nature, community services, and social connections.
