The UK’s ‘unhappiest’ town abandoned by supermarkets and shops – ‘it’s gone down big time’ | UK | News

From leafy cobblestone towns in Yorkshire to lively seaside villages in Cornwall, there’s no shortage of charming corners of the UK that residents are proud to call home. But new research suggests that not every zip code evokes the same feeling of joy.

In fact, a London borough has been given the enviable title of being the unhappiest place to live in the UK. Property website Rightmove has published its annual Happiness at Home Index, which surveys thousands of residents in more than 200 areas to find the happiest places in the country. The survey asks residents what they like or dislike about their local area, using 15 “happiness factors” such as community spirit, access to green spaces and friendly neighbours. The 2025 index reveals that the East London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham are the saddest place to live in the whole country.

Barking and Dagenham did not rank well nationally when it was voted the third unhappiest place in the country in last year’s survey. But things seem to have gotten worse; The district now ranks last among the 220 districts included in the study.

Lily Freestone, who has lived in Barking since she was five, told the Express the town had gone significantly “downhill” in that time and was now “rubbish”.

He said businesses had left the area and nothing had been brought in to replace them: “We had an M&S, a Co-Op, a Sainsbury’s but they all moved out of the area,” he said. “The real problem is that we don’t have a shop.”

Lily’s friend Linda Bowtell, who has lived in Barking all her life, agrees: “We used to have decent shops here but now it’s full of rubbish. There’s nothing to bring people to Barking anymore.”

“My mom moved here when she was a year old and it was beautiful. It’s been terrible.”

Crime is also a major concern. Lily said: “There are a lot of people who get on buses and don’t pay.” He then pointed to the local Greggs and said “people come in and steal sandwiches but the staff can’t do anything about it”.

“You have to watch your bag every second,” Linda added. “There are thieves around, especially coming here. I’m old, but I worry about all the old people here. It’s a dangerous place you might want to come.”

When asked what she thought could be done to cure the barking, Linda’s answer was clear: “Start over.”

He added that the sense of community and camaraderie that once existed in Barking had also been lost. “I try to smile at people, but they don’t want to know.”

The Express also spoke to university student Megan Peach, who has lived in Barking for four years. “I decided to move here because the rent for a one-bedroom flat was £1,200,” he said, but prices have risen sharply since then.

In fact, Barking and Dagenham is London’s most affordable location, with an average house price of £335,500, compared to Richmond upon Thames, the borough with the highest average house price in London. According to Rightmove it stands at an eye-watering £760,700.

“I love multiculturalism,” Megan said. “I like that I can come in and get literally any food, and it’s authentic; your auntie has to cook it.”

But Barking is not without its faults, he added: “The council neglects the area so much. We pay £250 in council tax but the streets are not clean and the antisocial behavior is crazy. People are stealing from shops all the time but no one does anything, no one bats an eyelid. People try.” to steal from others in the community – My card was stolen and my money was stolen deducted from my account.

“If you consider how many people are here it’s ‘They’re all paying £250 but where’s the money going?’ ” you think.

However, Megan said people were generally nice and there was “still a community feel”: “I think there is a need for decent funding for things the community wants rather than what the council wants”.

But not everyone had a negative opinion of Barking. Mazhar Manzoor, who has lived in Barking for 15 years, said the town’s problems largely center around the economy.

“Barking has a history of not always being very successful,” he acknowledged. “Overall, it has become a crime hotspot. You see people slamming doors to get on the train without paying.

“I think there are a lot of people who are not doing very well economically, so they might be unhappy, but no, I think it’s extremely good. The transport links are second to none. We’ve got a gym here, a Starbucks, a Costa… coming soon.”

Mazhar added that a lot of work had been done to regenerate the river area, which used to be an ugly and dangerous area, “it’s now quite an attractive place, starting to look more like other parts of London along the river.”

“I think people are being unfair. The school near us has won some Ofsted awards and there’s a lovely park with a lake.”

The Express contacted the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and a council spokesman said: “Barking and Dagenham is changing for the better. Surveys don’t always tell the full story and we know this is a place full of ambition, resilience and opportunity. Our ‘It Starts Here’ campaign is about celebrating what makes this borough unique and what great things happen here.”

“We’re up to the challenge, but that’s not the whole story. We’re punching above our weight,” he said, adding that they’ve attracted billions of dollars in investment and created thousands of affordable homes, boast award-winning parks and schools with GCSE and A-level results that outperform national trends, have great transport links and have allocated £1.5 million from the Government’s ‘Pride in Place’ scheme (one of the few London boroughs to do so) to invest further in their neighbourhoods.

“We know that many residents are proud to call this place home and want a positive story to be told. Barking and Dagenham has many strengths and together with our partners we will continue to build the future we all want to see. It All Starts Here.”