One in 15 people in Wigan moved house because of the pandemic

Research by the think tank Demos asked 20,000 adults in parliamentary constituencies across Great Britain how the Covid-19 crisis had affected where they want to live.

In Wigan eight per cent of people surveyed in December said they had recently moved house or were planning on doing so for reasons related to the pandemic. In Makerfield and Leigh it was seven per cent.

Across Great Britain, nine per cent of survey respondents said the same.

The Chartered Institute of Housing said many people have re-evaluated where and how they want to live, as lockdown highlighted the importance of affordable, well-located, good quality housing.

Melanie Rees, head of policy and external affairs at CIH, added: “Increased working from home for those who are lucky enough to be able to do so has meant that people don’t need to be within daily commuting distance of work.

“Moving out of urban centres where house prices are high can mean that people can afford bigger, better quality housing in more pleasant surroundings.

“We have to think about the impact of this on people already living in an area who might find themselves priced out of renting or owning a home due to the house-price inflation caused by people moving in with more money to spend.”

The survey showed a further five per cent of residents in all three Wigan constituency areas were thinking about moving house because of the pandemic, though they had no solid plans yet.

However, the vast majority of people (72 per cent) were not thinking of relocating.

Demos said young adults, particularly those in their mid-20s with lower incomes, were the most likely to move as a result of the pandemic.

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here and viewing our offers.