Moving home is a uniquely stressful experience, no matter your household or living situation. However, taking the plunge and moving to a new location can also be one of the most important decisions you make in your adult life, exposing you to new experiences and opportunities in an entirely new place.

Still, making this decision isn’t for the faint of heart – and choosing where to relocate isn’t as simple as putting a pin in a map. There are some serious considerations you will need to take before settling on a move, for your and your family’s long-term health and stability.

Air Quality

While once a passing concern for relocating families, air quality has become something of a pressing matter – and a crucial element to any decision-making, especially for younger or new families. According to the World Health Organisation, an astonishing 99% of the global population breath in air containing pollutants at a higher concentration than guideline limits. With mortality from air pollution at 7 million a year and growing, this statistic has become an incredibly prescient one in an increasingly urbanised world.

With nearly everyone breathing in polluted air, attempts to avoid pollution may seem arbitrary. But where you choose to relocate can have a major impact on your exposure to contaminants, and improve the health prospects for you and your family in the process. Estate agencies have begun to include data on the air quality levels local to properties they list, giving buyers a chance to evaluate risk before they buy. As a general note, choosing properties situated away from main roads and urban centres is a good start.

Affordability

Affordability is another hot-button issue for households on the move in the UK, against the backdrop of rampant inflation and a general increase in the cost of living. House prices have also grown significantly in the last year, resulting in many households being priced out of their original search bracket.

There is a significant element of regionality to both the cost-of-living increase and house prices, meaning that you can find more value for money in different regions of the UK. It is well-known that London house prices are significantly higher than for equivalent properties in the north of England; expanding your search to include suburbs in other regions of the UK can bring the price of the move – and the cost of living after your move – down considerably.

Opportunities

On a related note, there are areas of the UK in which the range of opportunities available to the average household is wider and more valuable. London is a competitive city, and though opportunities there can be lucrative, their worth can be immediately reduced by the localised cost of living. Meanwhile, northern cities frequently top lists of best UK cities in which to work, with business centres in the north growing rapidly. Your choice of location could improve your career prospects, as well as your annual income.