England's 'stress capital' has been revealed - and despite what you might predict, it's not London.
Lincoln has emerged as the place where people are most in need of a break, new research has found.
The historic cathedral city, known for its Roman and medieval roots, was identified as the most stressed location in England.
The city's position at the top is largely driven by its poor performance in the mental health category of the study, where it ranks as the fifth worst area in the country.
Residents reported the third lowest average score in both happiness, on 6.57 out of 10, and life satisfaction, on just 6.7/10, both significantly worse than national averages.
Furthermore, the city's financial stress is underscored by a gross disposable household income per head of just £18,178, the 13th lowest in the study.
The study, by holiday home ownership experts Darwin Escapes, used data from the Office for National Statistics to rank areas based on four key factors: mental health, physical health, money, and work.
The index analysed 12 specific metrics, including anxiety levels, gross disposable household income, and employment rates, to discover which part of the UK is most stressed and in need of a staycation.
Manchester follows in second place with a total stress score of 67.90.
The city's ranking is heavily influenced by physical health and work-life balance; it ranks eighth worst for its preventable cardiovascular mortality rate of 47.16 per 100,000.
Economically, the city faces significant pressure with an economic inactivity rate of 25.5 per cent and a gross disposable household income of £18,945, placing it 27th worst in the money category.
England's top five most stressed places
- Lincoln
- Manchester
- Eastbourne
- Spelthorne
- Hastings
In third place, Eastbourne recorded a total score of 67.70.
The coastal town's high ranking is primarily due to its mental health score, which is the second worst in the entire study.
Residents reported the third lowest happiness score of just 6.57 and the second worst life satisfaction rating of 6.68. Just six other places had a lower score when asked whether they feel life is worthwhile.
Spelthorne in Surrey ranks as the fourth most stressed area with a score of 67.66.
It holds the unfortunate accolade of being ranked the worst place in the UK for mental health stress.
It is the only place where the average anxiety score out of 10 is higher than five, sitting at 5.16, which is combined with the lowest feeling that life is worthwhile (6.61).
Hastings completes the top five with a score of 66.89.
Like its neighbour Eastbourne, it suffers from severe mental health pressures, ranking third worst in that category, with a happiness score of 6.56 being the second lowest in the study.
Drew Campbell, managing director at Darwin Escapes, said: 'It is fascinating to see which parts of the UK are under the most pressure, and the data shows that factors vary considerably across the country - whether that is levels of happiness, money worries, or ill health.
'For people regularly suffering from stress, finding a way to decompress is vital.
'Having somewhere to go where you can take a break from the daily routine, whether it's a holiday or a longer term investment in your own holiday home, can significantly reduce anxiety and help people return to their lives with a fresh perspective.'
At the other end of the scale, the study highlighted the areas where residents are the most relaxed.
Mole Valley in Surrey was named the least stressed place in the UK with a total score of 25.66, benefitting from an anxiety score of just 3.25 and a high gross disposable income of £38,465.
Other low-stress areas include Sevenoaks and Castle Point, which both rank within the bottom five for overall pressure.