What are the health risks in the UK? Is it safe and where are the places with the highest crime rates?

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Health risks

As a developed European country, the UK poses no health risks to travellers.

Due to its location in north-western Europe, there is no risk of tropical diseases.

Hygiene standards are of the highest standard and you can consume food from any restaurant or shop without worry.

The availability of pharmacies is great in all major and minor cities.

Drinking water

Tap water is safe to drink in the UK.

Dangerous animals

There are no animals dangerous to humans in the British countryside.

There are no large carnivores such as bears and the largest wild animal found in the British countryside is the wild boar or deer.

Of the venomous reptiles, only the viper lives in the UK, but it is not life-threatening to people who do not suffer from allergies.

There are no stray dogs or cats in the UK.

Compulsory vaccinations

There are no compulsory vaccinations for the UK. There are no exotic diseases and therefore any special travel vaccinations are unnecessary.

Crime

Crime in the UK is somewhere around the European average and in the past year has been comparable to Sweden, Belgium, Hungary and Greece, to name a few.

From a global perspective, this is a rather low level of crime.

Crimes involving tourists are not serious, but pickpockets may be present in the larger cities (in numbers comparable to any other European capital).

There are frequent media reports of ' no-go zones' in some British cities. For example, in the outskirts of Manchester or on the edge of South London, where there is a high concentration of poorer residents, particularly immigrants, there is an increased risk of particularly petty crime such as theft.

Disaster risk

The UK is not at risk of any extraordinary natural disasters out of line with the European environment.

There is no risk of earthquakes or tsunamis at all, and hurricanes or extremely severe storms are very rare.

Severe gales and occasional torrential rain can occur in the UK, with the most frequent occurrence in the second half of winter and early spring.

Important contacts

When in the UK you should know the following telephone numbers.

• European Universal Emergency Number - 112
• UK universal emergency number - 999

In the UK, the above numbers work great for any universal help. In addition, you can also use the following numbers:

• Ambulance Service - 111 (prefer this number if the individual has a serious medical condition)
• Non-emergency number for the police - 101 (for example, minor car accidents or theft of personal belongings with no risk to life)

All telephone numbers are logical to speak English.

The UK international telephone code is +44.