Oxford has been ranked in the top 10 best cities to live in the UK, surpassing London, Manchester and Birmingham.

According to a recent study from consultancy from PwC, Oxford has been listed as one of the top 10 cities to live in a recent evaluation, placed alongside cities such as Edinburgh, Norwich and York.

However, people living in The City of Dreaming Spires will be raising their eyebrows that neighbouring town, Swindon has been ranked ahead of Oxford in the list.

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Many will find it surprising that Oxford was also rated below Reading in the Thames Valley region.

The 12 criteria the cities were assessed through was due to income, work times, jobs, high street shops, business, start-ups, environment, health and safety.

Plymouth has topped the list of Britain’s best cities with London coming 8th place out of the bottom 10 

The study also highlighted the growing disparities in access to quality education and housing.

Rachel Taylor from PwC addresses the urgency for equality and increased prosperity across the UK, as there is an increasing imbalance within and between neighbourhoods.

She also told The Telegraph: “This is felt not only across different regions, but also between people living within the same postcodes in cities.”

The research also showed that London had the longest waiting lists for council homes for cities in the country.