waybFind your area
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How the scores work, what the Day Pass and WAYB+ unlock, and how to get back in if you've already paid.

Data & accuracy

How fresh is the data?

Our pipeline checks for updates weekly, but each source keeps its own schedule — police crime data and the property market refresh monthly, while census, school inspections and similar update less often. Scores re-compute whenever the underlying data changes.

Are the commute times real journeys or estimates?

Real journeys. We precompute multimodal routes — Tube, rail, DLR, Elizabeth line and bus — with TfL's own Journey Planner for every ward, so a pick that says “28 min to Canary Wharf” is a routed door-to-door journey, not a straight-line guess. Don't take our word for it: check any pick against TfL's planner — it should agree within a couple of minutes. In the rare case we don't yet have a route for an area, we fall back to a straight-line estimate and say so on the result.

Can I rely on the property prices in the wizard?

Use them as a filter and a warning system, not a promise. We estimate affordability from market data plus assumptions about property type and size; live listings can move quickly, so confirm against real listings before you decide.

Using where are you based?

What is WAYB, in one line?

A map that scores every London neighbourhood on the things that shape daily life — transport, safety, schools, green space, culture, heritage and the property market — so you can compare areas honestly and decide where to live.

Is WAYB telling me where to buy?

No. WAYB helps you shortlist neighbourhoods. It is not financial, legal, surveying, school-admissions or estate-agent advice — always check the exact street and property before you commit.

Which areas does WAYB cover?

All of Greater London: the map colours 4,994 pockets (small statistical areas called LSOAs), and every one of London's 684 wards has its own page. We score each pocket and average pockets into ward scores, rather than scoring by postcode, because that's where public data is meaningful.

Why score pockets and wards instead of individual homes?

Most public data is published for pockets or whole wards, not per address. A single home can differ from the pocket around it, so treat a score as a strong starting point and then check the specific street.

Why do map scores differ from ward pages?

They measure different units. The map colours each of London’s 4,994 pockets — small areas of roughly 1,500 residents (statisticians call them LSOAs) — while a ward averages every pocket inside it (684 wards across London, typically 7 pockets, up to 14). So a ward page shows averages across its pockets, so a specific pocket can score above or below it. Click the map for one spot; read the ward page for the neighbourhood picture.

How are the scores worked out?

Each of the nine layers is built from public datasets and converted to a 0–100 score; the colour on the map shows where each area sits in the London-wide spread. The full method — every layer and its sources — is on the How it works page.

Why does a good area sometimes have a low score?

A score is only one lens. An expensive, central area can be brilliant culturally and still score low on quiet, budget fit or crime mix. The useful part is seeing the trade-off, not chasing a single number.

Still deciding?

Start with the wizard, compare the rankings, then read the relevant ward pages before looking at specific streets. When it comes down to a real decision, a Day Pass (£4.99) unlocks the full depth for 24 hours — offered on your wizard results and every ward page.