By Lana Clements

New research has revealed the households in the UK most likely to fall prey to burglary, with areas in Leeds and London topping the list.

Stoke Newington in north London is the area where most home insurance claims are made overall for theft or burglar incidents, according to Moneysupermarket. The leafy suburb is followed by Apperly Bridge, Bradford and West Bromwich in the Midlands.

Bramley, Rodley, and Swinnow is the riskiest area in Leeds, followed by Chapel Allerton, Chapeltown, Little London, Meanwood, Potternewton and Sheepscar. Wood Green and Streatham join Stoke Newingon as London's most burgled areas.

Julie Fisher, head of home insurance at the comparison site, comments: "Being in a higher risk area doesn't necessarily mean where you live is bad or rife with crime - many thieves will target more affluent areas purely for the rewards on offer."

Unfortunately, homeowners living in high risk areas can expect to pay higher home insurance premiums.

Ms Fisher adds: "Most insurers have a blanket approach when it comes to assessing postcode districts for home insurance premiums, but this really needs to change.

If houses are evaluated on a case by case basis it would mean homeowners received quotes at the best possible prices based on their individual circumstances."

There are a few simple steps homeowners can take to make their property as secure as possible. This includes, keeping high value items away from windows, taking the time to check your doors and windows are locked before leaving the house and installing a burglar alarm.

When leaving the home empty for holidays, cancel unnecessary deliveries and time your lights so it's not obvious no one is in. Also ask neighbours to keep an eye on the house and report any suspicious activity.