According to a new Quality of Life index from uSwitch.com, high disposable income, longer life expectancy and fast broadband speeds have all contributed to Solihull’s position at the top.
The study assessed 138 local areas for 24 different factors including salaries, disposable household income and the cost of essential goods, such as fuel, food and energy bills, as well as lifestyle factors such as working hours, life expectancy and hours of sunshine, to provide a picture of the quality of life in each region.
The bottom of the index is dominated by Scottish regions. East and North Ayrshire is ranked as the worst place to live in the UK, with low income, poor exam results and low life expectancy – as well as a distinct lack of sunshine.
According to the report, people in Solihull pay high house prices, high energy bills and hefty council tax bills. However, these costs are outstripped by high average salaries of £27,435 a year and relatively high levels of disposable income of £17,359 a year. Added to these are low mortality rates, high life expectancy (in Solihull men live until they are 81 and women 84) and above average broadband speeds of 17Mb. Even car insurance premiums are cheaper in Solihull, at just £528 per year.
By contrast, residents in both East and North Ayrshire cope with average salaries of £24,242 a year and disposable income of £14,430 a year – 17% less than Solihull residents. Their life expectancy is lower (with men living until 75 and women living until 80), there is a lower employment rate and broadband speeds of just 8Mb, twice as slow as Solihull. Exam results are relatively poor and the regions experience less sunshine than the rest of the country.
Meanwhile, West London is Britain’s richest region by a long way with average salaries of £35,500 and an annual disposable household income of £32,800 – three times higher than disposable income in Nottingham (£10,834). Surrey comes second for spending power, followed by Buckinghamshire.
When it comes to essential household bills, the index shows people in Leicestershire spend the most on council tax, while energy bills are highest in the East Midlands and petrol costs highest in Northamptonshire.
Michael Ossei, personal finance expert at uSwitch.com, said: “This is hard evidence of the different challenges faced by people depending on where they live. Despite the uplift in the economy, British households are facing huge financial pressure as the cost of living continues to climb while take home pay stays stagnant.
“It’s clear that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution when it comes to fixing the problems in our country, but there’s a lot that consumers can do to help themselves. By taking a hard look at our household budgets and cutting the cost of essential bills, we can influence our standard of living and improve our overall quality of life.”
