Best place to live in the UK? Solihull comes top in 'standard of living league' while Scottish towns fare worst

Solihull scores on disposable income, life expectancy and fast broadband



Scottish regions lose out on criteria - and get less daylight

West London has highest income but also highest crime rate



A West Midlands town has been ranked as the best place to live in the UK, while the areas of East and North Ayrshire in Scotland are the worst, according to research published today.



Solihull came top in a standard of living league of UK regions thanks to its high scores on criteria including disposable income, life expectancy and fast broadband speeds, the report from uSwitch said.



The consumer comparison website added that Scottish regions fared the worst by virtue of low incomes, poor exam results, low life expectancy and fewer hours of daylight.

Standard of living league: Solihull, left, came top in uSwitch's rating of UK regions, while North and East Ayrshire - home to Kilmarnock (right) - came bottom.

West London, meanwhile, is Britain’s richest region, with average salaries of £35,500 and annual disposable household incomes of £32,800 – three times higher than disposable income in Nottingham.



But it also has the UK’s highest crime rates, making it the most dangerous place to live.



Northumberland has the lowest rate of reported crime but was ranked eighth overall in the survey.



Energy bills are highest in the East Midlands and petrol costs the most in Northamptonshire, while the highest council tax is found in Leicestershire.

The research comes alongside better news on the cost of living for UK households, with official data today showing a surprise drop in inflation to a 12-month low.



The Office for National Statistics said rises in consumer prices had moderated to 2.2 per cent in October from 2.7 per cent in September, relieving the financial squeeze on workers who have suffered stagnant salaries in recent years.



Less welcome was house price data from estate agents, which showed property growing more expensive in all regions of the UK as demand from buyers soared.





The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors urged the Government to take immediate action to tackle the problem of demand outstripping the supply of homes for sale, as its members reported both house prices and sales in the ascendant.



People in Solihull pay high house prices, energy bills and council tax but benefit from close proximity to Birmingham and its lively economy.



Much of Birmingham airport and the National Exhibition Centre fall within its boundaries, and Solihull is home to Land Rover’s main production plant as well as a newly redeveloped town centre including a sizeable new shopping mall.

Solihull’s residents also boast high average salaries of £27,435 a year and comparatively high levels of disposable income of £17,359 a year. It also has low mortality rates and high life expectancy – men are expected to live until they are 81 and women 84 - above average broadband speeds of 17Mb and lower car insurance premiums, at £528 per year.



But people in the lowest-ranked areas of East and North Ayrshire have average salaries of £24,242 a year and 17 per cent less disposable income than Solihull, at £14,430 a year, while lifespan is also lower – men are expected to live until 75 and women 80.



Vital statistics: The details on the best places to live, according to uSwitch. Click to enlarge and reveal more on the bottom of the table too.

Broadband speeds in the two areas are at just 8Mb, less than half that of Solihull, and exam results are also relatively poor.



Elsewhere in the UK, Surrey comes second in disposable income alongside four London regions in the top 10.



The lowest household disposable incomes are found in Nottingham, with £10,834, Kingston Upon Hull, with £11,287, and Blackburn With Darwen, with £11,722.



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.’

The report compared 138 areas in 24 categories, and measured factors such as the price of food, fuel and energy, working hours, education, exam results, house prices, crime rates and carbon dioxide levels.











