Image copyright Thinkstock Image caption Residents of the Borders benefited from a rise in income

People living in the Scottish Borders have seen the fastest rise in disposable incomes of anywhere in the UK, according to new figures.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the highest level of income growth in 2013 was in rural areas, especially in Scotland.

Disposable incomes grew faster in the Borders, West Cumbria and the Western Isles than in Kensington and Chelsea.

But residents of central London remain easily the richest in the country.

Westminster had the highest level of disposable income anywhere in the country, at an average of £43,577 per person.

Residents of the four wealthiest boroughs in London had more than twice the income of the average UK resident, which was £17,559.

Disposable Income : Winners Area GDHI 2013 Increase on 2012 Scottish Borders £17,953 +5.2% West Cumbria £16,603 +5.1% Western Isles £15,392 +5.1% Bradford £13,654 +4.2% Hull £13,046 +3.8% source: ONS

Gross disposable household income (GDHI) per head grew by 5.2% in the Borders, and 5.1% in both West Cumbria and the Western Isles.

By contrast, residents of Kensington and Chelsea, like those in Hammersmith and Fulham, saw incomes rise by 3.7%.

GDHI measures the amount of income people have left after paying taxes and receiving benefit payments - the amount they can actually spend.

But many areas of the UK also saw falls in GDHI in 2013.

Parts of north-east London were the worst affected, including Redbridge and Waltham Forest, where incomes fell by 3.8%.

Other parts of the UK with fast-falling incomes were South Nottinghamshire, Manchester, Luton, Enfield and York. Residents of all these areas had a decline in incomes of more than 3% between 2012 and 2013.