Surrey has fallen outside the top 10 best places to live in the UK, according to a new survey.
A study by comparison site uSwitch.com released on October 22 assessed 138 areas across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, ranking them in order of “quality of life.” The survey focussed on 26 factors such as salaries, disposable household income and the cost of essential goods.
Topping the list was the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh, jumping up 97 places from last year.
Last years number one Solihull also made the top five, alongside Hertfordshire, Northumberland and South Lanarkshire.
After finishing fifth in last year’s survey, Surrey has now dropped six places in the overall ranking to 11th.
Despite its drop in places, Surrey does boast the longest life expectancy for a male at 81.5 years.
Taking the bottom spot on the list was Bradford in West Yorkshire. The city finished lowest for disposable income and scored badly in unemployment, overcrowding of schools and the price of rent, leaving it in 138th place.
Scotland outperformed England in the study, with seven of the biggest jumps from last year coming from North of the border. Meanwhile, 16 of the 20 biggest falling regions came from England.
Liverpool had the lowest employment rate of any region in the entire UK at 59 per cent. The study also claimed that West Londoners worked the hardest with 41 per cent working 45 hours per week on average.
Despite extortionate London rent prices, Nottingham residents pay the highest council taxes at £1,676 per year.
Speaking about the findings, Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, said: “What this report reveals is the vast differences in the quality of life that many people across the UK are experiencing. Despite a buoyant UK economy, millions of people in this country aren’t feeling the benefits.
“We shouldn’t kid ourselves that it’s getting better for everyone out there. The reality is that millions of British households are still facing huge financial pressures, with wages barely covering higher living costs.” For a full look at the list, visit www.uswitch.com/place-to-live/
