Bradford and Hull have been ranked as the worst places to live in the UK, according to a survey.
Price comparison website uSwitch assessed 138 local areas for 26 different factors including salaries, disposable household income and the cost of essential goods, such as fuel, food and energy bills. Lifestyle factors such as working hours, life expectancy and hours of sunshine, were also measured, to piece together a picture of the quality of life in each region.
The city of Bradford won the title of “worst place” for having one of the lowest gross disposable household incomes in the UK - £13,654 a year. Adding to the financial strain, they also pay among the highest average weekly rents at £92.60.
Bradford scored badly on employment rate, which was 65 per cent, and life expectancy, which was 77 years and seven months for men and 81 years and four months for women.
Hull was crowned the UK’s second worst place to live, followed by the northern region of Northern Ireland.
With a high average salary of £29,588, high disposable income at £20,083 and faster than average broadband download speed of 30Mbs, the Scottish capital of Edinburgh topped the list of the best cities to live in the UK.
Scotland as a whole scored particularly well with the top seven biggest climbers all based in Scotland. England scored badly. The report listed 16 of the 20 worst UK cities in England.
“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.. And with talk of interest rates rising, any hope that those financial pressures might ease seems a forlorn one,” said Amy Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com.
Here are the 10 places with the worst quality of life in the UK:
East of Northern Ireland - The area’s quality of life fell down 91 places since the last report. The region has the second highest rates of reported crime after Belfast the most crime-ridden place in the UK.
Central Valleys – Down 10 places since 2013, the area was brought down by high mortality rates and slow broadband due to the rural area.
Devon - Devon came 132th in the poll of 138 counties, down 46 points on last year's poll, becoming the area with the 7th lowest quality of life in the UK.
Blackpool – The city fell down 16 places since 2013. Although life expectancy at birth for males in England and Wales increased from 78.1 years in 2007 to 2009 to 79.3 years in 2011 to 2013, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), boys born in the resort can only expect to live for 74.3 years.
West and South of Northern Ireland – The region scored low in the ranking due to high crime levels and low levels of gross income
Eilean Siar (Western Isles): Down 15 places since the last ranking. The Western Islands have the country’s slowest internet and the fewest hours of sunshine
North of Northern Ireland – The region is down 68 places since the last report, it has the lowest gross income in the UK and the second worst rate of employment
Kingston Upon Hull - With the lowest life expectancies in the country and one of the highest mortality rates, the city fell down 7 places in the ranking and is the second worst city to live in the country.
Bradford - Down 43 places since the last report. People living in Bradford have amongst the lowest gross disposable household incomes of £13,654 a year, yet pay one of the highest average weekly rents of £92.60. The employment rate is low at 65 per cent and there is also a lower than average life expectancy at 77 years and seven months for men and 81 years and four months for women. To top it all, the area suffers from crowded primary schools and just 44 per cent of pupils achieved five GCSEs at A-C grades.
