Where you live within the United Kingdom can have a very big impact on your quality of life.
Things differ a lot between different parts of the UK, with everything from job prospects and incomes to other factors you may not even have considered like broadband speeds and the cost of petrol changing as you look at different parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Whether you are currently looking to move to a new UK location and want to know where the best places to live are, or you are just curious about the quality of life across the UK right now, uSwitch's Best Places to Live in The UK Quality of Life Index gives valuable insight into how the 138 statistical regions of the UK compare statistically for 2015.
For uSwitch's Best Places to Live in The UK Quality of Life Index, we performed a data analysis that looked at official statistics for a wide range of things that affect quality of life, including economic, social and technological factors, and ranked the 138 UK statistical regions from best to worst. We were also able to make a comparison between this ranking and that of a similar study we carried out in “013, in order to see how things had changed.
The Staffordshire CC statistical regions, which covers most of Staffordshire, is a region that has fallen in the uSwitch rankings since 2013 – now down 19 places from 38th to 57th. This means it has made it into the top half of the table, but is an area that has shown some decline in quality of life in the past two years.
Here are some of the statistics used for Staffordshire CC:
Employment
Employment is fairly good in Staffordshire CC with 73% of the population working. 44% work normal full time hours between 35 and 45 hours per week.
Income
Incomes are on the low side, particularly for the Midlands, with the gross weekly income per person in 2015 at £460.53. Disposable income is fairly average for the UK however, with the average household in 2015 having around £16,684 available.
House Prices
House prices are moderate by UK standards, with the average home in Staffordshire CC in 2015 selling for £154,374.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancy is good in Staffordshire CC, particularly for men. In most UK regions there is a four year gap between male and female life expectancy, however in Staffordshire CC it is only three years, with men living longer than average at 80, and women living to a respectable 83.
Life expectancy is an influential factor that insurance companies use to determine life insurance premiums. You can check our advice guide on how to get a cheaper life insurance policy.
Living Costs
The weekly grocery shop for a household in Staffordshire CC in 2015 averaged at £54, which is in line with UK averages. However, car insurance premiums are high, at £540.80. Petrol is also well above average at 120p, making this an expensive place if you drive.
Even though, the insurance premiums are high, there are certain steps you can take to find the best car insurance deals for you.
Other Important Factors
For technology, Staffordshire CC has mediocre statistics, with average broadband speeds of 20.3Mbps, and 93% mobile phone coverage.
Use our broadband postcode checker to see which deals and what speeds are on offer in your area.
Staffordshire CC has slipped a good few places in our study in the last two years, though still has enough statistical positives to fall in the top half of the table.
More to life than rankings
At uSwitch, we know that there is more to life than rankings, stats and figures, and our Qualify of Life Index merely highlights the vast differences in the experiences of people across the UK.
Whether you're living in the best city or the worst, millions of households in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland face financial struggles including rising energy bills and credit card debt. That's why it's more important than ever for households to assess their budgets, and uSwitch.com offers a great way to start.
Below you can find ways to save on everything from car insurance to mobile bills.
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Place to Live 2015 — Where did your region rank?
About the research
The uSwitch.com study assessed 138 local areas (NUTS3 regions) for 26 factors such as salaries, disposable household income, and the cost of essential goods including food bills, fuel costs and energy bills. The study also factored in lifestyle issues like hours of sunshine, working hours and life expectancy to ensure a full picture of the quality of life in each NUTS3 region.
For more about the study's methodology, read the full press release .