A new report by the thinktank Centre for Cities has revealed the UK towns and cities where disposable income has risen fastest since 2013. The top 11 performing places saw living standards grow by 5.2%, more than double the national average of 2.4%.
Brighton led the way with an 8.1% rise, followed by Worthing at 7.8% and London at 5.8%. The report found that these cities and towns experienced economic growth of 27% between 2013 and 2023, compared to 18.4% nationally.
If all 63 of the UK’s largest cities and towns had matched the top performers, residents would have pocketed an extra £3,200 on average in disposable income over the period. In Cambridge, where real-terms disposable incomes declined by 3%, residents would have gained an extra £10,900, while in Wigan, which saw a 1.6% fall, the figure would be £7,200.
Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities, said: “It is understandable that the Government has shifted its emphasis onto the cost of living in recent weeks, but ultimately it is stronger economic growth that raises household incomes. Without growth, cost-of-living fixes can only ever be temporary.”
Carter added: “In places like Warrington and Barnsley, economic growth has translated into higher household incomes and less deprivation. That isn’t accidental: it is shaped by policy choices on skills, transport, housing, and support for businesses.”
