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Britain is the worst place in Europe to live despite offering the biggest salaries, a study reveals today.
High incomes in the UK are cancelled out by long working hours, poor annual leave, rising food and fuel bills and a lack of sunshine.
Researchers weighed up official data for ten countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Poland.
It found Britons enjoy the highest aftertax household income of £35,730-a-year, more than £10,000 above the European average.
But most of it goes on keeping a 'roof over our heads, food on the table and our homes warm', according to the uswitch.com European Quality of Life Index.
After comparing 17 quality of life measures, the study ranked Britain at the bottom-with Ireland second from last. The best quality of life can be found in France and Spain.
Britons can expect to work three years longer - retiring at 62 years and 6 months - than the French, and die two years younger at 78.9.
Workers here get the least annual leave in Europe, with 28 days a year, compared with 41 in Spain. We also have to contend with a higher cost of living, paying more for fuel, food and transport.
British drivers pay the most for diesel --while only one other country has more expensive unleaded petrol.
Essential weekly groceries that cost £134.48 in the UK would be £124 on average in Europe --and £118.76 in France. Annual household energy comes in at £1,239, with Britons paying the third-highest electricity rates.
Ann Robinson of uSwitch.com, said: 'There is more to good living than money - and this report shows why so many Brits are giving up on the UK and heading to France and Spain.
'We earn substantially more than our European neighbours, but this level of income is needed just to keep a roof over our heads, food on the table and our homes warm.
'The recession could prove to be a turning point, forcing us to re-evaluate our way of life, get back to basics and to the things that really count.
'Consumers are already beginning to do this - the Government and its policymakers would do well to follow suit.'
High incomes in the UK are cancelled out by long working hours, poor annual leave, rising food and fuel bills and a lack of sunshine.
Researchers weighed up official data for ten countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Poland.
It found Britons enjoy the highest aftertax household income of £35,730-a-year, more than £10,000 above the European average.
But most of it goes on keeping a 'roof over our heads, food on the table and our homes warm', according to the uswitch.com European Quality of Life Index.
After comparing 17 quality of life measures, the study ranked Britain at the bottom-with Ireland second from last. The best quality of life can be found in France and Spain.
Britons can expect to work three years longer - retiring at 62 years and 6 months - than the French, and die two years younger at 78.9.
Workers here get the least annual leave in Europe, with 28 days a year, compared with 41 in Spain. We also have to contend with a higher cost of living, paying more for fuel, food and transport.
British drivers pay the most for diesel --while only one other country has more expensive unleaded petrol.
Essential weekly groceries that cost £134.48 in the UK would be £124 on average in Europe --and £118.76 in France. Annual household energy comes in at £1,239, with Britons paying the third-highest electricity rates.
Ann Robinson of uSwitch.com, said: 'There is more to good living than money - and this report shows why so many Brits are giving up on the UK and heading to France and Spain.
'We earn substantially more than our European neighbours, but this level of income is needed just to keep a roof over our heads, food on the table and our homes warm.
'The recession could prove to be a turning point, forcing us to re-evaluate our way of life, get back to basics and to the things that really count.
'Consumers are already beginning to do this - the Government and its policymakers would do well to follow suit.'
...................then we will all be at the car boot sale 6 am sunday morning......see you there Gordon(ill get you a burger if your a bit strapped for cash)
cameron will be a great leader with boris 
.....................a very british thing........."you can go ahead,yes do what you like,by all means yes i will just go along with it,i can trust you....cant i?"...."oh turned out shit has it?..well dont blame me,and i dont see why i should have to bear and consequences.....yes we want more houses...........but not near me!"
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