UK living standards ‘slip in 2012’

UK living standards have fallen to the sixth best in Europe in 2012.

Figures from Eurostat show that people in the country are facing a tougher time now than 12 months ago, when it was ranked fourth.

Trades Union Congress general secretary Brendan Barber said the data is not a surprise as plenty of British people are struggling to make ends meet at the moment and so could be facing debt worries further down the line.

"Families are having to watch every penny so high street spending is down and that's hitting shops and businesses. We need people to spend and businesses to invest and so expand," he added.

Mr Barber is calling on the government to make sure the public do not have to bear the brunt of the cuts introduced through poor economic policies.

Luxembourg, Norway, Switzerland, Germany and Austria are the European nations ahead of the UK in the latest living standards league table.

By James Francis