From post-war prosperity to the property booms of the nineties, Britain has had some remarkable economic chapters. But which decade or era actually delivered the best deal for everyday people?
Put the items in your preferred order.
The Post-War Boom (1950s)
With the NHS newly founded and jobs plentiful, the 1950s offered ordinary workers a stability that felt genuinely hard-earned. For many families, it was the first time owning a home or a television felt within reach.
The Swinging Sixties (1960s)
Harold Wilson's Britain promised a 'white heat of technology' and wages were rising faster than inflation for much of the decade. Young workers in particular had more disposable income and opportunity than any generation before them.
The Thatcher Boom (Mid-1980s)
Right-to-Buy and the Big Bang made wealth feel accessible to ordinary people for the first time in a new way. If you owned property or bought British Gas shares, the mid-eighties could feel like a genuine windfall.

The Blair Years (Late 1990s–Early 2000s)
Britain enjoyed its longest uninterrupted growth period in modern history during this era, with unemployment falling and public services expanding. Working families saw real improvements in income and public investment that felt tangible day to day.
Pre-Financial Crisis (2004–2007)
Before the crash, Britain felt genuinely prosperous — credit was accessible, house values were soaring, and consumer confidence was sky-high. In hindsight it was partly built on sand, but at the time it felt like an economic sweet spot.
Drag the photo to reorder
Which country issued the world's first government-backed paper currency?
🗳 22 votes