Don't mean to be rude Yorkie but you were the one that corrected BoF in the first place.
Acording to the National Statistics office, West Yorkshire have a below average disposable income whereas the South East have the highest with outer London (incl. South London) have the very highest.
What does it prove?
a) your drop in disposable income is not representative of the regions
b) Palace may have more money but they have no idea what to spend it on. Their role model is Tango man for God sake.
c) You can't buy class. Some towns (Brighton for instance) has it in spades. Leeds and Croydon will never have it 'cause the people are ....well.... a bit crap.
Which statistics are you looking at?
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1438