LONDON (Reuters) - Britons feel their savings are under less strain than at any time since at least early 2009, a survey published on Wednesday showed.
Financial data company Markit said people were also more relaxed about their job security than at any time since it began its surveys of household finances over five years ago, although there was a slight pick-up in expectations for inflation in the year ahead.
Markit's overall Household Finance Index dipped to 42.4 in May but remained close to April's record high of 43.
The index has risen sharply in recent months but a reading below 50 still represents households feeling worse off.
A year before national elections, the Conservative-led governing coalition is pointing to wages which are starting to show signs of outpacing inflation, while the opposition Labour party says the gains are too little to undo years of declining living standards since the financial crisis.
Income from employment rose for the sixth month in a row in May but the rate of growth remained marginal, Markit said.
Tim Moore, an economist with Markit, said the survey found workplace activity grew at the fastest pace on record in May, suggesting that Britain's economy is growing strongly in the second quarter of the year.
(Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)