Britain faces spike in divorces and unhappiness next year as wages fall below those of France

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"There remains a strong relationship between economic conditions – as measured by the sum of unemployment and inflation rates – and happiness indices," said Mr Kupelian, who added that next year the average weekly shop was likely to hit £100 for the first time.

Mr Kupelian added that experience from the previous financial crisis in 2008 suggested the negative economic impact would be "felt for some years”.

PwC said the average British worker was on course to earn £35,318 in 2022 after accounting for inflation, just behind the average French worker, at £35,667. This is despite the average full time worker in France working 38.7 hours a week, compared with 41.3 hours in Britain, according to OECD data.

French earnings are expected to fall by less than 1pc in real terms next year to £35,462, while British workers are predicted to suffer a 2pc decline, to £34,643.

"The UK has been harder hit by inflation pressures than France," said Jake Finney, an economist at PwC. Mr Finney said weak productivity growth had put the UK on course for two decades of stagnant real wage growth.

PwC expects Britain's workforce to remain smaller next year than it was before the pandemic, even though 300,000 people are predicted to rejoin the labour market. Around 565,000 people have retired early or stopped looking for work altogether due to sickness or a return to education, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). 

The consultants said the decline in economic inactivity would "help to ease some of the labour shortages in highly skilled sectors".

Official records dating back to the 19th century show divorce rates climbed from just 23 in 1868 to a high of 165,000 in 1993 as the stigma of separation receded and the Government removed barriers to separation. 

Divorce rates have also fallen in recent years as fewer people get married. They also fell in the wake of the global financial crisis, reflecting family "solidarity", according to PwC.

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