My rule of thumb is that the top 20% have a better quality of life in the US than in West Europe, at the expense of the bottom 50%. I'm not sure how the UK fits in this. My personal impression from living there for a few years around 2015 was that it's poorer than the average West European country.
The European welfare state usually works best for people who live "normal" lives. You get more for your taxes if you get education, have kids, and work a full career until the nominal retirement age. The American system works better for those who don't have kids or try to make a lot of money and retire early.
The European welfare state usually works best for people who live "normal" lives. You get more for your taxes if you get education, have kids, and work a full career until the nominal retirement age. The American system works better for those who don't have kids or try to make a lot of money and retire early.