British women are hankering after the luxuriant lifestyle enjoyed by many of the wives and girlfriends (WAGs) of England's football players during the World Cup, according to research by Scottish Widows.

Men's bank accounts could be straining everywhere after it was revealed that two women in three would relish a WAG lifestyle – and 39 per cent would firmly like to live full-time on the earnings of their other half.

Some 40 per cent of women already live in this way, according to the research – and those from Northern Ireland, the south-west and the east of England are said to be more likely than the rest to be inclined in this direction.

Anne Young of Scottish Widows had words of warning, though, saying: "We are surprised that so many women still want to be financially dependant on their partner in this day and age and are failing to take responsibility for their own financial future.

"Whilst the WAG lifestyle may be fine for those with very rich partners and a copper-bottomed pre-nup, the harsh reality is that women are particularly vulnerable to poverty in later life, often as a result of divorce, being in and out of the workforce because of children, and other factors.

"It is vital that we are financially savvy, whatever our lifestyle and whether we are in a relationship or not. Financial planning should never be out of fashion."