• National levels of life satisfaction have still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, according to the 2026 UK Wellbeing Report.
• Around 1 in 8 UK adults aged 16 and above are estimated to be living below the Happiness Poverty Line, but there are significant inequalities between regions.
• New analysis uncovers important implications for voting behaviour over and above traditional economic measures.

The 2020s risk becoming a “lost decade” for wellbeing in the UK, according to new findings published today (Thursday) by the World Wellbeing Movement.

The 2026 UK Wellbeing Report, which analyses the latest annual life satisfaction data¹ published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), describes flatlining national levels of wellbeing so far in the 2020s, with only a marginal improvement to average life satisfaction from year to year since a dramatic drop caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

When asked to rate their satisfaction with life out of 10, the average Briton rates life at 7.51 out of 10 – up on the average of 7.45 reported in 2025’s report, but still down on a pre-pandemic high of 7.66.

A substantial number of people are living in happiness poverty, too, with 1 in 8 UK adults estimated to be living below the Happiness Poverty Line, having rated their satisfaction with life at 5 or less out of 10.

A regional breakdown of the figures reveals stark differences across the UK. Northern Ireland, for example, enjoys the highest average life satisfaction (7.81) and the lowest share of population living in happiness poverty (9%), while London reports the lowest average life satisfaction (7.41). Wales and North West England have the highest proportion of people in happiness poverty, with 14% of people estimated to be living below the Happiness Poverty Line.

New for this 2026 report, the World Wellbeing Movement has conducted further analysis into what these figures mean for people in the UK, by exploring how such trends relate to political preferences and voting behaviours.

Using data from 1996 to 2025, researchers found that higher levels of wellbeing relate to higher political participation and stronger support for the incumbent government. When explaining why people vote for the incumbent, wellbeing matters as much as – and, in many cases even more than – traditional economic measures such as income or employment.

Previous analysis by other researchers² has also highlighted a link between lower levels of wellbeing and support for populist candidates.

Ben Wealthy, acting Director of the World Wellbeing Movement and a contributor to the report, said:

“Millions of people in the UK are living in happiness poverty with an unfair postcode lottery across our nations and regions. This has serious implications for our economy, society and politics.

 

“Our report shows that we are at a crossroads as wellbeing levels continue to flatline.  Unless decisive action is taken the 2020s will be a lost decade for wellbeing.

 

“That’s why the World Wellbeing Movement is calling on the new Prime Minister and his government to commit to an Annual Wellbeing Statement in Parliament. Good growth should include growing wellbeing, particularly for areas with the lowest levels.”

Dr Maria Cotofan, Lecturer in Economics and Policy at King’s College London and author of the UK Wellbeing Report, said:

“Economic stagnation matters and has been identified as a key challenge facing the UK. Far less attention has been given to the state of the nation in terms of wellbeing, but average life satisfaction has barely improved since 2012. Stagnation in wellbeing matters too and has important implications for people and communities across the country.

 

“Happier people experience better health, longer life expectancy, greater productivity, stronger labour market outcomes, and more stable family relationships. And our report shows that wellbeing is a good predictor of electoral outcomes, even when economic indicators are accounted for.

 

“Prioritising wellbeing prosperity makes a lot of sense, for the same reasons that focusing on economic prosperity does: it is good for people, and it is good for governments.”

Prof Lord Richard Layard, co-founder of the World Wellbeing Movement and Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, said:

“All government policy should be targeted at people’s wellbeing. Why? It’s morally right and it’s the way for a government to get re-elected. In General Elections it’s at least as important as the economy.”

The 2026 UK Wellbeing Report, published by the World Wellbeing Movement, is available in full at worldwellbeingmovement.org/uk-wellbeing-report.

1. National and regional analyses based on all available waves of the ONS Annual Population Survey published up to and including March 2025.
2. Ward, G., Schwartz, H. A., Giorgi, S., Menges, J. I., & Matz, S. C. (2024). The role of negative affect in shaping populist support: Converging field evidence from across the globe. American Psychologist. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001326.