The 2020s risk becoming a “lost decade” for wellbeing in the UK, according to new analysis by the World Wellbeing Movement based on figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Analysis of the latest annual life satisfaction data describes flatlining national levels of wellbeing so far in this decade, and a failure to recover to pre-pandemic levels.

The fall in average wellbeing since 2019 of 0.2 points is quite substantial. To put this into context, becoming widowed or unemployed is associated with an average drop of 0.7 points on a life satisfaction scale of 0-10¹.

Our 2026 analysis also uncovers important implications for voting behaviour over and above traditional economic measures. Using data from 1996 to 2025, researchers found that higher levels of wellbeing increase the vote share for the government at general elections. They also increase support for the government in between elections, and voter turnout at elections.

Our findings demonstrate that wellbeing is more than a public good worth investing in, it is also one of the clearest paths to boosting the popularity of governments and strengthening our democracy.

The World Wellbeing Movement is calling on the government to put wellbeing at the heart of policy by committing to an Annual Wellbeing Statement in Parliament.

REPORT SUMMARY

Let’s put wellbeing first.

¹  Clark, A. E., Flèche, S., Layard, R., Powdthavee, N., & Ward, G. (2018). The origins of happiness: The science of well-being over the life course. Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400889129