Life satisfaction in the UK averaged 7.45 out of 10 in 2022-23; worthwhile 7.73, happiness 7.39 and anxiety 3.23
Average (mean) score for each of four questions on personal well-being, people aged 16 and over, UK, 2011-12 to 2022-23. Score out of 10.
Latest figures
| Series | Period | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Life satisfaction | 2022-23 | 7.45 |
| Worthwhile | 2022-23 | 7.73 |
| Happiness | 2022-23 | 7.39 |
| Anxiety (lower is better) | 2022-23 | 3.23 |
Notes
- People are asked four questions, each answered from 0 to 10: "Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?", "Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?", "Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday?" and "Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?". For the first three a higher score is better; for anxiety a lower score is better.
- Figures are for financial years, April to March, from the Annual Population Survey. It covers people living in private households, not most communal establishments such as care homes, and counts only people who answered for themselves.
- From March 2020, because of the pandemic, all interviews were by telephone rather than a mix of telephone and face-to-face. People answer these questions more positively by telephone; the ONS adjusted the figures from then on to make them comparable with earlier years.
- The scores are estimates from a sample survey, so small changes from one year to the next may not be real differences.
Sources
More on population
- There were 585,396 live births in England and Wales in 2025, and the total fertility rate was 1.39 children per woman
- 33,374 people crossed the Channel to the UK in small boats in the year to June 2026
- 40,168 people in the UK were waiting for a first decision on their asylum claim at the end of June 2026, and 16,021 people seeking asylum were living in hotels
- Life expectancy at birth in the UK was 79.1 years for males and 83.0 years for females in 2022 to 2024
- Net migration to the UK was 171,000 in the year to December 2025: 813,000 people moved to the UK and 642,000 moved away