At an event at its Westminster offices, the Resolution Foundation presented the key findings of new research into the lessons for economic policy makers from a broader focus on wellbeing.

1. @resfoundation 1
Happy Now?
Lessons for economic policy
makers from a focus on subjective
well-being
George Bangham
Policy Analyst,
Resolution Foundation
#wellbeing

2. 2
The ONS has measured well-being since 2011
@resfoundation
• 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?
• Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?

3. 3
There’s significant variation by age…
Average subjective well-being by age, 0 = low and 10 = high: UK, 2011-2018
@resfoundationSource: RF analysis of ONS, Annual Population Survey; pooled data for 2011-12 to 2017-18

4. 4
…and on other personal characteristics
Age
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Sex Health
Relationships
Place

5. 5
Lessons for economic policy makers
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Income Economic
status
Housing
tenure

6. 6@resfoundation
Income Economic
status
Housing
tenure

7. 7
A story of diminishing returns
Life satisfaction by equivalised household income percentile: UK, 2015-16
@resfoundationSource: RF analysis of DWP, Family Resources Survey

8. 8@resfoundation
Income Economic
status
Housing
tenure

9. 9
Employment is good (though retirement is better)
Average life satisfaction by age and economic status: UK, 2011-18
@resfoundationSource: RF analysis of ONS, Annual Population Survey

10. 10
Well-being varies unexpectedly by occupation
Life satisfaction by gross average salary, SOC4 occupation categories
@resfoundationSource: ONS analysis of Annual Population Survey and Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2012-15

11. 11
Job quality matters
Selected coefficients from regression of well-being on personal characteristics
@resfoundationSource: RF analysis of ONS, Annual Population Survey, pooled data from 2001-2018
Life
satisfaction
Happiness Sense that life is
worthwhile
Freedom from
anxiety
coefficient coefficient coefficient coefficient
Contract
Permanent base base base base
Not permanent -0.038 -0.012 0.000 -0.129
Hours tension
Overemployed -0.105 -0.221 -0.164 -0.390
Underemployed -0.192 -0.093 -0.124 -0.300
People unhappy with
their working hours
have lower well-being
People on temporary
contracts have lower
well-being

12. 12@resfoundation
Income Economic
status
Housing
tenure

13. 13
Happy are the homeowners
Average life satisfaction by housing tenure
@resfoundationSource: RF analysis of ONS, Annual Population Survey

14. 14
Happy now?
@resfoundation

15. 15
We’ve been getting happier
Proportion of people reporting high life satisfaction, UK
@resfoundationSource: Eurobarometer

16. 16
We’ve been getting happier… but for how long?
Proportion of people reporting high life satisfaction, UK
@resfoundationSource: Eurobarometer

17. 17
Employment has played a role
Life satisfaction over time
@resfoundationSource: RF analysis of ONS, Annual Population Survey

18. 18
Employment has played a role
Life satisfaction over time
This
simulates
the trend in
well-being if
employment
hadn’t
changed
since 2011
@resfoundationSource: RF analysis of ONS, Annual Population Survey

19. 19
Conclusions
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20. @resfoundation 20
Happy Now?
Lessons for economic policy makers from a focus on
subjective well-being
Lord Gus O’Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary and Chair of Frontier Economics
Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston
Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioural Science, LSE, author of Happy Ever After
George Bangham, Policy Analyst, Resolution Foundation
Torsten Bell, Director, Resolution Foundation
#wellbeing