How satisfied and how happy are people in the UK?
People in the UK rated their life satisfaction 7.5 out of 10 on average in Q1 2026. Average happiness yesterday was 7.5, feeling that what you do is worthwhile 7.8, and anxiety yesterday 3.2 (lower is better).
Out of 10, Q1 2026. It was 7.3 in Q1 2021.
Out of 10, Q1 2026. It was 7.3 in Q1 2021.
Out of 10, Q1 2026. Lower is better. It was 3.2 in Q1 2021.
Well-being over time
What’s this?
How satisfied people say they are with their lives, from 0 (not at all) to 10 (completely).
What it cannot tell you: It is a self-rating from a survey of adults, so it reflects how people feel about their lives overall on the day they answer, not how well off they are.
What’s this?
How happy people say they felt yesterday, from 0 to 10.
What it cannot tell you: It is a snapshot of one day, so it moves with the season and the news.
What’s this?
How worthwhile people feel the things they do in life are, from 0 to 10.
What it cannot tell you: It is a self-rating and does not say what people find worthwhile.
What’s this?
How anxious people say they felt yesterday, from 0 (not at all) to 10 (completely). Lower is better.
What it cannot tell you: It is a snapshot of one day. A high score is not a diagnosis.
Quarter by quarter
Average scores out of 10, seasonally adjusted.
| Period | Life satisfaction | Happiness yesterday | Feeling that what you do is worthwhile | Anxiety yesterday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
| Q4 2025 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
| Q3 2025 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
| Q2 2025 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
| Q1 2025 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
| Q4 2024 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
| Q3 2024 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
| Q2 2024 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 3.3 |
| Q1 2024 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
| Q4 2023 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
| Q3 2023 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
| Q2 2023 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 3.2 |
Questions people ask
How does the ONS measure well-being?
By asking adults in the Annual Population Survey four questions on a scale of 0 to 10: how satisfied they are with their life, how happy and how anxious they felt yesterday, and how worthwhile the things they do feel.
Is that a high score?
It is an average of everyone's answers. In Q1 2026 it was 7.5, against a high of 7.7 (Q1 2015) and a low of 7.3 (Q4 2020) in the series we show.
What does “life satisfaction” measure?
How satisfied people say they are with their lives, from 0 (not at all) to 10 (completely). It was 7.5 (average score out of 10) in Q1 2026, up 3% on Q1 2021. The highest we have is 7.7 (Q1 2015) and the lowest 7.3 (Q4 2020).
What does “happiness yesterday” measure?
How happy people say they felt yesterday, from 0 to 10. It was 7.5 (average score out of 10) in Q1 2026, up 3% on Q1 2021. The highest we have is 7.6 (Q2 2018) and the lowest 7.2 (Q2 2011).
What does “feeling that what you do is worthwhile” measure?
How worthwhile people feel the things they do in life are, from 0 to 10. It was 7.8 (average score out of 10) in Q1 2026, up 1% on Q1 2021. The highest we have is 7.9 (Q1 2015) and the lowest 7.6 (Q2 2011).
What does “anxiety yesterday” measure?
How anxious people say they felt yesterday, from 0 (not at all) to 10 (completely). Lower is better. It was 3.2 (average score out of 10) in Q1 2026, about the same on Q1 2021. The highest we have is 3.4 (Q2 2020) and the lowest 2.8 (Q4 2014).
Sources: ONS, Annual Population Survey (quarterly personal well-being, seasonally adjusted). Updated every night. Each chart has a CSV and a Share button.
See also: Life expectancy · Health