The happiest place to live in the UK is in Northern Ireland while Derbyshire is the least contented, according to national wellbeing figures.
A study by the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) found people living in Fermanagh and Omagh rated themselves the happiest on a scale of 0-10.
Residents said they were 8.3 when asked: “Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday? Where 0 is ‘not at all happy’ and 10 is ‘completely happy’.”
Bolsover in Derbyshire came lowest in the happiness, worthiness and life satisfaction categories.
The figures related to the period between 2011-2012 when the annual survey began and 2014-2015
Glenn Everett, ONS director of wellbeing, said: “We often talk of how the country is doing, usually in economic terms.
“Today’s figures address how people are feeling about their lives.
“Overall, people are generally rating their lives higher than they did four years ago.
“But what is interesting is that they show a slight growth in inequality between people rating their lives highly and those reporting low levels of personal wellbeing.
“In other words, a growing inequality that policymakers need to consider.”
Here are the top and bottom five places in the UK, as measured by happiness, anxiety, life satisfaction and the feeling that things you do in life are worthwhile.
Survey figures
Regional breakdown(percentage change)
Happiness
(Question: Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday?)
1. Northern Ireland — plus 4.7%
2. West Midlands — plus 3.2%
3. London — plus 2.6%
= East Midlands — plus 2.6%
= South-east England — plus 2.6%
6. Yorkshire and the Humber — plus 2.3%
= Scotland — plus 2.3%
8. North-east England — plus 2.2%
= North-west England — plus 2.2%
10. Wales — plus 2.1%
11. Eastern England — plus 1.9%
12. South-west England — plus 1.6%
Anxiety
(Question: Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?)
1. West Midlands — minus 13.5%
2. London — minus 12.2%
3. East Midlands — minus 12.1%
4. Northern Ireland — minus 10.9%
5. North-west England — minus 8.8%
6. South-east England — minus 8.4%
7. Eastern England — minus 7.8%
= Scotland — minus 7.8%
9. North-east England — minus 6.5%
10. Wales — minus 5.8%
11. South-west England — minus 5.0%
12. Yorkshire and the Humber — minus 4.8%
Life satisfaction
(Question: Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?)
1. Northern Ireland — plus 4.8%
2. West Midlands — plus 4.0%
3. London — plus 3.4%
4. South-east England — plus 2.9%
5. North-west England — plus 2.7%
= Eastern England — plus 2.7%
7. East Midlands — plus 2.4%
8. Scotland — plus 2.3%
9. Yorkshire and the Humber — plus 2.0%
= Wales — plus 2.0%
= South-west England — plus 2.0%
12. North-east England — plus 1.6%
Worthwhile
(Question: Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?)
1. Northern Ireland — plus 4.2%
2. West Midlands — plus 3.1%
3. London — plus 2.9%
4. Scotland — plus 2.2%
5. North-west England — plus 2.1%
= South-east England — plus 2.1%
7. Eastern England — plus 1.9%
8. Yorkshire and the Humber — plus 1.8%
9. North-east England — plus 1.4%
10. East Midlands — plus 1.3%
11. South-west England — plus 1.2%
12. Wales — plus 1.0%
Places
Happiness
Question: Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday? (0 is ‘not at all happy’ and 10 is ‘completely happy’)
Top five:
1. Fermanagh and Omagh 8.26
2. Ribble Valley 8.21
3. Eilean Siar 8.15
4. West Somerset 8.14
5. Orkney Islands 8.09
Bottom five:
1. Bolsover 6.89
2. Cannock Chase 6.92
3. Dundee City 7.02
4. Dover 7.03
5. Liverpool 7.05
Anxiety
Question: Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday? (0 is ‘not at all anxious’ and 10 is ‘completely anxious’)
Top five:
1. Pendle 3.58
2. Greenwich 3.55
3. Lisburn and Castlereagh 3.52
4. Hertsmere 3.51
5. Forest of Dean 3.49
Bottom five:
1. Nuneaton and Bedworth 1.84
2. Rushmoor 2.01
3. Boston 2.06
4. Eilean Siar 2.07
5. Richmondshire 2.10
Life Satisfaction
Question: Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays? (0 is ‘not at all satisfied’ and 10 is ‘completely satisfied’)
Top five:
1. Eilean Siar 8.41
2. Fermanagh and Omagh 8.37
3. Orkney Islands 8.30
4. Antrim and Newtownabbey 8.20
5. Mid Ulster 8.19
Bottom five:
1. Bolsover 6.88
2. Boston 6.96
3. Harlow 7.02
4. Wolverhampton 7.07
5. Ipswich 7.14
Worthwhile
Question: Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are (0 is ‘not at all worthwhile’ and 10 is ‘completely worthwhile’)
Top five:
1. West Somerset 8.58
2. Staffordshire Moorlands 8.55
3. Mid Ulster 8.48
4. Eilean Siar 8.47
5. Ribble Valley 8.45
Bottom five:
1. Bolsover 7.14
2. Christchurch 7.35
3. Boston 7.37
4. Wolverhampton 7.37
5. Harlow 7.38
PA