Jobs, health and family are the key factors in people’s happiness.
That, somewhat unsurprisingly, is the conclusion of a controversial Government drive to measure ‘life satisfaction’.
Such an obvious answer seems sure to fuel criticism of the £2million exercise, which some have labelled as a waste of money.
Happiness index: A study has revealed that jobs, health and family are crucial to our happiness and feeling of well-being
For the research – the brainchild of David Cameron’s ‘blue-skies thinker’ Steve Hilton – the Office for National Statistics was asked to draw up ways to calculate general wellbeing.
More than 2,000 people have so far been quizzed to provide a fuller picture of the state of society than is given by traditional economic indicators.
To the surprise of no one, the statisticians have concluded job security, relationships with families and health top the list of what makes people content, with 88 per cent of respondents stating that these things matter most to them in life.
People are more interested in having a steady job than wealth, concerned about their children’s future, and also cite freedom of society and religious beliefs.
Paul Allin, of the ‘measuring national wellbeing programme’ at the ONS, said: ‘The most relevant measures of wellbeing should encompass the elements of life that matter to people most.’
He added: ‘Objective measures such as crime, employment and life expectancy rates will be combined with subjective measures such as fear of crime, job satisfaction and self-reported health, to give a more complete picture of national well-being.’
Ultimately, more than 200,000 families are to face questions about their lives to produce a regular happiness index.
Mr Cameron has previously conceded the initiative will be seen by some as ‘airy-fairy and impractical’.
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