Cheerful Britain!
78 per cent of people in the UK are happy at the moment, despite the economic downturn

In the midst of the worst recession in our lifetime, parliament in turmoil and Big Brother back for the summer, the public could be forgiven for sinking into despair. However, according to the ‘LG Happiness Index’, 78% of people in the UK claim they’re feeling upbeat and positive at the moment.

With 67 per cent of people citing that they felt the happiest when spending time with friends and family, the index highlights the importance of a support network that can act as a catalyst for well-being.

The results also showed that people generally get happier as they get older. People in their 60s and 70s have the highest ‘happiness quotient’ with 7.7, compared to people in their 20s who generally had the lowest quotient with 7.0. This is mirrored by the remarkable variation in priorities between the different age groups, with people in their 20s rating their social and love lives high on the agenda and people in higher age groups focusing much more on their family and health.

Furthermore, the survey found that the people in London, the North East, the North West and Scotland are the happiest. In contrast, although those that live in East Anglia, the East Midlands and the South East score lower than the national average of 7.2, the general mood remained positive.

Region : Happiness Index
London: 7.5
North East: 7.5
North West: 7.5
Scotland: 7.5
Wales: 7.4
South West: 7.3
West Midlands: 7.2
Northern Ireland: 7.1
Yorkshire & Humberside: 6.9
East Anglia: 6.8
East Midlands: 6.7
South East: 6.7

Interestingly, however, the poll found no clear gender divide amongst male and female respondents. Both sexes were equally optimistic with 7.2 on the happiness scale.

Explaining why LG undertook the research, Paul Meadows, head of brand marketing comments,

consumer insight is at the heart of everything we do – from product development through to consumer engagement initiatives such as live sporting and music events that people can enjoy together. We embarked upon this research to understand the current temperament of the British psyche and what we have found is that the simple things in life can truly make a difference to people’s well-being.