3.2 million UK adults living in low wellbeing – new report

3.2 million UK adults living in low wellbeing – new report

• £54 billion benefit if number of people under the ‘wellbeing poverty line’ is halved
• 1 million GP appointments and 100k hospital admissions saved if loneliness is addressed.

Pro Bono Economics (PBE) has today released its first Low Wellbeing in the UK report, providing a stark insight into the state of wellbeing, its drivers and economic impact. Despite being one of the wealthiest countries globally, the UK is grappling with rising levels of dissatisfaction, with over 3.2 million adults reporting life satisfaction scores of 4 out of 10 or lower—what think-tank PBE terms the “wellbeing poverty line.”

This troubling statistic represents 5.7% of all adults in the UK, a proportion that has steadily worsened since its pre-pandemic low of 4.4% in 2018. The total number of people below the “wellbeing poverty line” in 2023 was 780,000 higher than in 2018, the highest recorded since comparable data collection began in 2012.

PBE’s analysis highlights three key drivers of low wellbeing: mental health, physical health, and social connection:

• Individuals whose mental health affects their life “all the time” are 18 times more likely to experience low wellbeing compared to those with no mental health effects.
• Those reporting poor general health are more than 12 times more likely to report low wellbeing than those in excellent health.
• Likewise, the 5 million UK adults facing chronic loneliness are 12 times more likely to experience low wellbeing than those that hardly ever feel lonely.

According to the report, addressing chronic loneliness could reduce the need for nearly one million GP appointments and 100,000 hospital admissions annually.

The report shows that halving the number of adults living below the wellbeing poverty line would generate £54 billion in annual economic benefits—double the estimated benefits of the Crossrail project over its first 30 years.

Additional findings reveal disparities by ethnicity, gender, income, age, and housing status:

• People of Caribbean or African ethnicity are one and a half times as likely to experience low wellbeing as their white counterparts.
• Low-income households and private renters face disproportionate challenges, while social renters experience some protection against low wellbeing.
• Women, separated couples, unemployed people, those reporting poor health and young people aged 16-30 are more likely to experience chronic loneliness.

The report urges policymakers to act on lessons from wellbeing data to address gaps and inequalities. While current government priorities around the NHS, housing, and economic inactivity align with wellbeing drivers, PBE’s analysis highlights overlooked areas such as chronic loneliness, which affects 5 million UK adults.

PBE recommends:

• A clear national prioritisation of ending low wellbeing permanently in the UK.
• Government commitment to setting a plan to reduce and ultimately end low wellbeing in the UK.
• Publishing an updated plan to deliver the UK’s 2018 Loneliness Strategy.
• Expanding philanthropic and governmental funding for organisations tackling loneliness.
• Supporting social sector organisations to measure and demonstrate their impact.

Jon Franklin, co-author of the report and chief economist, PBE said:

“Low wellbeing is not inevitable. And, in one of the richest countries in the world, it shouldn’t be acceptable. Making sure that no one need live below the ‘wellbeing poverty line’ is an ambition we hope government, business and civil society can all get behind.

“PBE’s Low Wellbeing in the UK report sets the stage for continued efforts to track, understand, and improve wellbeing. With targeted policies and collaboration across the public, private, and social sectors, the UK can improve life satisfaction for millions. Our hope is that future editions of this report will tell a story of progress—of a nation doing better.”

“Mind, body and connection: Low wellbeing in the UK” is available to download here