Introduction

In this chapter we consider mental (and physical) health and well-being. We begin by looking at how the answers to the first ever official large-scale happiness survey varied across the country in which it was trialled: England. We find that reported levels of happiness appeared highest in the south of England, but this was mainly when happiness was reflected through the answers people gave to a question about their subjective views on their state of health. In responding to this question people took into account issues such as how age affects health, thus the survey is not about their actual, physically measurable, state of health but is much more subjective, about how they feel. It sometimes does not correlate well with actual health statistics for each area.

Subjective health and well-being questions in effect measure how people feel on a scale that includes ‘mustn’t grumble’ and ‘bloody awful’. And what determines people’s average answers to these questions appears to be how deprived they and their area are, or how fortunate they feel given what they know of others’ circumstances. The formula for happiness that we describe below is that the percentage of people in an area who are happy approximates to 82%, less three tenths of the official deprivation score. What is then of interest is where people are happier or less happy, given their lot in life, or the variation from this trend line. We suggest that in London, possibly because of its high rate of in-migrants, optimism is more common. In contrast, factors such as not attracting enough immigrants, insularity, and having to make long commuter journeys can be guessed at as possible explanations for the disparate collection of places where fewer people are happy than we might otherwise expect.

We next find that, conversely, children’s emotional health appears to be worse in just those places where that of adults is best, all else considered. Very possibly children detest being moved between cities and countries almost as much as many adults enjoy it. Thus within London are found the highest proportions of children whose emotional health is said to have been damaged by lack of friendships and lack of people to confide in.