Levels of dissatisfaction with life in the UK have failed to return to pre-pandemic highs, despite improvements in the economic outlook, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics.
The ONS quarterly personal wellbeing survey reveals that average life satisfaction remains below its peak before Covid-19, even though GDP per person has risen over the same period.
The statistics body reported that after a prolonged period of stability throughout the mid-2010s, the proportion of people reporting low life satisfaction rose sharply between 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic.
The figure reached a nine-year high in the first quarter of 2021, when 6.4% of adults aged 16 and over said they felt very unsatisfied with life.
While the rate has since declined slightly, it has stabilised at around 5%. The latest data, covering July to September 2025, shows 5.1% of adults reported feeling very unsatisfied with life.
At the same time, there has been a modest rise in the proportion of adults reporting very high life satisfaction, increasing from 25.5% between July and September 2024 to 26.7% during the same period in 2025.
The survey found that adults aged between 45 and 64 remain the most dissatisfied age group, while those aged 30 to 34 report the lowest levels of dissatisfaction.
According to the ONS, life satisfaction previously tended to rise in line with GDP per person. However, this relationship “diverged sharply” during the pandemic and has yet to realign.
GDP per person stood at £10,127 in the final quarter of 2025, a marginal 0.1% fall from £10,135 in the previous quarter, but 0.6% higher than £10,071 a year earlier.
The data suggests that while economic output per person has recovered gradually, broader feelings of personal wellbeing have not followed the same trajectory.
Alongside weaker life satisfaction, self-reported health has also deteriorated. The proportion of adults reporting good or very good health has dropped from 76% at the end of 2020 to 70.9% in the final quarter of 2025.
The ONS said this reflects “a sustained post-pandemic decline in overall health”, consistent with separate figures showing rising economic inactivity linked to long-term sickness.
The wellbeing figures come as surveys suggest UK households remain cautious about their financial prospects.
Research group GfK reported that consumer confidence fell in February for the first time in three months, driven by growing concerns over personal finances in the year ahead.
Similarly, S&P Global said household sentiment in February was “dismal”, with consumers worried about debt levels, future financial security and savings.
This cautious mood persists despite inflation easing to 3% in January, down from 3.4% the previous month, and interest rates gradually declining.