News / Wellbeing
Wellbeing in Bristol in decline
Bristol is one of the UK’s top growth hotspots, but it is failing to ensure the wellbeing of its citizens, according to a recent study.
Despite its thriving economy, the city has lower life satisfaction, worthwhile and happiness ratings compared with the average across England in findings published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Anxiety levels were reported as being higher in Bristol and there is also an increased number of first-time entrants to the youth justice system compared with neighbouring cities.
This tallies with the results of the Thriving Places Index study, released in February, which found the city lags behind the rest of the West Country in terms of happiness.
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Read more: Bristol lags behind rest of South West on UK happiness index
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For the first time, the ONS has worked with Bristol charity Happy City to implement a new methodology that measures wellbeing based on factors such as health, access to services and crime levels, rather than just wealth and education.
And Bristol comes out bottom of the heap, as the only area in the West of England with lower than average happiness ratings.
Liz Zeidler
Commenting on the statistics, Liz Zeidler, the chief executive of Happy City said: “Hotspots in the UK that deliver growth are not the hotspots growing wellbeing.
“For the first time, by using the Thriving Places Index, we can focus on the indicators in life that deliver true wellbeing – jobs that build satisfaction and reduce anxiety, homes that grow community and happier lives, and education that develops self-worth.
“The data shows that Bristol is the only area in the West of England Combined Authority where average ratings of personal wellbeing have lowered since the previous report.
“Life satisfaction and happiness have decreased in the city. A greater national and local investment in the real conditions for equitable wellbeing and focus from all sectors on what we are working to ‘grow’ in Bristol can turn this around.”
‘Investment in conditions for equitable wellbeing could help turn things around’
The data includes personal wellbeing comparisons between local authorities on how well they’re doing on life satisfaction, worthwhile, happiness and anxiety.
It shows that there are fewer opportunities for people in Bristol to obtain the benefits of access to green space compared with those living in other areas of the South West.
Explaining the ethos behind the new approach to data collection, Silvia Manclossi, head of quality of life team at the ONS, said: “An important part of our work is looking beyond the economic health of the country to how its people are faring and inequalities in society.
“Today, for the first time, we have identified how factors such as health, access to services and crime levels may affect how people rate their well-being in different parts of the UK.
“This can help local authorities and other organisations to better understand where services could be targeted to help improve the well-being of people in their area.”
Main photo from Destination Bristol. Credit: Dave Page.
Read more: Bristol to host international economics of happiness conference
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