Money can't buy happiness - survey
11:51AM
Wednesday April 09, 2008
Although rates of pay have increased in Britain, its residents are no more happy. Photo / Reuters
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LONDON - Britons are wealthier, healthier and living longer, but seem no happier than before, a report showed this week.
In its annual "Social Trends" report, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that Britain's output per head had more than doubled in the last 30 years, and in 2005 was the third highest among the Group of Seven industrialised countries.
Health-wise things were also looking up, with mortality rates for circulatory diseases such as heart disease and strokes showing a marked decline since the 1970s.
Deaths from cancer and respiratory illnesses were also falling steadily, the report showed, and life expectancy continues to rise.
But the report said satisfaction with the standard of living in Britain had remained largely steady since the 1970s, rather than rising along with country's increasing wealth.
"This would suggest that societal well-being has not improved, even though economic well-being has steadily improved," ONS expert Paul Allin said.
