Levels of personal wellbeing are strongly correlated to regional employment rates, findings from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.
The latest personal wellbeing study published by the ONS revealed that in many cases, where high levels of personal wellbeing were reported, employment rates were higher than regions where higher proportions of lower personal wellbeing was recorded.
Overall, personal wellbeing in the UK improved between 2011/12 and 2012/13. The study showed an increase in life satisfaction scores and individuals' feeling that the things they did in life were worthwhile, while anxiety levels also fell.
Wales, which had the highest unemployment rate in the UK at 8.4% from February to April 2013, also saw more people than any other country in the UK rate their life satisfaction as very low, an average of 0-4 out of 10.
Among the English regions, the South-West scored the highest personal wellbeing levels in 2012-2013. Proportionately more people than any other region rated life satisfaction, worthwhile and satisfaction at nine out of 10 or 10 out of 10.
In contrast the North-East tallied up a proportionate amount of negative ratings, with more people than any other region scoring life satisfaction, worthwhile and happiness as four or less out of 10.
Significantly more people rated their anxiety levels at a higher level in this region.
Conversely, the South-West had the lowest unemployment rate among the English regions at 6.2% from February to April 2013, while the North-East had the highest unemployment rate in England at 10.1% in the same period.
However, the report outlined that the relationship between personal wellbeing and local circumstances was complex and the reasons why different areas of the UK has different levels of personal wellbeing was not yet fully understood.
For example, London demonstrated low average personal wellbeing rates, with the lowest rating for life satisfaction and the highest rating for anxiety, both higher than the UK average.
Yet there were varying factors that could explain the personal wellbeing makeup for the region, including having the highest crime rates in England, as well as the highest population density. London also had the highest population growth between 2011 and 2012.
In addition, while Northern Ireland scored higher in personal wellbeing categories than any other country in the UK, it also had the third lowest gross value added per head in the UK at £16,531 and one of the lowest life expectancy rates at birth.
The ONS plans to publish further analysis later this year looking in detail at how different aspects of where we live contribute to personal wellbeing.
