2nd Unhappiest place to live. UK

I can believe it!
As someone who came here 20 years ago, born in Communist Czechoslovakia and angry about it, well, up until recently.
Waiting for the proverbial door to open again to go back "home".
Sorry.

Complete failure to understand what inequality means. Also you seem unaware of the horror of completely avoidable deaths in the UK from asthma, mold, poor dental hygiene, poor heating, etc… that are because the public purse has been looted for the benefit of the wealthy and not spent on society and the poor.

@invisibleflamingos I agree with this! I’m also not native to the UK and planning a move back to my home country after 30 years.

My salary relative to CoL will be much better there, but more importantly there are 200 days of sunshine a year (compared to I think 80-odd where I currently live in the UK). I wonder if expats notice this more than Brits who’ve grown up knowing nothing but grey and gloom and buffeting wind.

@brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

But surely that's on you to choose things that are good value, and not fall for the marketing hype. You do have a choice you know.

I'm not native to the UK, have lived in three countries, and have spent a long time working in other countries. I agree that the UK is pretty unhappy, actually!

I think it's a combination of the weather (often gray and drizzly where I live), dropping standards of living (people know that life was recently easier/better), a grim outlook on the future and outlook in general (brits seem to bond by complaining more often than they will talk about things they are excited/happy/proud about), and poor health (poor diets and widespread failures of NHS).

I go back to other countries I've lived in and people have a sunnier outlook even if they are poorer. I'm in a number of immigrant/expat groups (both in person and online) and have noticed an uptick of people just in the last two years returning home because they find the UK depressing and think standards of living are lower than the places they arrived from (mostly US, Canada, and Australia). My family is half british so I don't plan to leave, but I do see these issues and have noticed a major difference in the last decade I have lived in the UK.

I'm much happier now than I was in the 60s. We lived in a rat infested basement flat with no double glazing and no heating. Attitudes were anything but liberal and illegitimate children ikea me were considered the lowest of the low. Winters were always much colder than today and children's legs were bare.
Now I have comfort, a nice home, a good career, the Internet which to me is the best thing ever and better weather. And nobody looks down on me for not having a father. I love life here in the UK. I've worked hard for my life but it's paid off.

Also depends on POv.
Husband and I live in similar circumstances. He is 54 and can retire on excellent pension next year.
Our house (600k) is paid for. We can afford nice food and things. His work is time limited (he isn't bringing work home).
We have 3 healthy (albeit neurodivergent) children. We home educate them due to non suitable school system. We are mostly healthy.
We are always out and about either going on various trips or short holidays (UK only as kids can't cope with abroad yet)

Most of people would be desperate to be in our situation.
But, husband is miserable- most of it stems from his childhood/young life.
He was told if he studies hard and gies to Uni, he will get good job. And it didn't work out like that for him (public service).
I grew up in a former communist country, where we had to queue up for bananas.
No one told us about life options, we just got on with it. Parents divorced (horrible divorce, not those co-parenting things like today) when I was 10. Then communism fell and with it social stability. We got poor. I remember having to eat leftovers from bin on several occasions.
I came to Uk at 19, with £30 and some english. 9 years later I was on 6 figure salary. Now I'm a carer to my eldest.
Despite all of that I don't feel hard done by.
I actively hate stuff so concept of more and more possessions is alien to me.
Husband is comparing us with his brother who have a £1mil+ house and 6 cars.
It's that envy that is eating at people.
I would actively hate having 6 cars and admin associated with it. And working jobs they do hate to afford all of that.

Example of something else not working in the UK ,Mumsnet making an arse of my post even though I had them numbered reasons 1-10 😂😂

1.Shit weather
2.Over regulated everything, can't do anything without federal or local government permission and the subsequent hefty fees.

1. Public services in decline for so many years
2. The middle class is over taxed into poverty, the poor are helped but never enough to get out of poverty and the rich keep getting richer

1. Another bunch of elected (from an equally bad bunch) arseholes running the country
2. Homes that are tiny when literally we have to spend 90% of our time indoors due to number 1

The most unhappiest place to live i think is anywhere if you have neighbours.

I'm very sceptical about Venezuela being in the top ten, given the huge portion of the population who have taken drastic steps in order to escape to literally anywhere else. Maybe the only ones who are left are the chronically easily pleased.

Most people in UK live pay cheque to pay cheque with high costs of living and the family structure has broken down.

Thank you. Yes, clouds are major part.
Today is so sunny, it makes such a difference!

Also @Newtonianmechanics this page seems to detail the survey questions.
https://secretldn.com/unhappiest-countries-uk/
The survey is very detailed, asking for things like 'drive and motivation', 'resilience', 'distressed or struggling', etc.

I'm originally from one of the 'happiest' countries on the list and I guarantee that most of our population have no idea what those concepts even mean. Compared to the UK where everyone is constantly going on about their mental health, thinking about their feelings, etc etc.

The answer to a binary question - are you happy? or not? Would be very different.

There are so many surveys like this, each with different survey methodology, target audience, etc.
I'm guessing that the happy, fulfilled people are too busy enjoying their lives to sit around filling out a survey. Also, people love a good moan!

Seriously OP. Chill. I mean, the country is going downhill. But this survey isn't about that, it's comparing to other countries. As a PP said, we're not worse than war zones ... or at least, the other countries that all the refugees and boat people are coming from, since they're desperate to escape it for the 'miserable' UK.

LOOOOL

People are weird. Maybe some Brits are just naturally miserable.

I got up this morning, relatively warm, sun shining, garden full of spring flowers, blue tits on the bird feeder. house is already clean (Ds has a guest staying). I've made pancakes for breakfast with bottled blackberries, and left them to it. Now I'm sitting in the salon waiting to get my hair cut. Money's a bit tight but we'll cope. Maybe not have a holiday this year. Last year's summer clothes will do.

But we're healthy & happy and life is good. What's to be miserable about? 😎

I bet many kids in Yemen are less hungry than those in the most deprived pockets of the UK

Give over. In 2021, the world food foundation predicted 400,000 children in Yemen under 5 will starve to death over the next decade. With a population nigh on half our size.

@Ireolu that is a really interesting point about hustle, and focussing on making things better. And having more of a social safety net, if not a state one.

This with bells on. I'm from FSU and have been here 30 years. Apathy and misery are luxury beliefs. The hustle, the cooperation and the social structures are all in short supply here and I've definitely noticed the passivity getting bigger in the last 10-15 years.

On MN folks have a problem, then someone pipes up with "blame the Tories". I'm not a fan, but it jars how little responsibility people take for their own lives.

There is so much poverty here. My neighbour is working in the Camhs in a very poor part of the country... the stories she tells. No warm clothes for the winter, many children undernourished as parents cannot afford to feed them. No hot meals, breakfast regularly stripped. I bet many kids in Yemen are less hungry than those in the most deprived pockets of the UK.

I have 2 disabled children but I am lucky to have a small part time job whilst DH is working full time. But the poverty I see for many in the disabled community is utterly soul destroying.

Perhaps its because British people are annoyingly self deprecating. A bit of pride wouldn’t be bad!

@Peonies007 you have lovely handwriting. 🖋️ I agree with your list. I hope your husband is feeling better.

I do honestly think weather plays a huge part. I felt quite tearful the other day thinking that the sun is up there somewhere, but is being kept from me by this oppressive blanket of ever-present clouds.

Fifty years ago was 1974. We had rolling power cuts, huge industrial unrest, two of the main political parties plotting to murder their opponents * , economic chaos, effective war in Northern Ireland and widespread bombing on the mainland.

We did not, however, have food rationing.

• slight exaggeration but Wilson's team did half seriously consider bumping off Marcia, and Thorpe was as guilty as sin.

I am Nigerian and have lived in the UK for the last 25 yrs. I am not surprised Nigeria is number 6 on the happiest countries in the world. This is inspite of crippling poverty, a thrashed economy and corruption at local, state and government levels. Its a mind set. The hustle to do better and achieve more is ever-present. The hustle is always on in that country as there is no welfare safety net. Other factors like religion, closer family and community ties have a role too. I see it in my mum and my dad (who passed away 2 yrs ago) the focus isn't ever on what's gone wrong it's on the effort to try to make things better.

Yep.

This with bells on.