The happiest places to live in UK revealed by new study

Many of us may think that living by a the sea will make us happier, but a new study suggests we should be heading inland to find contentment.

According to the Royal Mail UK Happiness Index, Winchester, East Renfrewshire, and Monmouthshire are among the top “happiest places” to live in the UK.

The index takes into account eight measures which are relevant to one’s happiness including life expectancy, crime rates, carbon emissions, and personal wellbeing.

Winchester in south east England claimed the top spot on the index as a result of the local authority’s high earnings, a high reported sense of well-being from residents, and low levels of deprivation.

The second and third spots were taken by Babergh, Suffolk, and Rushcliffe, in Nottinghamshire, respectively, followed by Chiltern, Buckinghamshire, in fourth place, which had the highest score for life expectancy in the region, and the second highest score for access to health services.

Waverley (sixth), Surrey Heath (eighth), Elmbridge (ninth) and Epsom and Ewell (tenth) in the South East, as well as Forest Heath (seventh) in the East, complete the top ten list.

Meanwhile, East Renfrewshire was found to be the “happiest place” on the index in Scotland, scoring in the 90^th percentile across all local authorities in the UK for earnings.

East Dunbartonshire, Aberdeenshire, Stirling, and the Scottish Borders follow next in consecutive order on the index for Scotland.

Monmouthshire, meanwhile, has the highest life expectancy and earnings in Wales and takes the top spot in the index for the country.

Following closely behind is Vale of Glamorgan (second), the southernmost local authority in Wales which had the highest score for access to health services in Wales.

Neighbouring local authorities, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, are third and fourth, respectively, followed by Pembrokeshire (fifth), Bridgend (sixth), and Neath Port Talbot (seventh).

As for Northern Ireland, Lisburn and Castlereagh top the list, thanks to its low level of carbon emissions and good access to health services.

Newry, Mourne and Down (second), as well as Causeway Coast and Glens (third), also scored particularly well on their reported sense of personal well-being.

Ards and North Down (fourth), along with Mid Ulster (fifth), boasted low levels of crime compared not just to local authorities in Northern Ireland, but to the UK as a whole.

A spokesperson for Royal Mail said of the findings: “This new study takes a look at the areas across the UK sparking the most joy.

“For people across the UK looking to live in or visit the happiest places, there are plenty to choose from.”

In October, an international study on longevity and disease suggested the UK is set to inch upwards in global life expectancy rankings, rising from 26th place to 23rd by 2040.

Despite being the most overweight nation in western Europe and rising infant mortality the average Briton can expect to reach 83.3 years old – up from 80.8 years today – according to Washington University academics.

The Royal Mail Happiness Index for the UK follows the announcement that London has been named the best-rated destination in the world, according to the 2019 TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice awards.

The annual Travellers’ Choice awards are based on millions of user ratings and reviews over a 12-month period.

Paris and Rome came in second and third place respectively, while the islands of Crete in Greece and Bali in Indonesia rounded out the top five.