Winchester in Hampshire is the happiest place to live in the UK

Where is the happiest place to live in the UK? Head to Winchester in Hampshire, South East England, according to the Royal Mail UK Happiness Index 2019.

Using findings based on an index composed of eight measures – personal wellbeing, life expectancy, earnings, inequality, carbon emissions, crime, deprivation and access to health services – Royal Mail has identified the happiest places across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

'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,' said a spokesperson for Royal Mail.

See the full breakdown below:

Winchester claims the top spot for the happiest place in England and the UK, largely driven by the local authority’s high earnings, a high reported sense of wellbeing from residents and low levels of deprivation.

Terraced street in Winchester

In second place is Babergh, a local government district in Suffolk, the East of England, which scored the highest ranking for low carbon emissions, while its access to health services also ranked highly. See the full top 1o for England below:

1. Winchester
2. Babergh
3. Ruschliffe
4. Chiltern
5. Ribble Valley
6. Waverley
7. Forest Heath
8. Surrey Heath
9. Elmbridge
10. Epsom and Ewell

Interestingly, both Ruschliffe and Ribble Valley boast low levels of deprivation and crime and enjoy high wellbeing scores. Meanwhile, Chiltern scores the highest for life expectancy in the region, and the second highest score for access to health services.

East Renfrewshire is the happiest place to live in Scotland. Its position is cemented thanks to being highly ranked for its earnings.

Rouken Glen Park in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire

See the full top 10 for Scotland below:

1. East Renfrewshire
2. East Dunbartonshire
3. Aberdeenshire
4. Stirling
5. Scottish Border
6. Midlothian
7. East Lothian
8. Highland
9. South Ayrshire
10. Shetland Islands

While East Dunbartonshire boasts low levels of crime, Aberdeenshire scores highly on access to health services measure, and Stirling has a comparatively good level of earnings relative to other local authorities in Scotland.

Monmouthshire is the happiest place to live in Wales, with the highest life expectancy and earnings, as well as being highly rated for low levels of crime and deprivation. In second place is the Vale of Glamorgan, the southernmost local authority in Wales, which scores highest for access to health services in the country.

Llandogo, small village in Monmouthshire

See the full top 10 for Wales below:

1. Monmouthshire
2. Vale of Glamorgan
3. Ceredigion
4. Carmarthenshire
5. Pembrokeshire
6. Bridgend
7. Neath Port Talbot
8. Cardiff
9. Torfaen
10. Powys

Lisburn and Castlereagh are the happiest places to live in Northern Ireland. With a total of just 11 local authorities in Northern Ireland, Royal Mail said a ranking of the top five provides a better analysis for happiness in the country. Lisburn and Castlereagh top the list thanks to low level of carbon emissions and good access to health services. Meanwhile, Mid Ulster is noted for its low levels of crime.

Hillsborough, Lisburn, Northern Ireland

See the top 5 list for Northern Ireland below:

1. Lisburn and Castlereagh
2. Newry, Mourne and Down
3. Causeway Coast and Glens
   
4. Ards and North Down
5. Mid Ulster

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Olivia Heath

Daily Editor, House Beautiful UK

Olivia Heath is the Daily Editor at House Beautiful. Heading up all things digital, Olivia loves nothing more than uncovering tomorrow's biggest design trends and revealing the best tips and tricks to help you decorate your home like an interior designer. Week by week Olivia shares the most stylish high street buys to help you get the look for less (while compiling her very own, and rather lengthy, homeware lust list) and showcases the best makeovers (who doesn't love a before & after?), as well as the hottest and most unique properties on the market.

Prior to making the switch to interiors on House Beautiful, Olivia worked at Reveal magazine, where she reported on celebrity and entertainment news by day, and attended showbiz parties and red carpet events by night! Olivia has an MA in Journalism with an NCTJ qualification, as well as a BA in Journalism and Media & Cultural Studies.