Money buys a bit more contentment

Money buys a bit more contentment

Financial security is more important than good health in making people content, a study has found

Our happiness is growing as financial insecurity begins to abate, an official study of national "well-being" has found.

Money, it seems, might buy happiness, as financial security is more important than good health in

making people content, the Office for National Statistics's findings show. National happiness levels are rising although Britons are increasingly despondent about their fitness – 59 per cent were satisfied with their health compared with more than 68 per cent in 2010.

Seventy-seven per cent of people over 16 in the UK rated their life satisfaction at seven or above, up from 75.9 a year earlier.

The study pulled together results from a series of separate measures for the first time, and showed that British people are increasingly frustrated with their lack of free time and despondent about their own social life, but are drawing greater happiness from family life than in recent years.