Week 31: Health, wealth and happiness

The well-being index holds a more positive outlook this week, registering at 44. The nation’s happiness levels have shown a week-on-week improvement by 5 or 6 points for the past three weeks, signalling a summer spring in everyone’s step. However, health and wealth seem to vary as we enter into the summer season.

With happiness showing the most improvement this week, it is middle-aged men who are the key catalysts to the nation’s happiness boost. Both men and the middle-aged demographic report an increase of 8 points and 10 points, reaching 48% this week. Marketers will be aware of this as significant sporting events, such as the World Cup, Wimbledon and F1 are happening or on the horizon, giving the vast amount of brands connected to sport a captive audience and ’disposable’ income that marketers can land grab with consumer spending on the up.

Also worth noting is a recent report that has found consumers are seeking bargains even when they don’t have to, meaning brands will have to work harder as consumers are putting home and family above ostentatious luxury.

Health seems to be wavering this week amongst everyone questioned, at 43%, with the index registering a drop across all demographics. It reached a low point amongst the grey market, at only 34%. Women remain the happiest and healthiest sex. Although men’s results have improved this week, this shows female consumers as a consistently open and willing brand target.

Attitudes to wealth remain unstable, and while the sporting events on TV may have masked people’s real worries temporarily, the state of the nation’s financial security and peace of mind lies in tatters. There is a sense of fear about Osborne’s emergency budget, the revelations of the real state of the economy and most importantly the impact it will have on people in the future. This sees the overall wealth index stand at 27% and the middle-aged band most affected, with just 19% reporting that they feel financially stable.

Here are the results by each demographic:

Young People
Although some may fight it, the World Cup affects the mood of the majority of the nation but particularly the young demographic. Surprisingly, the early draw with USA had little effect on well-being. Young people are overall happier, healthier and wealthier this week, with each aspect registering between 53% and 55%. This could be a suspended reality that marketers should be aware of, as government policies and the budget will affect everyone, young and old, and of course there’s the football and England’s performance which will be reporting people’s shifts over the next week or so.

Middle-aged band
This group reports the largest rise in happiness, with a ten point leap to 48% but those questioned have two sides to their well-being according to figures this week. On the one hand, there is a positive boost in happiness, connected with sporting events, weather and holidays. On the other hand however, people have reported poor financial stability, leaving less than one in five questioned happy with their financial situation. Health slips down 3 points to 42%.

Grey Market
From the wealthiest and happiest last week, the grey market has been overtaken by other groups as they have more to celebrate at this time of year, leaving those between the ages of 55-74 year olds content, with 45% reporting happiness, 30% saying they are financially stable and 34% asked declaring that they are feeling healthy.