Happiness at an all-time high in Scotland, report suggests

Index: Levels of contentment have grown year-on-year

Happiness in Scotland has “never been higher”, according to a new report.

The Bank of Scotland’s annual Happiness Index has recorded growth in contentment levels every year since the study began three years ago, and an 8% increase in the last year alone.

However, Fifers – last year’s happiest Scots – are now 17% less happy than they were in 2016.

People living in the mid-scotland area are the happiest in the country, while those aged 65 and over recorded the highest happiness levels of any age group, the study found.

The index examines how happy Scots are in the communities in which they live. Overall, this year’s findings show that people north of the border are 12% happier than when the survey began in 2015.

Those in mid-scotland this year produced the highest recorded happiness score in the three-year history of the study. In addition, those in the central Scotland area are almost 50% more happy than they were last year.

The least happy group was Glasgow, with the index showing people there are 40% less happy than those in midscotland.

The index continues to show that contentment improves with age, with those 65 and over remaining the happiest in Scotland. People aged between 35 and 44 were found to be the least happy.

People living in pairs scored the highest results for happiness, while those living alone are the least happy.

Those with the lowest personal and household incomes recorded the lowest happiness scores, while the happiest group was those with personal and household incomes between £40,000 and £59,999.

Bank of Scotland director Mike Moran said: “We’ve been tracking happiness in Scotland for three years now and we’ve seen plenty of movement between which regions are the happiest in the communities in which they live.

“Overall, happiness in Scotland has never been higher, with the index showing growth every year since 2015.”

The research was completed by Yougov and the findings are based on 2,007 online interviews.

Picture: Steve Macdougall. Scots have never been happier, according to new findings.