Socioeconomic, Lifestyle, and Environmental Determinants of Life Satisfaction in the United Kingdom

Life satisfaction is an important measure of people’s well-being and health, influenced by socioeconomic, environmental, and lifestyle factors shaping daily life. This paper investigates socioeconomic (e.g., ethnicity, marital status, number of children, income, occupation, sex, age, education, housing tenure), lifestyle (e.g., body mass index, exercise, alcohol consumption, eating habits, smoking), and environmental (e.g., air pollution, weather, urban-rural, access to green spaces) determinants of life satisfaction in the UK. We use the UK Household Longitudinal Study data for waves 1–10 (N = 75,891; 2009–2019) and apply ordinal multilevel mixed-effects modelling. Higher life satisfaction was associated with being married or in a couple, higher income satisfaction, retirement, having children, good physical and mental health, and being non-smokers. Income satisfaction was the strongest predictor. Ethnic minorities—particularly Indian and mixed ethnic groups—and individuals in management and professional occupations reported lower life satisfaction. Environmentally, exposure to NO₂ pollution above EU limits and higher temperatures were linked to lower life satisfaction, while rural residence, increased sunshine, and greater park availability related to higher satisfaction. Life satisfaction declined significantly over time, reaching its lowest point in 2019. Lifestyle factors, including physical activity and vegetable consumption, showed positive associations. These findings highlight that whilst socioeconomic and health factors remain dominant determinants, environmental quality and lifestyle behaviours provide complementary pathways to enhancing population well-being and life satisfaction, with implications for public health and urban planning.

Key messages

• Income satisfaction is the strongest driver of life satisfaction, while environmental exposures and lifestyle behaviours contribute independently to well-being, calling for policy-related efforts.

• Cleaner air, climate-resilient environments, and green spaces can complement socioeconomic and behavioural policies to improve life satisfaction over time.