By Susan Pinkney, Head of Research and Insights, Carnegie UK
At Carnegie UK, we focus on improving collective wellbeing across the UK and Ireland by influencing public policy and practice. That means looking beyond short-term fixes to understand the conditions that enable people and communities to thrive, now and in the future. A central part of that work is measuring what really matters in people’s lives, because without this, it’s difficult to design policy and practice that delivers meaningful, sustained change.
For those working in housing, this is particularly important. Housing isn’t a discrete policy area: it influences so many parts of life. Our research programme, Life in the UK, consistently shows that housing plays a significant role in overall levels of wellbeing, along with income, age, disability, ethnicity and place.
What the evidence tells us
Now in its fourth year, the Life in the UK Index is the largest independent measure of collective wellbeing across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Based on a 26-question survey, it offers a consistent and comparable picture of how people experience their lives across social, economic, environmental and democratic dimensions.
The index is designed to help governments and other decision-makers focus on what matters most to people, and to track whether we’re collectively living better or worse over time. It also highlights where progress is being made and where policy action is still needed.
The overall findings from our 2025 Index are sobering. Despite sustained policy attention across a range of areas, the UK’s level of collective wellbeing hasn’t improved since 2023. That suggests we need to think differently about how we define success and how we evaluate the impact of interventions. Traditional metrics still matter, but on their own they cannot tell us whether people’s lives are actually improving.
Housing and wellbeing
There are some encouraging signs. More people report being able to keep their homes warm than in previous years. However, this sits alongside continued economic pressure for many households. Many still face financial strain, particularly those in social housing, larger families and people on lower incomes.
Inequalities in housing continue to translate directly into inequalities in outcomes. The gap between those who own their own home and those who don’t remains wide, shaping experiences of health, safety and financial resilience. People living in the social rented sector report significantly worse health than homeowners.
The index also highlights differences in democratic wellbeing. While trust in the UK government has increased since the general election, many people still feel they have little say over decisions that affect their lives. This sense of powerlessness is particularly evident among those living in social housing, where low trust in both national and local government is more common.
Renters are more likely to report poorer outcomes across a range of measures, including experiences of discrimination and levels of trust. The scores for economic wellbeing, where people have the financial security and resources needed to live well, illustrate the scale of variation: in 2025, social tenants recorded a score of 52, compared with 63 for private renters and 76 for homeowners.
Social connections also vary by housing tenure. Those living in rented accommodation are less likely to feel they can rely on neighbours for support.
Good outcomes aren’t only about the quality of homes, but also about how systems enable people to shape the places they live.
Taken together, the evidence illustrates how closely housing is associated with wellbeing outcomes.
Long-term thinking
At Carnegie UK, we believe everyone should have what they need to live well together. Achieving this requires a long-term, joined-up approach. Improving collective wellbeing depends on sustained attention to the quality of places, the availability of opportunities and the strength of communities.
For housing professionals, this means looking beyond delivery metrics to consider how their work contributes to wider outcomes over time. Measuring what matters provides the foundation for doing this well – helping ensure that housing policy not only delivers homes but improves lives.
We hope the Life in the UK Index helps ensure that those with the power to change things, from local to national level, have the insight they need to put wellbeing at the heart of decision-making and deliver policies that meaningfully improve people’s lives now and in the future.
The next Life in the UK Index is due to be published in autumn 2026. To find out more, visit carnegieuk.org/life-in-the-uk-index/
