St Helens rated as unhappiest place in Merseyside, data shows

As part of an annual population survey, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports how satisfied residents are with their day-to-day lives, to what extent they feel that the things they do in their lives are worthwhile, and how happy they feel.  

The ONS then gives each local authority a weighted average score for satisfaction, worthwhileness, and happiness. 

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Wellbeing data in St Helens

In St Helens, the ONS data shows that residents' happiness levels were averaged out as 7.07 out of 10 between 2022-23, which is the most recent data published in November.

This is a decline from a score of 7.45 in the previous year and a drop from 7.17 ten years ago.

The 'happiness' score is the lowest score across Merseyside, with Sefton coming out on top with 7.42. It also places the borough within the 35 lowest-scoring areas across the UK, out of around 363 local authorities.

In terms of life satisfaction, St Helens was given an average weighted score of 7.26 out of 10.

This is a decline from 7.48 in the previous year and a drop off from 7.46 ten years ago. This score is the third highest across Merseyside, with Sefton and Wirral scoring higher.

In terms of life being worthwhile, the ONS data gives St Helens a weighted score of 7.72 out of 10.

This is a decline from 7.97 the previous year and 7.81 ten years ago. However, this score is the joint highest across Merseyside along with Sefton.

St Helens also scored an average of 3.5 out of 10 for residents suffering from anxiety, which was the joint highest-scoring borough in Merseyside along with Knowsley.

Reasons for the figures

A report suggested that lockdown had a 'catastrophic effect' on places like St Helesn (Image: St Helens Star)
As previously reported by the Star, the government's Index of Deprivation placed St Helens as the 26th most deprived local authority in England in 2019, with some areas containing neighbourhoods in the top 5% and 1% most deprived.

Deprivation inevitably places a challenge on people's life opportunities, which presents a higher likelihood of lower incomes, insecure work, unstable housing, and poor health.

Experiencing deprivation suggests how individuals may be more susceptible to poor mental health, and a report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that St Helens was one of the top ten areas for antidepressant prescriptions across England in 2020.

Another report explained how the pandemic and lockdowns had a "catastrophic effect" for those in deprived areas, while the cost of living crisis has seen a huge jump in food and income insecurity for residents.

Government cuts to council budgets and services over the past 14 years will have also played a part in people's life satisfaction and happiness.

Council aim to address deprivation figures

Cllr David Baines, Leader of St Helens Council (Image: St Helens Council)
Previously speaking about the deprivation figures, Councillor David Baines, St Helens Borough Council Leader, said:

“The pandemic and current cost-of-living crisis has exposed and deepened the health and economic inequalities that exist in our borough. Years of underinvestment in public services and a decade of lost growth in the national economy have created a perfect storm across the country, and especially so for post-industrial communities like ours.  

“We're working hard to tackle these challenges head on. We've established an Inequalities Commission to bring together partners from the local public, private and third sectors in a mission to reduce health inequalities, building on the St Helens Together approach we created at the start of the pandemic. We're supporting the food pantry network, foodbanks, and community groups across the borough.

“In Parr for example, where levels of deprivation are higher, great work is being done through our localities model with children’s services leading the Cradle to Grave programme, while housing improvement work in partnership with Torus continues, delivering new and affordable housing for local people which sees disused sites redeveloped to meet housing need, including sites at Somerset Street, Parr Mount Court and separately Fleet Lane by Jigsaw Homes.

“And there are of course incredibly valuable community organisations in the area that are helping to alleviate issues of inequality, such as Derbyshire Hill Community Centre who provide advice, support and inclusive activities for residents.

“Our Ways To Work employment and skills programme has seen great successes in recent years, securing jobs and training for some of the hardest to reach in our communities, granting them invaluable opportunities to succeed that they once thought unattainable.

“Raising the aspirations of our young people is crucial, and we’ve recently seen some positive progress towards school readiness, and held workshops for a range of partners that provided an overview of 1,000 young people’s perspectives on barriers to them having and achieving their aspirations, work funded through the Inequalities Commission and Public Health. 

"We've invested record amounts in Children's Services in recent years to improve the service and take it to 'Good', meaning our most vulnerable children and their families are getting the services they deserve, and we've invested in rebuilding schools and providing activities and food during school holidays so that no child goes hungry.

"Many of the challenges we face are long term and they require massive, years-long investment and transformation - not least of our local economy and housing stock. This is precisely why we have agreed an ambitious Local Plan to deliver new affordable homes, more employment opportunities, better transport and infrastructure across the borough, and why we fought so hard against those who opposed it while offering no alternative whatsoever. We refuse to stand by and let  inequalities and deprivation grow.

“All of the regeneration and investment we're bringing forward also includes social value opportunities - meaning we are working to put local people and businesses at the front of the queue for the opportunities being created. This includes local apprenticeships, work experience, permanent jobs, school, college and business engagement and more. 

"We are determined to do what it takes to transform the borough and improve the lives of residents. Some might oppose growth and the necessary measures we are taking such as building new homes and employment sites, but the figures speak for themselves and demand action."