Health security

Mental health and relationships 'key to happiness'

Good mental health and having a partner make people happier than doubling their income, a new study has found.

The research by the London School of Economics looked at responses from 200,000 people on how different factors impacted their wellbeing.

Suffering from depression or anxiety hit individuals hardest, whilst being in a relationship saw the biggest increase in their happiness.

The study's co-author said the findings demanded "a new role from the state".

The study was based on several international surveys from around the world.

On a scale of one to 10, the doubling of someone's pay saw their happiness rise by less than 0.2. The researchers said this was down to people caring more about how their incomes compared to other people's than how it affected them.

However, having a partner saw happiness rise by 0.6 - losing a partner by separation or death saw the same impact downwards.