Presented by Vasiliki Sogia, ONS
Since 2011, the UK Measures of National Well-being (UKMNW) framework has tracked quality of life across the UK. Following an extensive review in 2022–23, the refreshed framework brings together 60 measures across 10 domains, presented through an interactive dashboard.
Over time, however, the scale and diversity of these measures has made quarterly reporting increasingly challenging. While the 60-measure dashboard ensured access to the latest available data, it limited the ability to provide a clear, timely narrative on how life in the UK is changing.
In response, the ONS has introduced two important updates to improve clarity and impact:
- Annual updates to the full 60-measure dashboard, enabling more coherent and higher-quality insights.
- A new set of quarterly Headline National Well-being Measures, designed to provide timely signals of change. These headline measures are informed by the seven domains recommended by the UN High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP.
The session will explain the rationale behind the new model, outline how the headline measures were developed, and explore how this approach strengthens the usefulness, comparability and international alignment of the UK’s national well-being statistics.
Presenter bio
Vasiliki Sogia is a Lead Analyst at the Office for National Statistics, where she works to make national well-being data meaningful and accessible. She leads efforts to refine how we measure well-being in the UK, ensuring that indicators are conceptually robust, internationally aligned and grounded in what matters most to people’s lives.
Discussant: Andrew Oswald, University of Warwick
Chair: Darren Morgan, ESCoE