Focusing on wellbeing can help us make better policy decisions

The UK government should create a wellbeing impacts agency and a wellbeing commission to enable policymakers to consider citizens’ wellbeing and quality of life in future, state a leading group of academics from London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). The recommendations were published in a white paper that called for a broader approach that includes measuring policy responses against both life expectancy and life experience. The paper is authored by academics including: Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioural Science, LSE; Lord (Richard) Layard, Emeritus Professor of Economics, LSE; and Lord (Gus) O’Donnell, Chair of Frontier Economics and Visiting Professor, LSE. You can read the full white paper and Paul’s accompanying blog post. You can also watch a video conversation Paul had with Steve Baker MP, Deputy Chairman of the COVID Recovery Group.