Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department uses Office for National Statistics estimates of personal well-being in formulating policy; and what policies her Department has introduced to improve personal well-being in the last 12 months.

Wellbeing indicators are used to inform DWP policy. For example, within the programme of work and health trials being delivered by the joint DWP/DHSC Work and Health Unit, ONS measures of wellbeing are being collected alongside health and employment outcomes to inform future policy development. Within the data pack that informed the 2016 Work, Health and Disability Green Paper, the relationship between employment status and wellbeing was considered.

In addition, specific DWP initiatives are designed to help promote citizen wellbeing. For example, in 2019, the Department launched the `Mid-life MOTs’ online portal to encourage more active planning in the key areas of work, wellbeing and finances.