Good to see our 2026 UK Wellbeing Report covered in the Independent (thanks to Victoria Young). The 2020s could be a lost decade for wellbeing without a change in course. The World Wellbeing Movement is calling for an Annual Wellbeing Statement in Parliament. www.independent.co.uk/life-style/w...

How to tell if you are living below the wellbeing poverty line

If someone has good health, is well educated, has a partner and a certain level of income, you might assume that they are in a good place mentally. Not so fast; many factors can lead to a person falli...

independent.co.uk

We know more about prevention than ever before. So why do prevention efforts still fail? open.substack.com/pub/jimmcman... #PublicHealth #Prevention #SystemsThinking #HealthEquity

Why Prevention Sometimes Fails

And how we create the conditions for success....

open.substack.com

Interesting to hear Andy Burnham outside 10 Downing Street pledge to "help people live well." At the World Wellbeing Movement, we believe wellbeing should be the priority of government. My blog calling for 'wellbeing growth in every postcode' worldwellbeingmovement.org/insights/wel...

Wellbeing growth in every postcode - World Wellbeing Movement

worldwellbeingmovement.org

This is very well worth a read👇 @tracyd-ph.bsky.social @felly500.bsky.social @jimmcmanusph.bsky.social @ogden140.bsky.social @sebrees1.bsky.social @charliepickles.bsky.social @davidjbuck.bsky.social @hetanshah.bsky.social @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social

Ben Wealthy@benwealthy.bsky.social · 3w ago

NEW: UK Wellbeing Report 2026 Wellbeing is flatlining with the 2020s set to become a 'lost decade' for wellbeing. Andy Burnham's vision of 'good growth' should include growing wellbeing and spreading it more equally. Good policy, good politics. worldwellbeingmovement.org/uk-wellbeing...

NEW: UK Wellbeing Report 2026 Wellbeing is flatlining with the 2020s set to become a 'lost decade' for wellbeing. Andy Burnham's vision of 'good growth' should include growing wellbeing and spreading it more equally. Good policy, good politics. worldwellbeingmovement.org/uk-wellbeing...

It is positive for public health that low and no alcohol drinks are becoming more popular - this is without changing the definition. Therefore, not at all convinced there is a case for doing so. Think DHSC should be resisting alcohol industry demand here www.theguardian.com/business/202...

UK’s alcohol-free beer boom threatened by regulations, trade body warns

BBPA wants content definition for beer to be considered non-alcoholic to be changed from 0.05% to 0.5%

theguardian.com

'Good growth in every postcode' needs definition. GDP problematic as a sole measure as it includes bad things, like drug dealing and prostitution. Burnham agenda could opt for 'two pillars' of success - growing GDP and growing wellbeing. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Andy Burnham to pledge ‘good growth in every postcode’ in devolution plan

Makerfield MP on course to be PM will argue for more decision-making in regions and communities as he sets out platform for government

theguardian.com

"The government will repeal the Vagrancy Act on Monday 29 June 2026, ending nearly two centuries of legislation that has criminalised rough sleeping and begging" www.gov.uk/government/n...

Rough sleeping no longer a crime as Vagrancy Act repealed

The government will repeal the Vagrancy Act on Monday 29 June 2026, ending nearly two centuries of legislation that has criminalised rough sleeping and begging.

gov.uk

This is remarkable.

Dear Andy Burnham... My latest Substack piece in the form of a letter to the next PM outlining why he should focus on health and wellbeing. benwealthy.substack.com/p/dear-andy-...

Dear Andy Burnham

A word on health and wellbeing

benwealthy.substack.com

A 5-point 'Health and Wellbeing Manifesto' for Andy Burnham. 1) Health inequalities 2) National Care Service 3) Community public health 4) Measuring child wellbeing 5) Wellbeing at work

Ben Wealthy@benwealthy.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Andy Burnham could be the first post-war PM to have served as Health Secretary. Here are 5 things he may focus on: 1) Health inequalities are widening across the UK. As Health Secretary he welcomed the landmark Marmot review and this issue has remained a core part of his politics since.

Andy Burnham could be the first post-war PM to have served as Health Secretary. Here are 5 things he may focus on: 1) Health inequalities are widening across the UK. As Health Secretary he welcomed the landmark Marmot review and this issue has remained a core part of his politics since.

If if if...Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister he will be the first to have previously served as Health and Social Care Secretary (or its equivalent titles). I'm interested to see how health and wellbeing issues shape discussions around the Labour leadership in the coming days and weeks.

"I am not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children, and that is why this ban must happen, and why this ban will happen." Rare to see the word happiness in politics - more please. Short post from me in another place. www.linkedin.com/pulse/social...

It is a great privilege to have come second in the ballot for Private Member’s Bills. After giving the matter a great deal of thought, I will be reintroducing the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. You can read my full statement on this here or on my website: buff.ly/I78DfUX

"I believe it undermines public trust in our democracy more widely if we cannot deliver on a measure that is supported by a very large majority of voters in all parts of the country.” www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Assisted dying bill set to return to the Commons

Labour MP Lauren Edwards to use private members bill to put issue before MPs again

theguardian.com

Restoring the Mother of Parliaments is not just a basic matter of health and safety, as well as protecting a stunning architectural gem, but a statement of intent about our collective commitment to the future of democracy in the UK.

Hetan Shah@hetanshah.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Each year of delay to the restoration of Parliament is estimated to increase the overall cost of delivering the programme by between £320m to £420m - latest @nao.org.uk report www.thetimes.com/article/71db... (full report: www.nao.org.uk/reports/rest...)

Public support for ban overwhelming across the spectrum. Evidence of harms clear, including from @worldhappiness.report www.worldhappiness.report/ed/2026/. APPG on Wellbeing Economics [secretariat provided by World Wellbeing Movement] backs action wellbeingeconomics.co.uk/growing-up-i...

Luke Tryl@luketryl.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Under 16s social media ban commands significant support from the public. From all of our conversations it’s seen as an area where people think individual parents can’t act alone and an area where they need government to help them take back control.

Helpful explainer, thanks @thekingsfund.bsky.social! No doubt there are merits to the reforms but hard to see how they can play a significant role in improving health and wellbeing, and reducing inequalities. That has to be the key focus, and the Bill risks being a distraction.

The King's Fund@thekingsfund.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The NHS is facing its biggest reorganisation in over a decade. Our latest explainer explores the new Health Bill (NHS Modernisation Bill) and what it really means for health and care. Read everything we know about the Bill so far 👉 https://bit.ly/4ej9keK

This week I start a major project to analyse Govt's response to the Covid Inquiry (the largest public inquiry in UK history) - @cbffjuk.bsky.social Looking back @ 30 public inquires into health scandals & over the last 3 decades - it's alarming how few recommendations were ever implemented 1/

Happy #BikeWeek! Enjoyed a ride + pint yesterday evening with friends from Harrow Cycle Hub - a local charity that I chair committed to encouraging more people to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of cycling. Let's make Harrow more cycling friendly together! www.harrowcyclehub.org

Want to feel more confident cycling? 🚲 Celebrate #BikeWeek with the #BigBikeRevival! Free sessions to help adults learn to ride, build confidence, pick up maintenance skills and enjoy friendly group rides. 📅 8-14 June Find a session near you 👇 cyclinguk.org/bikeweek

Latest Rock & Roll Politics 'Does it matter any more if a by-election candidate is out of their depth?' @steverichards.bsky.social Couldn't agree more with concerns about this bizarre and dangerous (and widespread) notion that many voters prefer to support a candidate with no political experience.

Spot on Katherine Jenner: There should be “no trade-off between public health measures and the affordability of food”. Both vital policy objectives. www.ft.com/content/a5b4... @oha-updates.bsky.social

Plan to tighten healthy food rules provokes backlash from UK industry

Businesses warn that proposed changes to ‘nutrient profiling model’ risk stoking inflation and reducing investment

ft.com

What Professor Jennie Popay said ⬇️ www.theguardian.com/society/2026... I read the Oxford Longevity Project report to give it the benefit of the doubt and the content made me even more concerned than the news articles.

Inequalities in health are the result of where you’re born, live, work and grow old | Letter

Letters: Our life expectancy is not simply our personal responsibility, writes Jennie Popay

theguardian.com

Succinct arguments here. As ever, where you stand depends on where you sit. Ultimately, we have a process through the screening committee for determining the harms v benefits calculation. People are free to campaign and disagree but not sure what an alternative, responsible system looks like.

Shaun Lintern@shaunlintern.bsky.social · 2mo ago

A decision not to bring in national screening for prostate cancer has divided opinion. I asked Sir Mike Richards, chair of the sceeening committee, to write for The Sunday Times explaining their position. Campaigner Nick Jones also gives his take: www.thetimes.com/article/1e05...

A lesson in life satisfaction and healthy ageing from 103 year old. "It's what I do, I'm never happier than when I'm putting paint on..." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

'It keeps me in touch with life': The London artist still working at 103

Anthony Eyton, from Brixton, is preparing for this year's Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

bbc.co.uk

How did a long-shot proposal to create a tobacco-free generation move from scepticism to cross-party support and become law? Deborah Arnott, former chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, explores how the generational smoking ban came to pass: https://bit.ly/4nr7ATK

How the generational smoking ban came to pass

Deborah Arnott reflects on how a long‑shot proposal to create a tobacco‑free generation moved from scepticism to cross‑party support and became law.

kingsfund.org.uk

🚨 NEW: There is a ‘happiness gap’ between people born into different social classes, we have found. Our research with Co-op finds that wellbeing remains closely tied to the social status you’re born into, but social mobility helps to close most of this gap ⬇️🧵

The APPG on Wellbeing Economics, which is supported by the World Wellbeing Movement, recently met to discuss social media harms. We explored new evidence from the World Happiness Report and heard from Prof Jonathan Haidt. The notes can be viewed here: wellbeingeconomics.co.uk/meeting/soci...