A cross-party collective of Parliamentarians have thrown their support behind a newly-revived All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) focused on the wellbeing of UK people.
The APPG on Wellbeing Economics is run by, and for, Members of the Commons and Lords, and will draw upon academic experts as well as leaders in business and civil society to develop evidence-based strategies and policies to improve wellbeing across the UK.
The group is chaired by Labour MP, Peter Lamb, with former UK Cabinet Secretary, Lord Gus O’Donnell (crossbench) serving as co-chair. Baroness Claire Tyler (Liberal Democrat), and former Health Secretary and Chancellor, Sir Jeremy Hunt (Conservative) will occupy the vice-chair roles. A full list of members is available on the APPG’s website, including Parliamentarians from the Green Party and the Scottish National Party.
A predecessor to the APPG on Wellbeing Economics was originally formed in 2009 under the leadership of former Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, and has been reconstituted in 2025 with the support of the World Wellbeing Movement, a registered charity. Secretariat duties for the forerunner group were previously fulfilled by the New Economics Foundation and latterly the What Works Centre for Wellbeing.
The new group will undertake a range of activities in Parliament to advance wellbeing economics, including producing submissions to Government consultations and select committee inquiries and proposing new approaches and solutions to putting wellbeing first.
Drawing on expertise from a range of diverse backgrounds, the group will explore topics such as the role of wellbeing in promoting economic growth, mental health support, social media, and the value for money of wellbeing interventions at a national scale.
The APPG on Wellbeing Economics is committed to promoting the concept of a wellbeing economy which emphasises the importance of human and environmental wellbeing. The wellbeing economy involves measuring societal progress based on quality of life and subjective wellbeing, rather than solely relying on economic indicators like GDP.
Ultimately, the APPG believes wellbeing should be at the heart of public policy.
Peter Lamb, Labour MP for Crawley, and co-chair of the APPG on Wellbeing Economics, said:
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to serve as chair of the APPG on Wellbeing Economics because I believe the wellbeing of people should be a top priority for politicians.
“This All-Party Parliamentary Group will provide a constructive forum to explore the latest evidence on wellbeing and put forward practical policies and solutions.
“I look forward to working collaboratively with the officers and members from different parties to create a stronger voice for wellbeing economics in Parliament.”
Lord (Gus) O’Donnell, former UK Cabinet Secretary, and co-chair of the APPG on Wellbeing Economics, said:
“Over the last fifteen years, significant progress has been made in the UK to measure wellbeing more effectively and develop guidance to evaluate policies based upon their impact on wellbeing.
“However, the focus of politicians and policymakers is often on growing GDP rather than growing levels of wellbeing. I’m passionate about making wellbeing the overall goal of public policy in order to build better lives.
“Re-establishing the APPG is a crucial step in making the case for not just measuring wellbeing but actually implementing policies that will increase it whilst tackling inequalities.”
Sarah Cunningham, Managing Director of the World Wellbeing Movement, said:
“The Office for National Statistics has published data on measures of wellbeing since 2011, but since then the UK has been slow to take action, and use the insights from that data to actually improve population wellbeing.
“Our 2025 UK Wellbeing Report found that nearly 7 million UK people are estimated to be living below what we have termed the ‘Happiness Poverty Line’ – yet the revival of this All-Party Parliamentary Group on Wellbeing Economics is a significant step towards building better lives for people across the UK.”
Further information about the APPG’s work and membership can be found at wellbeingeconomics.co.uk, and by joining our mailing list.
Parliamentarians who wish to support the APPG on Wellbeing Economics may do so by contacting Ben Wealthy, Head of Policy and Public Affairs for the World Wellbeing Movement, at [email protected].