Respondents to the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), who are 16 years and over were asked to rate their satisfaction levels with various aspects of their lives, such as their overall life satisfaction and satisfaction with the financial situation of their households, on a scale from 0 (‘Not at all satisfied’) to 10 (‘Completely satisfied’). The mean score for each satisfaction level indicator is calculated by adding individual scores and dividing the total by the number of individuals. In this publication, the responses for the satisfaction level indicators are also grouped as low (0-5), medium (6-8), and high (9-10).
SILC respondents were also asked how often they felt downhearted or depressed, or lonely in the four weeks prior to their interview date. The responses are given on a 5-point scale, with answers ranging from ‘None of the time’ to ‘All of the time’. The at least ‘Sometimes’ category combines three response options: ‘All of the time’, ‘Most of the time’ and ‘Some of the time’.
The data collection phase of the SILC survey occurs during the first six months of the SILC reference year. Well-being questions in the SILC survey are asked by direct interview. High proxy rates for unemployed and student household members result in a lower number of observations with associated well-being variables for these groups. This negatively impacts on the robustness of well-being estimates for the unemployed and students.
In 2025, the mean score for overall life satisfaction was 7.6, maintaining the mean score from 2024. SILC survey results show that overall life satisfaction increased from a mean score of 7.4 in 2021 to 7.7 in 2023 and decreased to 7.6 in 2024 and 2025. See figure 2.1 and table 2.1.
The satisfaction scores are grouped as low (0-5), medium (6-8), and high (9-10). In 2025 SILC, just over a quarter (26.5%) of respondents reported high levels of satisfaction with their overall life. This rate is almost unchanged from 2024 at 26.4%. The percentage of respondents reporting low overall life satisfaction increased slightly from 10.6% in 2024 to 10.8% in 2025. See figure 2.2 and table 2.2.
In 2025, the mean score for overall satisfaction with the financial situation of the household was 6.8, unchanged from 2024. Again, grouping satisfaction scores as low (0-5), medium (6-8), and high (9-10) show that the percentage of respondents reporting low satisfaction decreased from 24.6% in 2024 to 23.6% in 2025. A decrease was also seen in the percentage reporting high satisfaction in 2025 at 17.8% compared to 2024 (18.2%). See figures 2.1 & 2.3 and tables 2.1 & 2.3.
In 2025, 15.6% of respondents reported feeling downhearted or depressed at least sometimes in the four-week period prior to their SILC interview. Similarly, results from 2024 show that 15.7% of respondents reported feeling downhearted or depressed at least sometimes in the four-week period prior to their SILC interview.
In 2025, 15% of respondents reported feeling lonely at least sometimes in the four-week period prior to their SILC interview. In 2024, 14.5% of respondents reported feeling lonely at least some of the time. See PxStat table WBB21.
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