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However, they also pointed to the impact of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The figures show that young people and pensioners aged 65 to 79 are the most satisfied with their lives.

The most unhappy people in Britain are those aged 45 to 54, who are likely to bear the most responsibility for looking after their families and caring for elderly relatives.

Levels of happiness and life satisfaction decline significantly from the age of 80 onwards, which the ONS suggested might be because people are considerably more lonely.

People who are married are significantly more satisfied in their lives than those who are co-habiting, single and divorced.

In 2012/13, on average people who were married or in civil partnerships rated their life satisfaction as 7.8 out of 10, while those who were co-habiting rated their life satisfaction as 7.6 out of 10.

Women have higher levels of life satisfaction and are happier than men. However, they also rate their anxiety levels as significantly higher.

Life satisfaction was highest among white and Indian people, while back people were the least satisfied with their lives.