Life satisfaction has risen across most parts of Oxfordshire but people's wellbeing has fallen in Cherwell, new figures show.

Office for National Statistics figures show Oxford residents are marginally happier and anxiety levels have dropped.

People in Oxford answered the question "how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?" with an average of 7.8 in the year to March – up slightly from 7.7 the year before.

They were asked to rank their feelings on a scale where one is "not at all" and 10 is "completely".

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There was also a drop in anxiety levels last year, with the average person in Oxford rating their anxiety the day before at 3.6 out of 10 in March 2022 but at three this year.

In contrast people in Cherwell said their life satisfaction has fallen amid the cost of living crisis.

They rated their life satisfaction an average of 7.6 in the year to March – down from 7.8 the year before.

Anxiety levels also rose marginally from 2.6 in March 2022 to 2.7 this year.​

Across the UK, satisfaction levels have fallen slightly to 7.5 following a post-pandemic bump in 2021-22.

Brian Dow, chief executive of Mental Health UK, said: "When you consider the pressures on people's mental health over recent years, it's no wonder that the nation's mental health is in decline.

"This data tracks what we've seen as a charity, with wellbeing taking a hard knock from the pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis forcing many people to choose between whether they should heat their home or put food in the fridge.

"While there are small steps we can all take to try to improve our wellbeing and support others, this data indicates just how impactful external events can be, and should serve as yet another warning call to the government that it must better prioritise mental health."

However, life satisfaction was above the national average in South Oxfordshire where residents rated it at 7.8 in the year to March – roughly in line with the year before.

South Oxfordshire residents' anxiety levels also dropped from 3.5 in March 2022 to 3.2 this year.

But while West Oxfordshire residents are happier with life with an average rating of 7.9 in the year to March – up from 7.7 the year before - their anxiety levels jumped from 2.5 in March 2022 to 3.2 this year.

Olly Parker, head of external affairs at YoungMinds, said: "It’s deeply worrying, but sadly unsurprising, that life satisfaction has fallen at the same time anxiety levels are increasing.

"The government must prioritise young people’s mental health and provide early support hubs in every community, more help for pupils in schools, and shorter waiting times."