This resource is the OECD's sixth report on well-being, sustainability, and inclusivity in OECD countries. The report uses over 80 indicators to assess changes in well-being since the COVID-19 pandemic and the onset of the cost-of-living crisis. 

The report finds that although government intervention has stabilised incomes and employment, housing costs and financial insecurity are impacting households. It also identifies warning signs in non-economic areas of well-being such as health and social connectedness. 

The authors also observe that individual metrics can yield an incomplete picture, and call on policymakers to take a more multidimensional approach to wellbeing. They argue that integrated evidence incorporating social and environmental impacts (and well-coordinated policy responses) will be essential to maintain future well-being while addressing the societal shifts that are to come.

Key findings

• After dropping in early 2020, average employment rates were at historical highs by the first quarter of 2024.
• Cost-of-living pressures remain significant for many households, especially the most vulnerable. 
• Excess deaths during COVID-19 led to average life expectancy falling by almost half a year.
• There have also been negative trends in how people feel about their lives and relationships since the pandemic.
• Inequalities in well-being remain striking, though some gaps have narrowed.
• On average, one in seven people across OECD countries were exposed to extreme heat in 2023, and water stress is classified as “medium-high” in half of the OECD countries with available data.

Recommendations

• Policymakers should develop the tools and processes to systematically reflect well-being evidence in policy decisions.
• Wellbeing policies must look beyond the present to also improve outcomes in a sustainable manner.
• Trends in social capital, including declining trust in government and little progress on perceived public sector integrity, should be closely monitored.
• Much stronger action is needed to maintain today’s wellbeing for future generations.