The Cabinet Secretary, Sir Gus O’Donnell, has asked leading civil servants across government to assess the impact Coalition policies will have on the happiness of the population and to consider options for increasing individuals' satisfaction with their lives.
Plans could include improving the mental health of the workforce so people with depression and other illnesses find jobs, protecting parks and green spaces, and reducing pressure on children and families.

Sir Gus, the head of the Civil Service, is expected to unveil details of the government’s work so far at the launch of a major report on the wellbeing project next week, Whitehall sources said.
The disclosure came as a key architect of the Prime Minister’s national “happiness index" warned that “crazy” university funding cuts and an increasingly selfish society were damaging efforts to improve quality of life.