Britons are the grumpiest in Europe

Britain is one of the most unhappy countries in Europe. The reason is our wavering trust in the Government, the police and authority, according to a high-powered academic report.

Our level of happiness fell in the bottom half of a table of Western European nations while our level of satisfaction with life was even lower down the rankings.

The findings - based on 20,000 interviews across the continent - suggest the last 15 years of continuous economic success and rising wealth have not produced corresponding increase in general well-being.

Researchers from Cambridge University who prepared the report, said "the slump in public contentment could be due to flagging trust in the Government and other institutions".

Dr Luisa Corrado, who led the project, added: "It shows that trust in society is very, very important.

"The countries that scored highest for happiness also reported the highest levels of trust in their governments, laws and each other.

"The UK shows falling trust in government, the police and other institutions and higher social distrust, which might explain why the level of happiness among British people has also fallen."

The report comes a week after the Whitehall snapshot of life in Britain, Social Trends, showed a country that is increasingly overcrowded, lonely, fragmented, noisy and bad-tempered.

Researchers who carried out the latest survey asked interviewees to rate both their happiness and their sense of long-term fulfilment out of ten.

They then checked the answers against a set of questions to work out why people were happy or unhappy.

The findings suggested money does not bring happiness. But friends and family, a good job, trust in those around you and the way your society is run, do.

On the happiness rating, Denmark was the most successful country in Europe, its people ranking themselves 8.3 out of ten. Ireland was close to the top, at 7.98 out of ten, and Belgium came in

seventh out of 15 European countries at 7.75.

Britons, however, rated themselves at ninth out of 15, giving themselves 7.47 out of 10 for happiness.

In terms of satisfaction with life, Denmark was again top and Britain at tenth again, rated below Ireland and Belgium, at 7.11 out of 10.

In both tables France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Greece were listed below Britain.

Inside the UK, London, East Anglia and the East Midlands were the happiest regions with scores of over eight.

Scotland, Wales, the North of England and the South West all showed falling levels of happiness between 2002 and 2004 and rated 7.5 out of 10.

The report said that women are generally happier than men, and both young and old are happier than those in middle life.

It added: "One of the most consistent trends is that those with the highest levels of happiness also reported the highest levels of trust in their governments, the police and the justice system.

"Happier people also tended to have plenty of friends and acquaintances, as well as at least one very close friend or partner. The report appears to confirm the old adage that money can't buy happiness."

The league table of happiness has been compiled at a time when politicians are becoming increasingly interested in the idea of promoting well-being.

Last year David Cameron risked ridicule by promising a Tory government would focus on 'general wellbeing' rather than wealth creation.