Summary

Well-being is a multi-dimensional concept that spans a variety of life domains and time scales, affected by variable determinants across the life course. As such, it eludes simple analytical frameworks, and calls for an integrated approach. Data limitations, however, significantly constrain empirical analyses. The relationship between subjective and objective measures of well-being is also difficult to analyse in the absence of retrospective information on individual histories and prospective information reflecting expectations for the future, all of which bear upon a broad interpretation of well-being. Against this background, WELLSIM achieves a step-change in the analysis of well-being by using dynamic microsimulation methods to augment existing data sources. Analyses of stand-alone interest of interrelationships between individual well-being and multiple life domains – including work, family, and health – are integrated in a suite of state-of-the-art dynamic microsimulation models based on the SimPaths framework. SimPaths allows us to generate in silico complete life-course trajectories from existing survey data. We use our innovative microsimulation approach to analyse the distributional dynamics of well-being over the life course for five European countries, reflective of diverse welfare regimes: Germany (conservative), United Kingdom (liberal), Spain (Mediterranean), Poland (post-Communist) and Sweden (Nordic). Analysis explores how well-being is affected by aggregate and individual crises, distinguishing between personal shocks, and macro-economic events. A key focus of research interest is the efficacy of policy interventions designed to enhance the resilience of individual and social well-being to considered crises.

Associate Partners

• Banco de España, Spain
• Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain
• Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
• Child Poverty Action Group, UK
• Centre for Social Justice, UK
• European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN), UK
• Fraser of Allander Institute, UK
• Swedish Public Health Agency, Sweden
• Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Germany
• The Health Foundation, UK
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation, UK
• Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
• Polish Ministry of Digitization, Poland
• Social Market Foundation, UK
• Women’s Budget Group, UK

This work is supported by CHANSE and NORFACE [WELLSIM], by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC, UK) with grant No UKRI611; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCIN/AEI, Spain) with grant No PCI2025-163172; National Science Centre (Poland) with project reference No 2024/06/Y/HS4/00029; Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE, Sweden) with project No  2023-01709; and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) with project No 539817120.