The district half an hour from Birmingham where residents are among the happiest in the UK

Richard Guttridge
·1-min read

A Midlands district half an hour from Birmingham has been named as one of the happiest in the UK. Families in the area have a better standard of living than most areas, live longer and have better physical and mental health.

This is Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, which has been named in the top 15 healthiest and happiest places in the country in a new study. The area scored high for mental health and environment.

The vast Cannock Chase woodland and beauty spot on the doorstep - one of the jewels of the Midlands - for residents is likely to have something to do with this. Cannock Chase is also the name for a district in the area and contains nearby towns including Cannock and Hednesford.

READ MORE: The Midlands police force which catches the most speeding cars as one in five of all drivers fined

Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp

Win a VIP three-night Butlins Big Weekender break for adults

It was the only place in the Midlands to feature on the top 15 list, which was dominated by areas in the south. It was given an overall health score of 62.82 out of 100.

The best place to live, in terms of health and happiness, was East Cambridgeshire which achieved an overall rating of 67.76. It was followed on the list by Waverley and West Oxfordshire.

The results came from a study compiled by Releaf, which examined a number of factors such as life expectancy, mental health issues, the number of smokers and emissions. Tim Kirby, Managing Director at Releaf, commented on the findings: “The data underscores the importance of unconventional approaches to health that go beyond medical interventions and how health is not to be measured only through physical wellbeing.

“These top-ranking areas exemplify the union between environmental factors, individual behaviours such as smoking habits, and community support systems in fostering healthier lifestyles and prolonging life expectancy.”

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories

  • 'I lost nine stone after giving up on one unhealthy daily habit - I'm unrecognisable'

    One night reality hit Jillian Champ when she glanced at herself in the mirror and vowed to change

  • 'I didn't think we would harm him in the way we did', says medic who performed surgery that killed leading doctor and dad-of-two

    The family of Professor Amit Patel will be forced to wait another month before answers about the tragic death of the beloved dad-of-two

  • Major incident declared at city hospital with patients urged to stay away

    Patients have spoken of the dramatic moment they were forced to evacuate a major city hospital 'in the dark' after a critical incident was declared. People being treated at the Bristol Royal Infirmary said they heard what some thought was an 'explosion' as they were plunged into darkness and told to leave the site immediately. Multiple emergency services remain at the scene in Bristol city centre after what hospital bosses have since described as a 'power outage'. But those forced to flee said there was significant confusion about what was happening - with some claiming it was a ceiling collapse and others saying sparks were flying causing a fire. Lisa Davidson, 50, a housewife from Bristol, was having a blood infusion inside for Crohn's disease. She said: "All the lights went off and they kept flashing on and off. Then they told us to go out, we couldn’t find our way out.

  • Mum, 25, who used sunbeds to top up tan before holiday given devastating diagnosis

    She said she liked to get a 'base tan' and would sometimes go twice a week

  • Everything Maya Jama did to get the 🔥🔥🔥 body she has now

    What is Maya Jama's workout routine? Does Maya Jama follow a diet? Here's everything we know about Maya Jama's health and fitness.

  • Spine-Chilling Stories: Nurses Recall Ghostly Encounters And Supernatural Experiences While On Duty

    Hospitals...where the supernatural becomes super natural.

  • Laura Norton fights back tears over children's health update

    Laura Norton fights back tears over children's health update

  • 16 of the best foods for weight loss—plus, how to add them to your diet

    The best foods for weight loss are low in fat and calories and packed with nutrients. Mindfully swapping the food you usually eat for some of the best foods for weight loss or adding these ingredients to your meals is easier than you might think. Whether you want to know how to lose a stone or how to eat less and have better portion control, combined with a regular exercise routine and meals that contain all seven food groups, these best foods for weight loss will not only help you lose weight but feel good and energized, too!

  • Calls for 'best before’ dates on food packaging to be scrapped

    Getting rid of 'Best Before' dates on food packaging would save the world billions a year by curbing food waste and stopping food poisoning outbreaks.

  • King Charles and Queen Camilla host private dinner for London Clinic staff at Clarence House - details

    King Charles and Queen Camilla held a private dinner at Clarence House for staff from The London Clinic, where the monarch and Princess Kate were both treated earlier in the year, before their cancer diagnoses were discovered

  • Baby alpaca born with "floppy ears" receives treatment to straighten them

    A baby alpaca that was born with "floppy ears" has had treatment to straighten them out. The four-day old alpaca, who is currently unnamed, was born at Velvet Hall Alpacas with "floppy ears" - a rare and slight ear deformity that requires treatment with tape to reshape them. The practice does not harm the alpaca, and after two weeks of treatment with the makeshift splint, the tape will be removed and her ears will be pointing straight. Jean Macdonald, owner of Velvet Hall Alpacas in Innerleithen, Scotland, said that this is the first time she has seen the condition since purchasing their first alpaca in 2011. "Her ears have needed taped because they weren’t the right shape, so we have to tape them so they can grow into the right shape - but we've never had to do it before," said Jean.

  • Parents of 15-Month-Old Who Died After Ingesting Drugs in Home Arrested

    The parents of a 15-month-old Florida child were arrested on May 1, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said, after investigations found that their son died after ingesting drugs left “easily accessible” in the home.Daniel Brady Miller and Kelli Nichole Starling were arrested on May 1, authorities said.Footage released by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) shows Starling and Miller being walked through the sheriff’s office compound in Ocala.The MCSO said 15-month-old Daltin Lee Miller was found unresponsive at a home in Ocala on March 1. He was pronounced deceased shortly after emergency services arrived at the scene.Investigations found Daltin had been removed from his parents at birth, but that Miller had gained back parental rights early in February, on the condition that Starling leave the residence due to her use of drugs.It was found that Starling had moved back to the residence later in February, and was in the home on March 1.A black pouch containing drug paraphernalia and a powdery substance that tested positive for fentanyl was found in the home on March 1, deputies said.The 5th District Office of the Medical Examiner found that Daltin died from acute toxicity due to the combined effects of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and xylazine.There was a significant amount of drugs in the child’s blood and liver, the examiner found, indicating that the drugs had been ingested.Miller and Starling were arrested at their home on May 1 for failing to make a “reasonable effort” to protect Daltin from dangerous narcotics in the home. They are being held without bond, deputies said. Credit: Marion County Sheriff’s Office via Storyful

  • Experts Say These Personality Traits In Adults Could Indicate ADHD

    ADHD can happen in adults — and it might present differently than you think.

  • I followed Victoria Beckham's strict diet for a week - here's why a nutritionist warns against it

    Victoria Beckham's ultra-strict diet is full of healthy fats and nutrient-dense wellness foods, but how easy is it to follow? HELLO!'s Georgia trials the Spice Girl's day on a plate for a week - here's what happened.

  • Wild orangutan observed treating wound with medicinal plant for first time

    Scientists say the findings could help shed light on how the knowledge of wound medications evolved in humans.

  • Are eggs healthy? Nutrition experts answer your most asked questions

    The truth about whether eating eggs every day is good for you including exactly how many calories are in an egg and their nutritional breakdown.

  • I’m not a Covid conspiracy theorist. I was right

    My mother has a sweet habit of keeping all my cuttings – columns, reviews of books. In the unlikely event that anyone should ever need to lay their hands on a Pearson opus from 1999, they will find it neatly filed in a bungalow in Carmarthenshire.

  • Dr Michael Mosley says he will start taking one pill every day

    It has been linked to a reduced risk of cancer and dementia

  • Little girl’s ‘purple spots’ turned out to be sign of cancer

    When Amelia Topas was born her body was covered in purple spots, which turned out to be a sign of leukaemia.

  • Wishaw dad's nose had to be removed after skin cancer diagnosis

    WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES. Steven Frame, 36, had suffered an earlier burn on his nose after a camping gas cannister exploded in his face. Two years later, his skin cancer diagnosis led to his nose being removed.