Women happier than men, but both obsessed with money

Women in the UK are happier than men, according to new research released this week.

A poll by Internet bank ’smile’ found that 64% of British women consider themselves ‘truly happy’ compared to just 59% of men.

Men also said they’d need more money to be happy, with the average male respondent saying they’d need £1.25 million to fill their life with joy.

By contrast, women would settle for £980,000.

However, it would appear that both genders are misguided on how much money makes people truly happy.

The World Values Survey - conducted annually for the past 30 years - shows that once a person’s annual income reaches $20,000 (£13,266), extra money will not make them any happier.

Meanwhile, recent research by the Paris School of Economics found that what makes people unhappy is not how much they earn, but who they compare their earnings with.

“Man may well be a social animal, but constantly looking over one’s shoulder seems to make the world a less happy, more unequal place,” the study’s authors concluded.