How ‘social spending’ can reduce national worry

How ‘social spending’ can reduce national worry

Dr. Lucía Macchia. City St George’s, University of London:

When governments think about protecting wellbeing, attention often focuses on what happens after people experience hardship — job loss, illness, or financial strain. But new research suggests that social policy also plays a crucial role before these events occur, by shaping how worried people feel about their lives and futures.

Our research examines “national worry” — the average level of worry reported across a country. Using large-scale survey data from Western European and OECD countries over the past decade, we study how worry varies over time and across societies, and how it relates to economic conditions and social spending.

The main finding is clear: countries with higher levels of social spending tend to have lower levels of worry across the population. This relationship holds even after accounting for unemployment and individual characteristics. Importantly, the association is not limited to those who directly receive benefits. Instead, it appears that living in a society with a stronger welfare state reduces feelings of worry.

This matters because worry is closely linked to poorer mental health, lower life satisfaction, and worse physical health outcomes. The study also shows that worry has increased over time in many countries, highlighting a growing challenge for population wellbeing.

The findings challenge the idea that wellbeing depends primarily on individual resilience or personal circumstances. Instead, they point to the psychological value of social spending. Welfare systems function not only as safety nets when things go wrong, but also as a form of collective insurance that provides reassurance and stability.

If policymakers want to improve wellbeing, reducing worry must be part of the conversation. That means recognising that wellbeing is shaped not only by individual choices, but by the social and institutional conditions that allow people to face the future with greater security.