Reasons to be cheerful

The UK is very safe

The UK’s intentional homicide rate is very low by international standards, typically around 1 per 100,000 people or slightly below. The USA has had a rate of 4-7 per 100,000 in the last few years. This places the UK in line with other Western European countries and far below the rates seen in the Americas, where many nations experience double‑ or triple‑digit rates. Homicides for all ages were the lowest since 2014-15 at 522, down 8% from the previous year. (figures for England and Wales) and in percentage terms. The UK is considered very safe, particularly in terms of its low intentional homicide rate. By international standards, this rate typically hovers around 1 per 100,000 people or slightly below. In contrast, the USA's homicide rate has ranged from 4 to 7 per 100,000 in recent years. This places the UK in line with other Western European countries and significantly below the rates seen in the Americas, where many nations experience homicide rates in the double or even triple digits.

According to the latest figures for England and Wales, homicides for all age groups reached the lowest level since 2014-15, totalling 522, which is an 8% decrease from the previous year. Additionally, in percentage terms relative to the total population, this figure is even lower.

Notably, knife crime and teenage murders have also declined. The number of teenagers killed is at its lowest level in a decade in England and Wales, with police recording 34 homicide victims aged 13 to 19 in the year ending March 2025. This represents a 48% decrease from the 66 victims in the previous year. A significant factor in this reduction is the sharp decline in killings involving knives, which dropped by 59%, from 54 to 22 incidents. The most recent total is the lowest since the 2012-13 period, when 31 teenage homicide victims were recorded.

The Impact Economy is growing in the UK - everything is not just about profit or money

The impact economy is described in the Impact UK 2026 Digital Report “as an ecosystem of individuals, organisations, and capital intending to prioritise public benefit over private gain”. The report estimates that the size of the UK impact economy is £428 billion gross value added, equating to 15% of the UK’s GDP. If you want to be part of the Impact Economy then my book Winning by being Good will help you both maximise your impact and your financial success.

Obviously, this includes the charity sector. Many people are surprised that the charity sector is so large, with a total income of £96 billion for all registered charities in 2023.

There are over 20,000 active CICs(social enterprises) with thousands registering each year.

Over half the population volunteer at least once a year, and a third volunteer at least monthly, which is over 50% more than the global average, where regular volunteering is typically below 20%.

We’re particularly good at informal volunteering like helping neighbours and doing things in the community and we have a strong civic culture based on our long history of charities and community groups.

Education is doing well

Basic skills have improved

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, which tracks the reading ability of ten-year-olds, shows English pupils in fourth place out of 43 countries, up from eighth in 2011.

The Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa), which tests 15-year-olds globally, shows England has climbed from 27th in 2009 to 11th in 2023 in maths.

Improving student experience in higher education

The 2025 National Student Survey results show that student satisfaction in the UK is improving.

Over 357,000 final year higher education students in the UK took part in the NSS in 2025. That’s approximately 71.5 per cent of eligible students, making the NSS the largest survey of its kind.

Students were more positive about all areas of their experience in 2025, compared with 2024’s results. 92.6 per cent of students responded positively to the question ‘how good are staff at explaining things?’ and 90.1% thought library resources really supported their learning and generally were most positive about learning resources.

Healthy behaviours are on the rise

Alcohol and drug use among young people is on a downward trend.

Smoking has fallen from 15.8 per cent of the adult population in 2016 to 10.6 per cent today.

In the three years after the introduction of the sugary drinks levy in 2018, children’s consumption of sugar in drinks halved.

We can do well in the UK - economically and building things!

The FTSE was one of the best-performing stock markets of 2025, up 21.5 per cent during the year.

AI - the UK is in the world's top three

After the US and China, Britain is an AI hub. The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) portfolio includes multiple AI hubs aimed at building a “robust and interconnected AI vision” and maintaining the UK’s leading position in AI research. These hubs link researchers, innovators, and industry to strengthen the national ecosystem.

The UK has launched advanced regulatory testbeds such as the AI Growth Lab, designed to support “responsible AI innovation” by allowing AI‑enabled products and services to be deployed under modified regulatory conditions with strong safeguards. This reflects a government strategy to accelerate AI development while maintaining oversight.

The AI Standards Hub pilot evaluation highlights the UK’s role in shaping global AI standards, with strong stakeholder engagement and contributions to the wider AI ecosystem. This positions the UK as a thought leader in safe and interoperable AI development.

Google’s DeepMind was a British company created by a British Nobel chemistry prizewinner Sir Demis Hassabis.

The UK Government’s AI Skills Hub offers free AI training with the goal of upskilling 10 million workers by 2030, representing one of the largest national AI training programmes in the world.

Building things to be proud of

The new Crossrail Elizabeth Line is already the busiest railway service in the UK. The line now averages 800,000 customer journeys per day. In just over three years since opening, it has carried more than 600 million journeys. All 41 stations on the Elizabeth line are step‑free.

London’s “super sewer” — the Thames Tideway Tunnel — is one of the UK’s largest environmental infrastructure projects. It was finished on time and on budget last year and can hold 600 Olympic-sized swimming pools of liquid waste. The tunnel network combines the new 25 km Tideway Tunnel with the existing 7 km Lee Tunnel, creating a major new interception system for storm overflows.

By intercepting overflow points along the river, the system is expected to dramatically improve water quality and biodiversity in the Thames.

Enriching Lives: Arts and Sports

A strategy to be a global creative superpower by 2035

Growth in the arts is projected to be four times the 1.5 per cent forecast for the wider economy this year and the UK continues to be described as a world‑leading centre for film and TV production, with inward investment remaining strong even during periods of industry volatility.

A recent industry profile notes that the UK remains a key global hub, attracting major international productions thanks to generous tax credits, strong creative talent, a highly skilled technical workforce and established studio infrastructure at places such as Pinewood, Leavesden, Shepperton, and Belfast Harbour Studios.

According to Pricewaterhouse Cooper the UK is forecast to lead Europe’s entertainment and media market by 2029, reaching £97 billion—well ahead of Germany (£83 billion) and France (£47 billion). This growth is driven by:

• High‑end TV production for global streamers.
• Rapid expansion in digital advertising, connected TV, and streaming.
• Strong export performance of UK‑made content.

This reinforces the UK’s position as a top-tier global player in both production and distribution.

The home of many sports

Because many of the world’s most popular sports were invented or codified in the UK—football, rugby, cricket, tennis, golf, rowing, boxing. This gives the UK:

• Long-established clubs and governing bodies
• Strong community pathways from childhood to elite level
• A global cultural influence that reinforces participation and prestige

This historical foundation means the UK doesn’t just play sport; it has shaped how the world plays.

Since the 1990’s the the UK has built one of the world’s most effective elite-sport systems. National Lottery funding transformed Olympic and Paralympic performance, creating:

• World-class coaching and sports science
• Centralised training hubs
• Long-term athlete development pathways

UK Sport’s research shows that hosting and investing in major events brings economic, societal, reputational, sporting and environmental benefits, reinforcing the system’s strength. This model is now studied internationally because it consistently produces medal success across multiple sports.

The UK hosts more world-class events than almost any country outside the US. Examples include:

• Wimbledon
• The Open
• Premier League football
• Formula 1 at Silverstone
• Commonwealth Games
• Rugby World Cups
• Major athletics and cycling events

UK Sport’s strategic reviews highlight how the UK continues to attract major events despite global challenges, thanks to strong infrastructure, organisational expertise, and international trust. This constant flow of events boosts participation, inspires talent, and strengthens the UK’s global sporting identity.

Women in sport

2025 was the year women’s sport was finally taken seriously: 12 million people watched the Lionesses win the Euros, 5.8 million watched the Red Roses win the Women’s Rugby World Cup. 81,885 spectators attended the final at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, the largest crowd ever for a women’s rugby union match. This broke the previous record of 58,498, also set at Twickenham during the 2023 Women’s Six Nations (England v France).

Women’s football has become the fifth most attended sport in England, with 2.12 million spectators in 2024, a 38% increase on the previous year.

Conclusion

There is more I could write but I hope even one stat or story will prompt you to share good news in what is a challenging time.

Here are some more blogs if you want to be uplifted and want stories to share:

Five useful lessons you can learn from Dyno-Rod and franchising - inspiration from an American who built his success in the UK

The power we all have - how an idea can bring a community together

Three reasons to feel good