Latest data from the “happiness index” indicates that people living here are less content and less satisfied in life than many other Londoners.

The borough was given an average happiness score of 6.97 out of 10, ranking it third for most miserable borough.

Islington took the top gloomy spot with 6.85, while Hammersmith and Fulham groaned in with 6.94.

In terms of life satisfaction, Barking and Dagenham scored 7.06 and was placed second lowest, after Croydon scored a 7.

The index was created by David Cameron’s Measuring National Wellbeing Programme, which looks beyond gross domestic product to see how happy the UK is.

At the launch in 2010, the Prime Minister said: “We’ll start measuring our progress as a country, not just by how our economy is growing, but by how our lives are improving; not just by our standard of living, but by our quality of life.

“I believe a new measure won’t give the full story of our nation’s wellbeing, or our happiness or contentment or the rest of it - of course it won’t - but it could give us a general picture of whether life is improving.”

The project draws data from household surveys that question people on their personal wellbeing, asking them if they feel anxious, happy and satisfied, and if they feel what they do in life is worthwhile.

But there is reason to be cheerful; Barking and Dagenham has increased in happiness by 0.04 since last year, and residents are 0.02 points more satisfied this year.

It also turns out that Barking and Dagenham is pretty chilled out, and people living in Islington and Lambeth are the most anxious and stressed.

As a whole the country has got slightly happier over the 12 months to April compared with the previous year.

With all these numbers flying about, the next step is to figure out why where we live contributes to personal well-being – which will be published in a report later this year.