This study is concerned with the background and history of the SCP life situation index. The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) uses this index to track trends in the life situation of the Dutch population from 1974 to the present. Life situation is defined here as a combination of welfare and well-being. It covers a wide range of key social domains: health, participation (volunteering, social isolation, socio-cultural leisure activities and sports), housing situation, ownership of consumer goods, mobility, and holiday patterns. The report also looks at the question of whether using such an index is actually helpful and concludes with proposals for improving the index and the related conceptual framework. Jeroen Boelhouwer is a staff member in the Data Services and IT department at the Netherlands Institute for Social ResearchSCP.