Public Policy

Local Data for Local People: How new data sources are helping to calibrate communities

In this episode of Statistically Speaking we shine the spotlight on local data and look at how good statistics for small areas make for better targeted policy interventions, and more effective use of valuable public resources. 

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Disability: When the numbers alone are simply not enough 

The most recent estimates suggest one in five people in the UK are disabled. But to really understand the nature of those disabilities and the needs of people reporting them we need to do a lot more work.   

In this episode of Statistically Speaking we look at what’s being done to gain insight into the lives of disabled children and adults and provide high quality qualitative data that reflects the day-to-day lives of all people in our society.  

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The ‘R’ Word: What exactly is a ‘recession’ anyway?

News headlines this month proclaimed the UK has ‘narrowly avoided recession’. In ‘Recessions, GDP and Beyond’, the latest episode of our ‘Statistically Speaking’ podcast, we decode the ‘r’ word and explain why this sometimes misleading term is one the ONS is often cautious to avoid.

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What matters most to people in the UK and has that changed over time?

A group of people looking happy, they have their arms around each other and are in a park type setting with sunlight behind them

Since 2011, the ONS has been measuring ‘National Well-being’ to evaluate how we are doing as a nation. National Well-being includes the things that people have told us matter most to them, across the environment, society and economy. Here Liz McKeown looks at our GDP & Beyond work, focusing on responses to our recent online survey reviewing how we measure National Well-being. 

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Boosting the UK’s research capabilities to help solve the challenges of the day

In an uncertain world, how is public data helping us to tackle complex and cross-cutting issues in society?   

This is just one question we answer in the latest episode of Statistically Speaking, as we take a closer look at an aspect of the ONS’s work that is less well-known but arguably just as important.   Joining Miles for this episode are Jason Yaxley, Director of ONS’ Integrated Data Programme; Bill South, Deputy Director of the Research Services and Data Access division at ONS; and Dr. Becky Arnold, award winning researcher from Keele University.   

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