Wellbeing

The Health Index 2020 – measuring the nation’s health

Categories: Office for National Statistics, ONS, Wellbeing

The ONS’ Health Index is a rich data set that gives us an overall picture of the nation’s health and how it has been declining or improving. We can also see in close-up how health varies from area to area and what local factors are in play. As we publish our findings up to 2020, Greg Ceely explains what our data show and how the Health Index is already proving a useful tool for local health leaders.

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Taking care of the carers: Why good workforce data matters in supporting social care

Categories: Data, Office for National Statistics, ONS, Public Policy, Wellbeing
Friendly nurse supporting an elderly lady

England’s large and vitally important social care sector is facing significant challenges in recruiting and retaining staff. Effective policy interventions will depend on robust workforce data but surveying this large, varied and undefined sector is a stretching endeavour.  Sarah Barrett explains how the ONS is working with central government and England’s strategic workforce development and planning body for adult social care to enhance the evidence base.

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Make life more inclusive: understanding disabled people’s access to activities, products and services

Categories: Coronavirus, Data, ONS, Public Policy, Wellbeing
An image of three people in a park

An important part of ONS’s work is to identify and provide insight into inequalities in society. One key area we are exploring is the lives of disabled people. We have recently published two new pieces of analysis looking at access to activities, products and services. Here, the ONS’s Beth Cook and Siannan Kerrigan explain more…

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Measuring Progress: GDP & Beyond

Categories: Data, Economy, Environment, Office for National Statistics, ONS, Public Policy, Wellbeing

The ONS mission to better inform understanding of economic, environmental and social progress more broadly than can be captured purely in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has taken another step forward. Under the banner ‘Quality of life in the UK’ we have begun publishing fresh estimates of national well-being alongside the latest monthly and quarterly estimates of GDP. Combined with the recently-added Climate Change Insights publication, this quarterly package aims to offer a more holistic view of our economic, environmental and social progress. Liz McKeown unveils the new ‘GDP& Beyond’ day and invites stats users to get involved in its continuing development.

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Who is paying for their own community care?

Categories: Data, ONS, Population, Wellbeing
Image of a nurse visiting an elderly lady in her home

Last week’s first results from the England and Wales 2021 Census revealed, we are an increasingly ageing population. Nearly one in five of us (18.6%) – an estimated 11.1 million people – were aged 65 years and over in 2021.  Inevitably, this means that more people will require care, often in their own home.  Here, the ONS’s Head of Social Care Analysis, Dr Sophie John, explains the challenges of finding out how many people are paying for care in their own home.

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