Office for National Statistics

Looking beyond GDP and providing insights on climate change

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

Today, for the first time, we are publishing climate change insights alongside our first quarterly estimate of GDP, outlining options for measuring quarterly emissions, and committing to plans to develop ‘Beyond GDP’ measures of inclusive income. In this post, Liz McKeown shares an update on the work of the ONS in informing understanding of economic, environmental and social progress.

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Times they are a-changing: and with them, two key ONS surveys

Categories: Business, Coronavirus, Data, Economy, Office for National Statistics, ONS

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a huge impact on our daily lives, from how we live as a society to the running of businesses and workplaces. Here Tim Vizard and Emily Hopson look at how two surveys we introduced at the very beginning of the pandemic have been helping to inform our understanding of its consequences – and the changes we are making now as we learn to live with Covid.

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Using the COVID-19 School Infection Survey to measure the impact of the pandemic on children

Fiona Dawe
Categories: Coronavirus, Office for National Statistics, ONS
Schools Infection Survey Bag

The COVID-19 Schools Infection Survey (SIS) was launched at the start of the 2020-21 academic year, aiming to gain an insight into how the pandemic has affected children’s lives and their education. The first findings from this important study, jointly led by The Office for National Statistics (ONS), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), and UK Health Security Agency, have now been published. Fiona Dawe  explains the vital role this data plays.

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Self-isolation and worker absences

Photo of Tess Carter, Head of Strategy and Coordination at the Office for National Statistics.
Categories: Coronavirus, Data, Office for National Statistics, ONS
An image of an office type desk, there is a keyboard and mouse on it

As infection rates increased throughout December and early January, we saw impacts across a range of sectors as more people were isolating following a positive COVID test result. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) needed to assess the scale of self-isolation rapidly, and understand which sectors were most hit by worker absences. Tess Carter explains how data we published today help to provide those insights, and how they compare with our other data sources.  

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Working to improve housing, planning and homelessness statistics across the UK

Categories: Data, Office for National Statistics, ONS, Population
House building in Bristol

High quality housing, planning and homelessness statistics are key areas of focus for governments across the four nations of the UK and their citizens. There is a need for a greater understanding of housing affordability, levels of homelessness and housing stock. Debra Prestwood explains the continuing collaboration the ONS is leading across the Government Statistical Service (GSS) to improve statistics in these areas.

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