Public Policy

How world events have led to rising immigration

Ukrainian refugees at Lviv railway station

 The 12 months to June 2022 were unique for many reasons. The end of lockdown restrictions in the UK, the first full period following transition from the EU, and world events including the war in Ukraine, the new visa route for Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) and resettlement of Afghans have all contributed to record levels of immigration. Here Jay Lindop examines the impact of these events and looks ahead to what the future holds for international migration estimates.

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Inclusive measures of growth – How ONS is moving Beyond GDP

GDP is a well-used metric for measuring changes in the size of economies around the world. However, it has its limitations. Richard Heys writes about the continuing developments at the ONS to go beyond GDP by including measures of the impact of growth on people, the climate and environment.

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Understanding the impact of the pandemic on crime

Met Police officers on duty during the pandemic

The impact of lockdown restrictions on levels of crime is one of the lesser told stories of the coronavirus pandemic. With large parts of the population asked to stay in their homes, so-called traditional crimes such as burglary and robbery decreased. However, this was offset by rises in fraud as criminals exploited changing behaviours and more reliance of online and phone services. Meghan Elkin explains how the first comparable figures to before the pandemic help us understand whether there are sustained impacts on levels of crime.

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

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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The importance of UK-wide collaboration in monitoring COVID-19

A microscope and test tubes in a lab setting

The ONS-led COVID-19 Infection Survey (CIS) has been a vital source of data on the virus and its impacts, winning international recognition and several prestigious awards. Supporting the individual and combined needs of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, it has also become a leading example of collaborative working across the devolved administrations. In this post Esther Sutherland and Megan Crees show why that partnership has been central to the project’s success.

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