Public Policy | Page 5 | National Statistical

Understanding the impact of the pandemic on crime

Meghan Elkin
October 27, 2022

Categories: Crime, Office for National Statistics, ONS, Public Policy

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.

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

Sarah Barrett
October 11, 2022

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.

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

Esther Sutherland & Megan Crees
September 7, 2022

Categories: Coronavirus, Office for National Statistics, ONS, Public Policy

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.

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

Beth Cook and Siannan Kerrigan
September 1, 2022

Categories: Coronavirus, Data, ONS, Public Policy, Wellbeing

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…

Measuring Progress: GDP & Beyond

Liz McKeown
August 12, 2022

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.