Statistics

What is GDP and how do we measure it?

Craig McLaren
Categories: Data, Economy, Office for National Statistics, ONS
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Gross Domestic Product, more commonly known as GDP, remains the world’s most closely-watched economic indicator. Its growth – or lack of it – is used to measure economic progress. A positive GDP reading suggests an economy is growing, a negative one that it’s slowing down. But there is much more to GDP that just one number. In this post Craig McLaren is our guide to how GDP is calculated and how it’s best understood.  

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A Wealth of data: transforming ONS statistics on income, spending and wealth

Categories: Data, Economy, ONS, Public Policy, Wellbeing
Image of a piggy bank with a coin about to drop in

The ONS produces a range of statistics showing the income, spending and wealth of British households, together forming an important part of the overall picture of the economy. These statistics are a vital source of information for understanding people’s financial wellbeing including the effects from the rising cost of living. Adrian Chesson talks about the consultation launched today on our plans to transform these key statistics.  

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The importance of ethics and privacy in producing statistics for the public good

Categories: Data, ONS, UK Statistics Authority
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At a time of exponential growth in data of all kinds, the potential for data science to improve public services and achieve better health outcomes has never been greater. But we also have a responsibility to ensure that those data are used ethically and protect individual privacy. Starting with the UK parliament’s objective for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to produce and publish statistics for the public good, the latest episode of ‘Statistically Speaking’ explores how this is being delivered in practice, while looking at the safeguards in place to protect personal data, and the public’s changing perception of acceptable data use.

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“We are not the user”: How consultation and continuous improvement drive the ONS website

Categories: Data, Office for National Statistics, ONS

Creating the best website for every user to easily find what they’re looking for is a challenge for statistical agencies worldwide. From expert analysts looking for obscure datasets to casual visitors seeking quick facts on topical subjects, the ONS website must cater for some wildly different user needs. But as Andy Dudfield explains, those needs continue to shape the site’s evolution. 

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