Introducing the new Analysis Function in government: Working together for better decisions

Categories: ONS

Across government, the analytical professions have come together to work as a function and build capability in analysis to support decision making. Collectively the expertise of 15,000 scientists, engineers and analysts can have a greater impact than the sum of their parts, as Gareth Clancy explains.

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Getting the balance right – how ONS creates a single estimate of GDP

Categories: Economy, ONS

After 70 years of production Gross Domestic Product (GDP) remains the single most closely watched economic indicator. The success  of government economic policy is judged against it and it’s the yardstick for the scale of public spending and debt.  As Rob Kent-Smith explains, calculating GDP requires the informed balancing of sometimes contradictory data sources.     

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Measuring inflation: how ONS keeps track of changing spending habits

Categories: ONS

The updating of the legendary ‘basket of goods’ used by ONS to calculate inflation is a popular annual ritual. The products and services newly included – and those consigned to the statistical dustbin – tell the story of our changing consumption habits. But how accurate can the inflation figures be if you never buy  any of these items?  Phil Gooding explains.     

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