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In this issue ...
The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health have published a ‘data pack’ of work, health and disability statistics, as a technical annex to their ‘Improving Lives’ green paper.
Findings for Somerset include:
For further details, see: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/work-health-and-disability-green-paper-data-pack
The Office for National Statistics has published small area (model-based) income estimates for all middle layer super output areas (MSOAs) in England and Wales: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth
Based on 2013/14, average total (gross) household income in small areas across Somerset ranges from £950 in the Comeytrowe/Trull area of Taunton to £520 for the Sydenham/Fairfax area of Bridgwater.
Of the top 10 areas with the highest average incomes, four are in Taunton Deane, three in Mendip, two in South Somerset and one in Sedgemoor. Of the bottom ten areas, five are in Sedgemoor, two in West Somerset, two in Taunton Deane, and one in South Somerset.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published research into the use of administrative data to produce estimates of personal income, using data from the PAYE system, tax credits system and several benefits systems. The research forms part of investigations into moving to a national census based on existing administrative data after 2021. See: www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/administrativedatacensusproject
It is important to note that these outputs are NOT official statistics but are purely the outcomes of relatively early research. The ONS are keen for feedback, at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/incomeoutputssurvey
The statistics indicate an income profile for Somerset skewed slightly towards the lower income bands compared to the England and Wales average. An estimated 63.5% of Somerset residents have an income lower than £20,000, compared to 60.5% nationally. An estimated 4.6% have an income of over £40,000, compared to 6.3% nationally.
Updated (2016) profiles of Somerset’s nine Commissioning Localities are now available on the Somerset Intelligence website. Forming part of Somerset’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), the profiles aim to provide an overview of demographic, health and service use data at a local level.
See: www.somersetintelligence.org.uk/commissioning-locality-profiles.html
West Somerset has the fourth highest rate of households with no access to mains gas of any local authority in England according to latest (2015) estimates from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (only the Isles of Scilly, Eden and Mid-Suffolk have higher proportions): www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sub-national-estimates-of-households-not-connected-to-the-gas-network
The proportion of ‘non-gas’ households within Somerset ranges from 14% in Taunton Deane district to 45% in West Somerset. For Somerset as a whole, an estimated 56,900 homes are not on the gas grid (down from 59,200 in 2014). These households are therefore reliant on alternative (generally, more expensive) sources of fuel.
Average domestic energy consumption fell in all Somerset districts in 2015 in annual figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy. Average consumption per household ranged from 3,984 kWh in Taunton Deane to 5,003 kWh in West Somerset. Only Taunton Deane was below the England average figure of 4,039 kWh per household.
Over the last decade the biggest fall in average electricity consumption has been in Sedgemoor (down 20%), followed by Taunton Deane (down 19%), South Somerset ( down 16%), Mendip (down 14%) and West Somerset (down 13%).
Somerset County Council’s Transport Data Team has published a detailed report outlining traffic data collected across Somerset up to the end of 2015, supplemented with nationally published data.
Headline findings include:
See: www.somerset.gov.uk/EasySiteWeb/GatewayLink.aspx?alId=119112
Passenger numbers increased at eight of Somerset’s ten railway stations in 2015/16 compared to 2014/15, according to estimates published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). Declines were seen at Castle Cary and Yeovil Pen Mill.
In 2015/16, combined total of passenger entrances and exits for all Somerset stations was 2,957,850. This was 3.1% higher than in 2014/15, with individual increases ranging from 1.1% at Bridgewater to 9.8% at Crewkerne.
Taunton accounts for nearly half of station usage in Somerset, with 1,375,546 entries and exits. By comparison, Bristol Temple Meads has 10.7 million entries and exits.
See: http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
The Department for Transport has published its latest annual compendium of transport statistics (‘Transport Statistics Great Britain’) looking at statistical trends in the transport sector. An updated webpage provides links to data tables across a range of themes, at national and local authority level. See: www.gov.uk/government/collections/transport-statistics-great-britain
In terms of the walking and cycling theme, for example, the proportion Somerset residents who cycle at least once a month remains above the national average, while the proportion of Somerset residents who walk at least once a month (continuously, for at least 10 minutes) is below the England average.
At estimated 17% of Somerset residents cycle at least once a month, while 86% walk. At a district level, the proportion of residents who cycle ranges from 11% in West Somerset to 22% in Taunton Deane. Proportions of ‘walkers’ range from 81% in Sedgemoor to 87% in Mendip.
The total number of traveller caravans in Somerset in July 2016 was 542, according to the latest six-monthly count published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). This was broadly the same number as in July 2015.
Overall, the July 2016 count indicated that 71% of traveller caravans in England were on authorised land and that 29% were on unauthorised land.
More than half (54%) of traveller caravans in Somerset are located in Mendip, with Taunton Deane (22%) the next most common location.
See: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/traveller-caravan-count-july-2016
Somerset’s individual insolvency rate in 2015 was 17.3 per 10,000 adults, a decrease of 6.4 compared to 2014, and 0.3 percentage points lower than the England and Wales average, according to figures from the Insolvency Service. The figures combine Bankruptcy orders, Debt Relief orders and Individual Voluntary arrangements (IVAs).
The most common type of insolvency in Somerset was IVAs, at 55%. The male total individual insolvency rate of 17.3 was marginally higher than the female rate of 17.2. The total individual insolvency rate was highest in the 35-44 age group.
The following content has been updated within the last month:
The following are due for release at sub-regional geographies during January:
Please email TXAtkins@somerset.gov.uk
70.5% of working age people in Somerset are qualified to at least Level 2 on the National Qualifications Framework (equivalent to 5 GCSEs at grades A* to C), higher than the national average of 67.3%.