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In this issue ...
A wealth of data and information relating to children, young people and families in Somerset has been published in the form of the Somerset Children and Learners Needs Analysis 2013, available on the Somerset Intelligence website: www.somersetintelligence.org.uk/children-and-young-people.html
The report is structured by the five Every Child Matters outcomes, with summaries of ‘positive trends’ and ‘main challenges’ following each section. Some of the main challenges indentified include:
The first in a series of economic factsheets have been published by the Economy Group at Somerset County Council, available on the Somerset Intelligence website. The factsheets provide key data tables and findings for Somerset covering a range of subject areas:
Updates are planned on a quarterly basis.
A total of 605 Somerset households in Somerset were accepted as homeless and in priority need during 2012/13, according to figures released by the Department for Communities and Local Government (see Table 784): www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness
South Somerset and Taunton Deane saw the highest rates of households accepted as homeless and in priority need, at 3.90 per 1,000 households and 2.73 per 1,000 respectively. The national average was 2.37 per 1,000 households. The South Somerset rate was the highest of any local authority in the South West.
There were 1,057 cases in which positive action by local authorities in Somerset was successful in preventing homelessness during 2012/13. In 39% of cases the household was able to remain in their existing home and in 61% of cases the household was assisted in obtaining alternative accommodation. See the latest Homelessness Prevention and Relief data at the following link: www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-prevention-and-relief-england-2012-to-2013
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has published latest annual figures on housebuilding, at local authority level. The full dataset is at the following link (published as Table 253): www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building
During 2012/13 construction was started on 1,520 new dwellings in Somerset and construction completed on 1,930 dwellings. Of the completed dwellings, 1,470 where built through private enterprise and 460 through Housing Associations. Sedgemoor saw the most new dwellings completed (640), representing a third of all new homes in the county.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published latest annual data on National Insurance Number (NINo) allocations to adult overseas nationals. A NINo is generally required by anyone looking to work or claim benefits/tax credits in the UK.
For the first time, the data is available through the DWP’s ‘Stat-Xplore’ online tool, which allows users to construct queries, download data, and generate graphical views: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
There were 2,291 NINo registrations to adult overseas nationals in Somerset during 2012/13. The number of registrations has been steadily declining from a peak of 3,346 in 2005/06. Nationals from ‘New EU’ countries (i.e., countries which have joined the EU since 2004) continue to be the most prevalent, most notably Poland (830 registrations in 2012/13). Nationals from Portugal (210), Lithuania (179), Romania (141), Bulgaria (104) and Hungary (97) were the next most common registrants in 2012/13.
The Office for National Statistics has released latest annual data (for 2012) on the numbers of babies born to non-UK born mothers, at local authority level: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/parents--country-of-birth--england-and-wales/2012/index.html
In 2012 there were 654 live births in Somerset to mothers born outside the UK, representing 11.5% of all births. This was the same proportion as in 2011, and well below the national average of 25.9%.
The number of babies born to non-UK born mothers in Somerset has more than doubled in the last decade, largely as a result of increases in mothers from ‘New EU’ countries.
The first longitudinal analysis from the ONS Measuring National Well-being programme has assessed how the nation’s well-being has changed over the last two years: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/wellbeing/measuring-national-well-being/personal-well-being-in-the-uk--2012-13/index.html
The percentage of people reporting higher levels of life satisfaction, feelings that the things they do are worthwhile, and happiness levels all increased between 2011/12 and 2012/13. Additionally, the percentage reporting higher levels of anxiety declined.
The factors most associated with personal well-being are health, employment and relationship status. While falling levels of unemployment during 2012 may be one factor in improved levels of overall well-being, it is also thought that special events such as the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee may have influenced people’s assessment of their own well-being.
The latest edition of Defra’s statistical digest includes updates on rural life expectancy, health and crime. The updated data presents a generally positive picture for rural communities, with higher life expectancy and lower infant mortality than urban counterparts. Additionally, overall crime rates are lower in rural areas than urban areas: www.gov.uk/government/publications/statistical-digest-of-rural-england-2013
A ‘local level dataset’ accompanies the Statistical Digest, providing rural/urban breakdowns for some key measures, including population, JSA claimant counts, business numbers, insolvency rates and house prices, all at local authority district level: www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/rural-statistics-local-level-data-sets
In summary, the dataset indicates that:
A new study commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA) aims to assess the cumulative impact of Government’s welfare reforms, comparing the financial impact on benefit recipients in an area with local job opportunities and the potential to move into cheaper accommodation: http://www.local.gov.uk/web/guest/publications/-/journal_content/56/10171/4098780/PUBLICATION-TEMPLATE
The study suggests that by 2015/16 the income of households claiming benefit will be lower on average by £1,615 per year (£31 per week). The study concludes that a shortage of jobs and affordable homes in many areas will mean that four out of five households are likely to need some form of assistance from their council to help cope with reductions in welfare.
Some district level maps have been provided, although no data published at sub-regional geographies.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released a new suite of papers highlighting progress on the Beyond 2011 programme. Following further research into the various options considered for replacing the 2011 Census methodology, two front-runners have emerged:-
Presenting the pros and cons of the two options and gaining views on which approach best fits user needs is the main focus of a public consultation which will run from September to November 2013. A series of free public events allowing discussions of the options have been arranged, the nearest to Somerset scheduled for 18th September in Cardiff.
For more information on the Beyond 2011 programme, including a summary newsletter and more detailed research papers, see: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/what-we-do/programmes---projects/beyond-2011/news/reports-and-publications/index.html
The European Standard Population (ESP) is an artificial population structure which is used in the weighting of mortality or health-related incidence data to produce age standardised rates. The current structure dates back to 1976, since when the UK and other European nations have experienced considerable ageing of their populations.
Eurostat, the statistical institute of the European Union, has decided to update the ESP for 2013 and make it fit for purpose over the next two decades or so. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is consulting on how to implement the change in the UK. The closing date is 3rd October 2013. For more details of the ESP, the consultation and how to respond, see: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/get-involved/consultations/consultations/implementation-of-the-2013-european-standard-population/index.html
The following datasets are due for release at sub-regional geographies during September 2013:
And finally ...
Please email TXAtkins@somerset.gov.uk
In 2015 the population of Somerset was estimated to be 545,400, about 15,500 more than at the 2011 Census. This is a rise of nearly 3% - Population projections & estimates