SINePost newsletter - April 2017

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In this issue ...

1. Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector report
2. Migrant Workers statistics
3. Out-of-work ‘Claimant Count’ Announcement
4. Housing Affordability estimates
5. Teenage Pregnancy
6. Child Health Profile 2017
7. Marriage statistics
8. Electoral Statistics
9. School Population Forecast 2016
10. Fly-tipping statistics
11. What’s New on the Somerset Intelligence website?
12. Forthcoming Statistical Releases

1. Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector report

The first in-depth review of the state of Somerset’s voluntary, community and social enterprise sector has been published, based on a survey of local charity and voluntary organisations during 2016.

The report paints a picture of a diverse sector committed to meeting local needs. It identifies that many charities are facing the challenge of a fall in core funding at a time of increasing demand for services, notably increasingly complex issues faced by clients. Nevertheless, a large majority of organisations participating in the survey said that they planned to maintain or increase their services provided in the coming year. There was also an increasing tendency for charities to work in partnership.

For the full report, see: www.somersetintelligence.org.uk/vcs.html

2. Migrant Workers statistics

Romania continues to be the most common country of origin of non-UK nationals registering for a National Insurance Number (NINo) in Somerset, according to latest Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures.

There were 1,224 registrations of Romanian nationals in Somerset during 2016, up from 941 in 2015. Numbers of Polish nationals declined on the previous year but Poland remains the second most common nationality (with 832 registrations). Portuguese (294 registrations) and Lithuanian (199) nationals are the next most common registrants.

Overall numbers of NINo registrations in Somerset increased for the fourth successive year in 2016, to a total of 3,913. Numbers of registrations previously peaked at 3,691 in 2007, before falling to 2,040 registrations in 2012.

Data are published through the Department for Work and Pension (DWP) ‘Stat-Xplore’ tool’: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

3. Out-of-work ‘Claimant Count’ Announcement

Due to uncertainty about the impact of the introduction of Universal Credit on the calculation of out-of-work ‘Claimant Count’ statistics, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has temporarily removed claimant count figures from UK and Regional Labour Market Statistical Bulletins, suggesting that they may be providing a misleading representation of the UK labour market.

Although claimant count figures will not appear within the Statistical Bulletins, the data will continue to be accessible as datasets through the ONS website.

For further details, see: www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/publicationarrangementsfortheclaimantcount

4. Housing Affordability estimates

House prices in Somerset remain high relative to earnings, according to latest affordability estimates from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The ratio of lower quartile house prices to lower quartile annual earnings provides a measure of how affordable it is for households to get onto the property ladder.

In 2016, the ‘affordability ratio’ was higher than the national average in all Somerset districts. West Somerset had the highest ratio (10.10), followed by Mendip (8.61), Taunton Deane (8.02), South Somerset (7.89) and Sedgemoor (7.65). Note that these averages can hide considerable variations within districts. The England and Wales average figure was 6.95.

Compared to the previous 2015 estimates, the affordability ratio has declined in all Somerset districts with the exceptions of West Somerset.

For the full dataset, see: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/housing-affordability-in-england-and-wales-1997-to-2016

5. Teenage Pregnancy

Conception rates in women aged under 18 declined for the eighth successive year in Somerset in 2015 according to figures published by the Office for National Statistics, mirroring a national downward trend: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages

There were 165 conceptions in 2015, representing a rate of 17.1 conceptions per 1,000 women aged 15-17. Rates were highest in Sedgemoor (22.3 per 1,000) and lowest in West Somerset (12.8 per 1,000). Overall numbers of under 18s conceptions in Somerset have halved since 2008.

The proportion of under 18 conceptions leading to abortion increased in Somerset from 50.3% in 2014 to 58.8% in 2015.

6. Child Health Profile 2017

The latest annual child health profile from Public Health England presents a generally positive picture for Somerset, with the county performing in line with, or significantly better than, national benchmarks for the majority of child health and well-being indicators (for example, child mortality, breastfeeding initiation, childhood obesity, children in low-income families, road casualties)

Indicators where Somerset is worse than the national average fall largely within the ‘Prevention of ill health’ theme, with the county performing significantly worse for: A&E attendances for infants; hospital admissions caused by injuries; hospital admissions as a result of self-harm; and hospital admissions for mental health conditions. Most of the indicators are based on 2015/16 data.

Profiles are available at county and district level, at: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile-group/child-health/profile/child-health-overview

7. Marriage statistics

The number of marriages taking place in Somerset increased by 4% in 2014 compared to the previous year in figures released by the Office for National Statistics. Part of the increase is attributed to same sex marriages (which were introduced in March 2014).

A total of 3,194 marriages occurred in Somerset in 2014 of which 3,155 were marriages of opposite sex couples and 39 were marriages of same sex couples (17 male and 22 female couples).

There were increases in numbers of both civil ceremonies and religious ceremonies in Somerset in 2014. Civil ceremonies continue to account for more than two-thirds of all ceremonies.

See: www.nomisweb.co.uk/articles/1005.aspx

8. Electoral Statistics

Following three successive years of decline, the number of local government electors in Somerset has increased in latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

As of 1^st December 2016 there were 415,619 local government electors registered in Somerset, up from 395,388 a year earlier (an increase of 5%). Numbers of electors increased in all local authority district areas.

The number of parliamentary electors (within Somerset’s five constituencies) was 409,121 on 1^st December 2016, up from 389,032 the previous year (also an increase of 5%).

Nationally, the number of local government electors increased by 2% between 2014 and 2015, as did the number of parliamentary electors.

See:www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/elections/electoralregistration

9. School Population Forecast 2016

Numbers of school pupils in Somerset are forecast to rise each year up to at least 2021, according to the latest annual Somerset School Population Forecast.

Key points for 2016 include:

• highest number of primary aged pupils ever recorded in Somerset although pupil numbers are forecast to stabilise and beginning a slight decline from 2019;
• further increases in the primary school number on roll, particularly in Bridgwater, Taunton and Yeovil, although the rate of increase is slower than in recent years;
• primary aged pupil numbers in some rural areas are forecast to begin falling;
• a further increase in the number of pupils in Somerset’s special schools.

See: https://slp.somerset.org.uk/ipost/iPost%20Documents/SchoolPopulationForecast2016Part1.pdf

10. Fly-tipping statistics

The total number of fly-tipping incidents recorded by local authorities in Somerset was broadly unchanged 2015/16, according to annual figures published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra): www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fly-tipping-in-england

There were 5,261 incidents in 2015/16, compared to 5,241 in 2014/15 (a marginal increase of 0.4%). Nationally, fly-tipping incidences increased by 4% over the same period.

At a district level, Mendip continues to have the highest rate of fly-tipping incidences, with 19 incidences per 1,000 population. Sedgemoor had the next highest rate (9 per 1,000 population), followed by Taunton Deane (7 per 1,000), South Somerset (7 per 1,000) and West Somerset (6 per 1,000).

Over half of incidents in Somerset (57%) involved household waste (comprising black bags or other household waste). Consistent with previous years, the most common place for fly-tipping to occur was on highways (74% of incidences).

11. What’s New on the Somerset Intelligence website?

The following content has been updated in the last month:

• Homelessness & Rough Sleeping: somersetintelligence.org.uk/homelessness.html
• Special Educational Needs & Disabilities: somersetintelligence.org.uk/send.html
• Internet Speeds: somersetintelligence.org.uk/internet-speeds.html
• CQC ratings of Somerset care locations dashboard (experimental): somersetintelligence.org.uk/care-quality-commission-ratings.html
• School Ofsted ratings dashboard (experimental): somersetintelligence.org.uk/school-ofsted-ratings.html

12. Forthcoming Statistical Releases

The following are due for release at sub-regional geographies during April:

• Small area model-based households in poverty estimates, England and Wales: financial year ending 2014 (ONS)
• Child obesity and excess weight at small area level: data up to 2015 to 2016 (PHE)
• Subnational sexual identity estimates, UK: 2013 to 2015 (ONS)
• Level 2 and 3 attainment by young people aged 19 in 2016 (DfE)
• Fire statistics England: April 2015 to March 2016 (Home Office)
• Dwelling Stock Estimates, England: 2016 (DCLG)

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