SINePost newsletter - July 2023

In this issue:

1. Fuel poverty estimates
2. Active Lives Survey results
3. Fraction of mortality attributable to particulate air pollution
4. Coroner statistics
5. Traveller count
6. Armed Forces Continuous Attitudes Survey results
7. Car driving test statistics
8. Dwelling stock statistics

1. Fuel poverty estimates

The number of Somerset households living in fuel poverty has increased according to the latest estimates from the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. The estimate of 31,883 fuel-poor households for 2021 represents an increase of 3,232 from the previous year’s figure and is a rate of 12.3% of all households. Rates of fuel poverty in Somerset are below the national rate of 13.1% of households, but marginally above the South West regional figure of 11.9%.

Fuel poverty in England is measured using the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) fuel poverty metric. A household is considered to be fuel poor if:

• it is living in a property with an energy efficiency rating of band D, E, F or G.
• its disposable income (income after housing costs (AHC) and energy needs) would be below the poverty line.

Rates of fuel poverty vary considerably at local level, with the highest rates of fuel poverty found in areas of deprivation and in rural areas. The Roman Road area of Taunton was estimated to have a fuel poverty rate of 30.1% in 2021, whilst 8 other areas were all estimated to have a rate of fuel poverty greater than 20%:

Bridgwater Eastover Central, Stratton-on-the-Fosse and Kilmersdon, Exford, Porlock and district, Watchet north, Holford and Stogursey area, Bridgwater Eastover North, and Old Cleeve.

For the full dataset, see: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sub-regional-fuel-poverty-data-2023

2. Active Lives Survey results

An estimated 64% of adults (aged 16+) in Somerset are meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines of doing at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week, according to latest results from Sport England’s Active Lives Survey. The report covers the period November 2021 to November 2022.

The latest estimate for Somerset represents an increase from a rate of 62% for the previous 12-month period, although this would not be considered a statistically significant change. Somerset residents are broadly in line with the national rate of 63% meeting the recommended 150 minutes.

At the other end of the scale, 23.5% of adults in Somerset are classed as ‘inactive’ – that is, doing fewer than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. This is 2 percentage points lower than the previous year’s figure, although again, the change was not statistically significant.

The national report and the data tables can be accessed from Sport England, at: https://www.sportengland.org/know-your-audience/data/active-lives

3. Fraction of mortality attributable to particulate air pollution

5.1% of all mortality in Somerset in 2021 was attributable to particulate air pollution according to latest estimates from DEFRA and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. This is an increase on the 2019 figure of 4.1%, and puts Somerset in line with the regional figure for the South West (5.1%), and below the national figure for England (5.5%).

It should be noted that there is a high level of uncertainty around the modelling of particulate air pollution (PM_2.5). Caution is needed when considering apparent trends over time, with concentrations of PM_2.5 varying from year to year due to the weather.

The data can be explored further using the Fingertips interactive tool:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/

4.  Coroner statistics

A total of 2,448 deaths were reported to the coroner in Somerset in 2022, an increase of 4% compared to 2021, according to figures published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). Nationally there was a 7% increase in deaths reported to coroners.

A total of 318 inquests were opened in Somerset in 2021, 8% less than in 2020. The national figure was up 11% compared to 2021. Male deaths accounted for 66% of all inquest conclusions. Suicide (74% male) deaths had the highest ratio of males to females amongst coroner conclusions.

The MoJ have developed a data visualisation tool, allowing coroner statistics to be explored interactively. See: https://coroner-stat-tool-ext.apps.alpha.mojanalytics.xyz/

5. Traveller count

There were 627 traveller caravans located in Somerset in January 2023 according to the latest six-monthly count published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. The latest figure is broadly unchanged from the previous year.

The former Mendip district council area accounted for just under half of traveller caravans in Somerset, with a total of 306.

For the full dataset, see: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/traveller-caravan-count-january-2023

6. Armed Forces Continuous Attitutde Survey results

Latest annual results of the Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey have been released by the Ministry of Defence, monitoring the views of armed forces personnel in areas such as childcare, employment, family life, accommodation, and the Armed Forces Covenant.

Findings from the latest survey include:

•  74% of armed forces personnel have heard of the Armed Forces Covenant
•  36% of respondents agree that members of the Armed Forces are valued by society; the lowest rate on record.
•  48% of service personnel are married and a further 25% are in long-term relationships.
•  47% have children they support financially; the lowest rate since the survey began in 2007.

For the full dataset, see: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/armed-forces-continuous-attitude-survey-2023

7. Car driving test statistics

The number of practical car driving tests conducted in Somerset in 2022/23 was 18% lower than the previous year according to figures released by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). In 2022/23 there were 8,421 tests conducted, compared to 10,295 over the previous year.

Numbers of driving tests dropped significantly in 2020/21 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest figures show that numbers of tests have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, with the latest year’s figure 26% lower than the equivalent for the 2019/20 financial year (11,398 tests).

Pass rates for practical car driving tests in Somerset have also decreased year on year, although remain well above the national average, with pass rates of 57.7% at the Yeovil test centre and 60.2 at the Taunton test centre. The overall national pass rate was 48.4%.

The pass rate for males remains higher than for females. Pass rates for males were 63.1% at Yeovil and 58.7 at Taunton, compared to rates for females of 57.3% at Yeovil and 56.7% at Taunton.

For the full dataset, see: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/car-driving-test-data-by-test-centre/

8. Dwelling stock statistics

The number of domestic dwellings in Somerset increased by 2,383 to a total of 263,118 in the 12 months to April 2021 according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the largest number of new dwellings recorded since the year to April 2018.

Approximately 68% of dwellings in Somerset are owned either outright or with a mortgage, 18% are rented privately, and 14% are rented by the public sector.

The number of properties owned with a mortgage or loan decreased by 5% in the year to April 2021. The total of 64,998 properties is the lowest number since the time-series began in 2012. Numbers of mortgaged properties in Somerset have decreased by around 10,000 (13%) since 2012.

For the full dataset, see: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/

And finally...