SINePost newsletter - March 2016

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In this issue ...

1.  Migrant Workers
   
2.  Electoral Statistics
3.  Updated Local Area Profiles
4.  Personal Well-being Index
5.  Rough Sleepers
6.  Domestic Energy Consumption
7.  Broadband Speeds
8.  Military Personnel statistics
9.  Child Benefit statistics
10.  Teenage Pregnancy briefing
11.  New ONS website launch
12.  Forthcoming Statistical Releases

1. Migrant Workers

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

There were 941 registrations of Romanian nationals in 2015, up from 680 in 2014. Numbers of registrations of Polish nationals increased marginally, from 902 to 936. The next most common nationalities were Portuguese (306), Spanish (216) and Bulgarian (210).

Meanwhile, overall numbers of NINo registrations in Somerset increased for the third successive year, to a total of 3,603 in 2015. Numbers 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/

2. Electoral Statistics

The number of local government electors in Somerset fell for the third successive year in 2015 according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. As of 1^st December 2015, there were 395,388 local government electors registered in Somerset, compared to 410,348 in 2014. Between 2014 and 2015 numbers increased marginally in Sedgemoor district but fell in all other Somerset districts, notably South Somerset.

The number of parliamentary electors (within Somerset’s five constituencies) was 389,032 on 1^st December 2015, down from 402,791 the previous year (a fall of 3.4%)

Nationally, the number of local government electors declined by 1.3% between 2014 and 2015, as did the number of parliamentary electors. See:

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/elections/electoralregistration/datasets/electoralstatisticsforuk

3. Updated Local Area Profiles

Updated data profiles of all 138 electoral ward areas in Somerset are now available through the Inform Somerset website. The profiles include statistics on population, ethnicity, deprivation, education, employment, crime and household composition. Information is presented through charts and tables and includes district and national comparisons.

See: www.informsomerset.org.uk (and click on the Community Profiles tab)

4. Personal Well-being Index

West Somerset is one of the top ten happiest places in England to live according to combined results of the first three years of the Measuring National Well-being programme (2012-2015): www.gov.uk/government/statistics/measuring-national-well-being-personal-well-being-in-the-uk-three-year-data-2012-to-2015

Results indicate that Mendip, South Somerset and Taunton Deane are broadly in line with the England average in terms of overall happiness, while Sedgemoor appears within the lower 30% of local authority areas.

West Somerset residents also have, on average, the highest levels of life satisfaction; highest levels of feelings that life is worthwhile; and lowest overall levels of anxiety in Somerset.

5. Rough Sleepers

The number of people sleeping rough in Somerset has increased according to latest annual figures published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG): www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rough-sleeping-in-england-autumn-2015

Local authorities in Somerset estimated the number of rough sleepers in 2015 to be 56 (as of autumn that year), up from 50 in 2014 and 28 in 2013. The highest numbers of rough sleepers were in Taunton Deane and Mendip.

In England as a whole, the number of rough sleepers increased by 30% between 2014 and 2015. Accompanying analysis published specifically for London found that more than half of rough sleepers were non-UK nationals.

6. Domestic Energy Consumption

Average household domestic electricity consumption rose in West Somerset but declined in all other areas of Somerset in 2014 according to provisional figures from the Department for Energy and Climate change (DECC). Average gas consumption fell in all district areas. Nationally, domestic energy consumption has been falling year-on-year.

The figures demonstrate wide variations in domestic energy requirements across Somerset:

• Average electricity consumption (per meter) was 28% higher in rural Somerset than in urban areas (5,026 kWh per household compared to 3,786 kWh per household). The Somerset average was 4,373 kWh.
• Average gas consumption (per meter) was 17% higher in rural areas (12,725 KWh per household compared to 10,702 kWh per household. The Somerset average was 11,368 kWh.

In keeping with this, previously published estimates of fuel poverty have shown higher rates overall in Somerset’s rural villages and dispersed areas.

For electricity consumption data, see: www.gov.uk/government/collections/sub-national-electricity-consumption-data

For gas consumption data, see: www.gov.uk/government/collections/sub-national-gas-consumption-data

7. Broadband Speeds

Somerset has the second lowest average fixed broadband download speed of any local authority area in England, in data published by Ofcom. The data underpins Ofcom’s ‘Connected Nations’ 2015 report and is based on a snapshot in May 2015. Somerset’s average of 16.6 Mbit/s compares to a national average of 29.8 Mbit/s.

The data indicates that 20% of premises in Somerset are unable to receive speeds of 10 Mbit/s, the minimum recommended by Ofcom for an ‘acceptable user experience’. Nationally, 92% of premises have fixed broadband speeds faster than 10 Mbit/s.

For the full dataset, available at local authority (county) and postcode level, see: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/infrastructure/connected-nations-2015/downloads/

8. Military Personnel statistics

The number of Regular Forces Personnel based in Somerset has increased to 3,100 in the latest count published by the Ministry of Defence (as of 1^st January 2016). This represents a rise of approximately 160 personnel on the figure a year earlier.

Meanwhile, numbers of MOD civilian personnel in Somerset continue to decline, mirroring downward national trends. On 1^st January 2016, there were 1,480 civilian personnel in the county, down from 1,560 personnel a year earlier (based on FTE).

See: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/location-of-uk-regular-service-and-civilian-personnel-quarterly-statistics-2016

9. Child Benefit statistics

In August 2015 there were 104,630 children (aged 0-19) in Somerset for which Child Benefit was being received. An additional 4,895 children were ‘opted out’ due to the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HIBC). Data are published by age and family size and can act as a ‘real-time’ proxy for the child population (however, families choosing not to claim (as a result of HIBC) are excluded, so this may become less reliable over time).

One-child families represent nearly half (46%) of families in Somerset. Approximately 1% of families have five or more children.

See: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-benefit-statistics-geographical-analysis-august-2015

10. Teenage Pregnancy briefing

The Local Government Association (LGA) in association with Public Health England have published a teenage pregnancy briefing for councillors, based on case studies from a range of local authorities.

The briefing acknowledges large declines in teenage pregnancy rates in recent years, while suggesting more can be done to accelerate improvements in areas with high rates, and narrowing inequalities. The full report is available for downloaded at: www.local.gov.uk/web/guest/publications/-/journal_content/56/10180/7661314/PUBLICATION

Facts and figures on teenage pregnancy in Somerset are available at: www.somersetintelligence.org.uk/sexual-health.html

The Office for National Statistics will be publishing latest annual conception data (for 2014) on 9^th March.

11. New ONS website launch

The Office for National Statistics has re-launched its website, promising significant improvements to its search and navigation (which have previously been widely criticised). As well as improvements in performance, the new website has also been tailored to work better on mobile devices. See: www.ons.gov.uk/

12. Forthcoming Statistical Releases

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

• Local Alcohol Profiles for England: mortality indicators, 2016 annual data update (PHE)
• Dwelling Stock Estimates, England: 2015 (DCLG)
• Conceptions in England and Wales: 2014 (ONS)
• Disability-Free Life Expectancy by Upper Tier Local Authority: England 2012-14 (ONS)
• 2016 Child Health Profiles (ONS)
• Geographic patterns of cancer survival, England: 2014 (ONS)
• Outcomes for children looked after by local authorities: England (DfE)

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