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Methodology

UKFacts uses only data published by UK government bodies and established international organisations. We do not adjust, reweight, or editorially select figures to support a point of view. Every number links directly to its primary source.

Our principles

  • Government data only. We do not use polling, estimates from think tanks, or proprietary data. Every indicator traces back to a named government publication or international statistical body.
  • Non-partisan presentation. We show what the data says — strengths and weaknesses alike — without filtering for a political narrative.
  • Source transparency. Every indicator card links directly to the original dataset. Verify any figure yourself in seconds.
  • Clear update cadence. Each indicator shows when it was last updated and how frequently the underlying data is published.

Data sources by category

Economy

GDP growth rate ONS ↗
CPI inflation ONS ↗
Unemployment rate ONS ↗
Real wage growth ONS ↗
Interest rate Bank of England ↗
Public sector debt ONS ↗

Health

NHS elective waiting list NHS England ↗
A&E wait times NHS England ↗
Life expectancy ONS ↗

Housing

Average house prices ONS / Land Registry ↗
Private rental prices ONS ↗
Housing completions MHCLG ↗

Education

PISA scores OECD ↗
University participation HESA ↗

Crime

Knife crime offences Home Office ↗
Overall crime rate ONS / CSEW ↗
Prison population MoJ ↗

Immigration

Net migration ONS ↗
Small boat crossings Home Office ↗
Asylum applications Home Office ↗
Work & student visas Home Office ↗

International comparisons

G7 comparisons use data published by the IMF and OECD. The G7 average shown on each indicator is the simple mean of the seven member countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States). Where a G7 member has not reported a figure, it is excluded from the average.

Update frequency

Indicators are updated as soon as the underlying source publishes new data. Update frequency varies by indicator: monthly (e.g. CPI inflation, labour market), quarterly (e.g. GDP, net migration), and annual (e.g. education outcomes, long-term health metrics). The "Last updated" date on each indicator reflects the most recent data point available, not the date we added it to the site.

Licence

The underlying statistics are published by their respective organisations under the Open Government Licence v3.0 or equivalent open data terms. UKFacts's own compilation, commentary, and design are published under CC BY 4.0. See our Terms of Service for full details.

Corrections

If you spot an error or a stale figure, please contact us at data@ukfacts.org. We take data accuracy seriously and will correct errors promptly.