Tag: Office for National Statistics
Deaths of homeless people in England and Wales
Nearly 600 homeless people died on the streets or in temporary accommodation in England and Wales in 2017, up 24% in five years, according to the first government figures on the issue.
After a slight drop in 2013, deaths have risen every year since, from 475 in 2014 to 597 last year, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. The average age of a rough sleeper at death was 44 years for men and 42 years for women. Men made up 84% of homeless deaths.
London and the north-west had the highest mortality of homeless people in England and Wales. More than half of the deaths in 2017 were caused by drug poisoning, suicide or alcohol abuse. No figures were calculated for 2018.
On Wednesday a homeless man became the second rough sleeper to die outside parliament this year after he collapsed in a stairwell.
The figures, which are estimates, were calculated by checking death registrations in England and Wales for indications that a person was homeless at or near their time of death. ONS researchers searched for terms such as "no fixed abode" in records, also checking whether the address included in the death registration belonged to a night shelter or a hostel.
The north-west, including cities such as Manchester and Liverpool, experienced the largest increase in homeless deaths, more than doubling in five years, from 55 in 2013 to 119 in 2017.
Fatalities in the north-east and Yorkshire have risen by 71% and 58% respectively since 2013.
The ONS findings show a pattern of deaths among homeless people which is strikingly different from the general population. For example, the causes of deaths recorded provide an insight into the circumstances around people who die while having no home. It is already known that homeless people can have complex health and personal histories, as well as being exposed to high levels of risk and difficulty obtaining good quality medical care.
In October the government pledged that local authorities would hold serious case reviews to investigate all homeless deaths, but it has not provided any funding or support for this work.
More than 24,000 people in Britain will spend this Christmas sleeping rough or in cars, trains, buses or tents, according to figures by the homelessness charity Crisis.
On Tuesday the communities secretary, James Brokenshire, said government policy was not responsible for the rise in rough sleeping. Official figures show it has increased by 169% since 2010, but the true number is believed to be much higher. Instead, Brokenshire blamed the spread of psychoactive drugs such as spice, a rise in non-UK nationals on the streets, and family breakdown.
Ben Humberstone, the ONS's head of health and life events, said:
"Every year hundreds of people die while homeless. These are some of the most vulnerable members of our society so it was vital that we produced estimates of sufficient quality to properly shine a light on this critical issue. Today we have been able to do just that.
"Our findings show a pattern of deaths among homeless people that is strikingly different from the general population. For example, homeless people tend to die younger and from different causes. The average age of death last year was 44 years, with 84% of all deaths being men. More than half were related to drug poisoning, suicide or alcohol – causes that made up only 3% of overall deaths last year."
Martin Tett, the Local Government Association's housing spokesman, said all homeless deaths were preventable, but he said supporting people at risk of homelessness was becoming increasingly difficult for councils because of lack of funding:
"Proper resourcing of local government funding is essential if we are going to end rising homelessness. Councils also need to keep 100% of the receipts of any homes they sell to replace them and reinvest in building more of the genuinely affordable homes they desperately need and the ability to adapt welfare reforms to prevent people from losing their home where possible".
Brokenshire said on Thursday the figures would help the government in its "mission to end rough sleeping for good".
"No one is meant to spend their lives on the streets or without a home to call their own. Every death on our streets is too many and it is simply unacceptable to see lives cut short this way."
"To stop people from becoming homeless in the first place, we've changed the law to require councils to provide early support for those at risk of being left with nowhere left to go, are boosting access to affordable housing and making renting more secure."
ONS Publications
Deaths of homeless people in England and Wales: 2013 to 2017
The first Experimental Statistics of the number of deaths of homeless people in England and Wales. Figures are given for deaths registered in the years 2013 to 2017.
Experimental Statistics showing for the first time the number of deaths of homeless people in England and Wales, by sex, five-year age group and underlying cause of death.
Posted in Social action, Social WorkTagged Ben Humberstone, England, homeless, homelessness, James Brokenshire, Martin Tett, Office for National Statistics, ONS, WalesLeave a comment
Youth work and social care news from around the world
Posted on September 8, 2018 September 23, 2018 By Chris
Links from around the world of youth work and social care:
One in eight young people without degrees work in graduate jobs: The ONS publishes research showing that in 2017, 12% of non-graduates (327,303) aged 22 to 29 were working in a graduate job – defined as a role where the tasks typically require knowledge and skills gained through higher education. This compares with 54% of graduates (1,273,336) in the same age group who had a graduate job.
Call for young people to join NSPCC online safety group: The NSPCC is looking for young people aged 13-18 to join their online safety advisory group, to ensure young people's views and experiences inform NSPCC campaigns, policy work and projects to help keep children safe online. Taking part will include face to face and online discussions about issues from gaming to online grooming. If you work in a school and are interested in your pupils getting involved, please email ParticipationUnit@NSPCC.org.uk. The deadline for young people to apply is Friday 21st September.
Keeping children safe in education: The Department for Education (DfE) statutory guidance for schools and colleges in England on Keeping children safe in education comes into force on 3 September 2018. The guidance includes: changes to information for all staff; the management of safeguarding; and a new section covering child on child sexual violence and sexual harassment. Annex H of the guidance provides a table of all changes.
Child Poverty: The House of Commons library has published a briefing paper setting out information on the levels and rates of poverty, including child poverty, in the UK. Figures show that in 2016/17 4.1 million children – 30% of all children – were in relative low income households after housing costs, up 100,000 from the previous year. Projections indicate that the proportion of children in relative low income households is expected to increase to 37% in 2021/22 based on incomes after housing costs.
Child Migrants: The House of Commons Library has published a briefing paper giving an overview of the policy and practice of immigration detention in the UK. The briefing includes information on: unaccompanied children, at risk adults, pregnant women and families with children.
Children's play and physical activity: The Children's Commissioner for England has published a report looking at the importance to children of play and physical activity. Recommendations for government include: putting out-of-school activity at the heart of the plan to reduce obesity; and focussing on play and activity in policy responses to challenges faced by children, including mental health issues and excessive use of technology.
Good childhood report: The Children's Society has published its seventh in-depth report on children and young people's wellbeing in the UK. The report uses data from the Millennium Cohort Survey on the lives of more than 11,000 children born in the UK in 2000-01. In 2015, when the children were 14, they were asked whether they had hurt themselves on purpose in any way in the past year. Responses show that: 22% of girls and 9.2% of boys had self-harmed.
Transgender foster carers and adopters: An article in Community Care outlines tips to help social workers supporting transgender foster carers and adopters. Good practice tips include: using inclusive gender neutral language wherever possible in written materials; and not making assumptions or having fixed views about what is 'normal' for transgender people.
Posted in Children's and Youth Work, Education, News, News & Politics, Schools work, Social WorkTagged adopters, child migrants, Children's Commissioner, Community Care, Department for Education, DfE, Employment, foster carers, graduates, House of Commons, immigration, internet safety, Keeping children safe in education, Millennium Cohort Survey, NSPCC, NSPCC online safety group, Office for National Statistics, ONS, physical activity, play, The Children's Society, The Good Childhood Report, transgenderLeave a comment
Knife crime statistics
Posted on July 1, 2018 July 4, 2018 By Chris
The House of Commons Library has published a briefing paper summarising the available statistics relating to knife crime in England and Wales. The paper includes Crime Survey of England and Wales data relating to children and young people which shows that for the year ending March 2016 6.2 % of 10 – 15 year olds and 4.2% of 16 – 29 year olds knew someone who carried a knife for their own protection.
Other key statistics include:
Recorded crime: In the year ending March 2017, there were 34,700 (selected) offences involving a knife or sharp instrument in England and Wales. This is the highest number in the seven-year series (from year ending March 2011) the earliest point for which comparable data are available.
Homicide: In 2016/17 there were 215 homicides currently recorded using a sharp instrument, including knives and broken bottles, accounting for 30% of all homicides – a similar number as recorded in 2015/16 (213).
Knife crime by police force area: London recorded the highest rate of 137 offences involving a knife per 100,000 population3 in 2016/17, an increase of 23 offences from 2015/16. Surrey had the lowest rate of 4 offences per 100,000 individuals (down 2 from 2015/16).
Proven offences and offenders: In year ending March 2018, there were 21,044 disposals given for possession of a knife or offensive weapon. Juveniles (aged 10-17) were the offenders in 21% of cases.
Hospital admissions: There were 4,434 finished consultant episodes (FCE) recorded in English hospitals in 2016/17 due to assault by a sharp object. This was an increase of 7.6% compared to 2015/16 and 21.7% higher than in 2014/15.
Posted in Children's and Youth Work, News, StatisticsTagged briefing, crime, homicide, House of Commons, House of Commons briefing paper, juvenile offenders, knife crime, Office for National Statistics, ONS, young offendersLeave a comment
Suicide in England and Wales increasing among young people
Posted on June 12, 2018 June 20, 2018 By Chris
The Guardian reports on figures that show the overall the number of deaths by suicide among those age 10 to 19 in England and Wales has increased by 24 per cent from 148 deaths in 2013/14 to 184 tickets in 2015/16. The number of deaths by suicide in the same age category increased by 107 per cent from 2013/14 to 2015/16 in London itself.
The Brent Centre for Young People in north London under the 2000 Freedom of Information Act requested the information from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The centre called for more investment in mental health services and education to prevent a "needless waste of young lives".
Dr Maxim de Sauma, the chief executive of the centre, which supports more than 600 young people with mental health problems each year, said: "When young people with crippling or disabling mental health conditions are not given the support they need, it wastes lives."
Posted in Children's and Youth Work, News, Politics, StatisticsTagged Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Dr. Maxim de Sauma, mental health, Office for National Statistics, suicide, teenagers, The Brent Centre for Young People, young people, youth ministry, Youth workLeave a comment
Volunteers gave 7% less of their time to help their communities in the UK
Posted on March 16, 2017 By Chris
Volunteers gave 7% less of their time to help their communities, at a loss to the UK of more than £1 billion, between 2012 and 2015, the latest figures from the ONS show.
In fact, there has been a general decline in the time that the UK's unsung heroes and heroines spend volunteering since 2005, according to ONS analysis.
Despite the value of the voluntary sector to the UK, there has been a 15.4% decline in the total number of frequent hours1 volunteered, between 2005 and 2015 – a drop from 2.28 billion hours to 1.93 billion, figures from the Community Life Survey (CLS) show.
Latest figures from 2014 show volunteering represented 2% of the total value of unpaid work, and was worth £23 billion.2
Total frequent hours of formal volunteering, billion hours, 2005 to 2014
Overall, there was a decline in the amount of time put into volunteering. Between 2000 and 2015 it dropped from an average (mean) of 14.5 minutes per volunteer, per day to 13.7 minutes.
This equates to a drop from a weekly average of one hour and 42 minutes to one hour and 36 minutes per volunteer.
Young people and volunteering
The statistics suggest that those in the youngest age group of 16 to 24 have increased the time they devote to volunteering while those in the 25 to 34 age category have decreased their volunteering time.
In 2015 average time and participation in volunteering was higher for those aged between 16 and 24 (17 minutes per day and 51% participation) and was a noticeable rise as compared to those in the same age group in 2000 (nine minutes per day and 40 % participation).
It could be that, as younger people try and secure employment, they undertake voluntary work in order to enhance their CVs, but as they embed themselves in their careers, at an older age, their focus turns to building their careers.
Also, younger people have more free time, with participation rates for students rising the most – by 12 percentage points between 2000 and 2015 – from 46% to 58%.
Posted in Children's and Youth Work, News, News & Politics, StatisticsTagged Office for National Statistics, ONS, volunteering, Youth workLeave a comment
Why religious people are happier
Posted on February 4, 2016 By Chris
Reports that the latest Office for National Statistics survey seems to confirm what similar ones have already shown: religious people are happier.
Over four years, religious people scored their life satisfaction at 7.53 out of 10 and their happiness at 7.38. People with no religion scored their happiness at only 7.22. Compared with other faiths, Christians are mid-table at 7.47; Muslims are only 7.33, while Hindus are a cheerful 7.57.
There is a word of caution with interpreting this data though:
The temptation is to argue this proves religion makes you happy and satisfied with life. It's not so, of course. For one thing, it might not be the content of faith – which all religious adherents would say is pretty important – that matters, but being part of a supportive community, which religions often provide. Another is that it might be happy, cheerful people who naturally like going to the church, or mosque, or gurdwara; if you're naturally miserable, you're more likely to stay at home.
Posted in ChurchTagged church, happiness, Office for National Statistics, ONS, religionLeave a comment
Christmas dinner was £5 cheaper in 2015
Posted on January 1, 2016 By Chris
The average cost of Christmas dinner has fallen by nearly £5 since 2014 meat, vegetable and drinks prices lower the cost of the festive set-piece, official figures have shown.
Based on the Office for National Statistics' inflation data for 20 individual "Christmas" items, the cost of the meal – albeit substituting turkey steaks for a full turkey – has fallen from £105.78 to £100.84 in the past 12 months, a fall of just under 5 per cent.
Food prices – down 2.7 per cent year on year in November – have eased the pressure on household budgets. The figures showed double-digit falls in the cost of broccoli, carrots, cream crackers and back bacon in the past year. The price of turkey steaks has also fallen by more than 8 per cent, while the price of the single biggest outlay – champagne – has sunk 6 per cent from £30.74 to £28.85, the ONS said. The average cost of a bottle of red wine and port are also down almost 4 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.
Out of 20 items included by the ONS in the "Christmas dinner" inflation basket, only four – sponge cake, ice-cream, ground coffee and a box of chocolates – are more expensive than a year ago. The average cost of sponge cake rose by far the most sharply, up from 95p to £1.43, or more than 50 per cent.
Although this 2015's Christmas dinner is cheaper compared to 2014, shoppers are still paying more compared to previous years. In 2008 the same basket of goods cost £88.41, while in 2010 the festive meal cost £92.43 – more than £8 cheaper than 2015.
Posted in News, StatisticsTagged Christmas, Christmas dinner, inflation, Office for National Statistics, ONS, statisticsLeave a comment