How to find statistics for yourself

Link: www.nomisweb.co.uk

The website’s title stands for ‘National Online Manpower Information Service’, and most of the data sets are economic – labour market surveys, unemployment figures, jobs statistics and so on. But this website is also the easiest way to get Census results.

You can create tables which contain the information you need by choosing a data set, and then going through the further options, selecting perimeters based on area (from country level down to wards and OAs when available; you can also create custom areas), and choosing what factors to include in your table.

The first time you use the site, select ‘Wizard query’ – this will guide you through the process of creating a table.

You can also view a labour market profile of an area, which includes data on population, employment, unemployment, qualifications, earnings, benefit claimants and businesses. These are available for areas such as wards, counties, and parliamentary constituencies.

Link: www.ons.gov.uk

A very large collection of the Office of National Statistics’ publications, on various themes like Crime and Justice, Economy, Population, and Transport.

The information is available in various formats – reports, raw data, surveys etc – but it’s not possible for you to choose exactly what figures you get.

You can browse the various themes to find the information, or search for keywords – but the system isn’t very sophisticated, which means finding the right information can be challenging.

You can also subscribe to ONS bulletins, which let you know when new data is released in fields which are of interest to you.

Some publications, but not all, are available in Welsh. Details about how to use the site can be found on the Guidance and Methodology page.

Link: www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/Catalogue

A collection of data relevant to Wales, from a number of different sources; some are available at a county as well as national level. The site creates tables which you are able to edit. The data is split into different categories, for example Education and Skills, Housing, Tourism, Transport, and the Welsh Language.

You can find the information by searching for a keyword or by browsing the catalogue category by category. The interface lets you decide what factors to see (e.e. periods, areas), sort the data, create chart, and export. The Help page gives detailed guidance on using the site.

The National Strategic Indicators Browser displays the results in map and graph form. 

Link: www.cymru.gov.uk/statistics-and-research

Welsh statistics which, mostly, relate to the fields where the Welsh Government works. Along with research results, the site contains evaluations of Government programs and regional profiles.

Most of the information is presented in report or bulletin form rather than as raw data. As with the ONS website, you can drill down through the themes or search for keywords.

Link: www.infobasecymru.net

The site is maintained by the Local Government Data Unit Wales, and is a comprehensive collection of a number of various relevant statistics. Its main focus is on mapping data, but you can also see reports about specific areas, and create sophisticated tables and charts. Outputs can be printed and exported.

A guide to using the system can be viewed in the Help document.

Link: http://mylocalschool.gov.wales/ 

You can find a specific school in order to view statistics such as the number of pupils and staff, information about finance and courses, and the school’s results.