The NatCen Blog

Here we’ll be talking about our research in the context of the latest news, opinion and
analysis through comments from our team of experts. We’d love to hear from you, so post comments or get in touch with us.

To keep up to date with out latests blog posts and reports, subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Posted on 03 August 2017 by Eleanor Attar Taylor, Senior Researcher

British attitudes to abortion

This year marks 50 years since abortions became legally available in Britain. NatCen's British Social Attitudes survey has been tracking changes in attitudes to abortion for over 30 years.
Read the rest of this entry

Tags: British Social Attitudes, abortion, social and political attitudes
Posted on 27 July 2017 by Alun Humphrey, Group Head

The time (series) they are a changin'

This year’s National Travel Survey highlights an important issue facing both producers and users of national statistics.
Read the rest of this entry

Tags: methodolgy, national statistic, social surveys, time series
Posted on 27 July 2017 by NatCen, Research

Charting changing attitudes – Same-sex relationships

One of the most remarkable changes in attitudes uncovered by NatCen’s British Social Attitudes survey of the past 30 or so years has been how the British public view same-sex relationships.
Read the rest of this entry

Tags: Gay marriage, Same sex relationships, Transgender, gay, sexuality, social and political attitudes
Posted on 13 July 2017 by Sarah Frankenburg, Senior Researcher

The changing profile of private renters

The changing profile of first time buyers is reflected in the changing profile of the rented sectors. Sarah Frankenburg explores some of the trends apparent in the English Housing Survey.
Read the rest of this entry

Tags: EHS, English Housing Survey, renting
Posted on 13 July 2017 by Leigh Marshall, Head of Communications

The Personal is Statistical: A not so modern man

In our monthly series, The Personal is Statistical, we'll be talking about where statistics have interacted with our personal lives. Leigh Marshall reflects on how our attitudes and our actions can contradict each other.
Read the rest of this entry

Tags: British Social Attitudes, Gender, Racial PRejudice, The Personal is Statistical
Posted on 12 July 2017 by Svetlana Speight, Research Director

How should I feel about sending my child to childcare?

A new report from the NatCen-led Study of Early Education and Development (SEED) answers a lot of questions parents may have about using childcare.
Read the rest of this entry

Tags: Children's centres, childcare (2), children, children & young people research
Posted on 03 July 2017 by Ian Montagu, Researcher (Social Attitudes) ScotCen

Drop in religious identity in Scotland continues - but further decline is not inevitable

New figures show that 6 in 10 Scots now have no religious affiliation, but Ian Montagu argues that the Church's decline can be halted.
Read the rest of this entry

Tags: Scottish Social Attitudes, religion, scotland
Posted on 28 June 2017 by Guy Goodwin, Chief Executive

Behind the Headlines: NatCen's British Social Attitudes report

Today we publish the 34th British Social Attitudes report. After Brexit, a snap election and hung parliament, our long-running survey looks beyond the headlines and gets to the heart of what the public think about today's most important issues.
Read the rest of this entry

Tags: British Social Attitudes
Posted on 28 June 2017 by Ben Baumberg Geiger, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Social Policy, University of Kent

Sharp softening of attitudes to benefit claimants, reveals new data

For 25 years, the British public have been hostile towards benefit claimants. But the latest British Social Attitudes report suggests that this is changing.
Read the rest of this entry

Tags: British Social Attitudes, benefits system
Posted on 28 June 2017 by Aaron Reeves, Associate Professorial Research Fellow in Poverty and Inequality, London School of Economics and Political Science

Tax avoidance and benefit manipulation: a double standard?

Do the British public consider tax evasion and benefit manipulation to be as bad as each other?
Read the rest of this entry

Tags: British Social Attitudes, benefits system, tax