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.

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Posted on 22 June 2017 by NatCen, Research

Sleeplessness – a peculiarly British problem?

This blog looks at the extent to which restless sleep is a problem in Britain and how this compares to our European neighbours.
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Tags: ESS, European Social Survey, Sleep
Posted on 21 June 2017 by Charlotte Saunders, Researcher

Summertime and the livin’ is easy… especially for bacteria

Al fresco dining in hot weather can increase the likelihood of food poisoning. Analysis by Charlotte Saunders shows which areas of the country have the riskiest food behaviour.
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Tags: food
Posted on 20 June 2017 by Emily Tanner, Head of Children, Families & Work

More good schools: Are grammar schools the answer?

The assumption that there is consensus about what makes a good school runs through education policy and debate. But this may not be how the public sees it, as Emily Tanner explains.
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Tags: NatCen Panel, education, grammar schools, schools
Posted on 19 June 2017 by Nancy Kelley, Director of Policy Research Centre

The Personal is Statistical: Whatever you do, don't get pregnant

In our monthly series, The Personal is Statistical, we'll be talking about where statistics have interacted with our personal lives. Nancy Kelley reflects on growing up in the shadow of a moral panic about teen mothers.
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Tags: The Personal is Statistical, pregnancy
Posted on 14 June 2017 by Anne Conolly, Research Director

New data tool opens up England’s changing health over the past 25 years

This week we launched an online tool which allows users to interact with and explore England’s health trends and changing lifestyles over the last quarter of a century.
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Posted on 07 June 2017 by Roger Harding, Head of Public Attitudes

5 key election findings from the NatCen Panel

Only the NatCen Panel has used the sampling approach recommended by the polling inquiry. Roger Harding outlines 5 key findings from the latest Panel research.
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Tags: British Social Attitudes, NatCen Panel, NatCen on the Election
Posted on 07 June 2017 by Kirby Swales, Director of Survey Research Centre

Looking into the crystal ball – polling methods in the 2017 General Election

Who would want to be a pollster? Kirby Swales looks at what lessons have been learned from the 2015 polling miss.
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Tags: NatCen Panel, NatCen on the Election, general election, methodology, polling
Posted on 07 June 2017 by Curtis Jessop, Senior Researcher

How is adjusting for turnout affecting the opinion polls?

Curtis Jessop sheds some light on the impact turnout weights can have on political polling.
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Tags: NatCen on the Election, general election, methodology, polling
Posted on 07 June 2017 by NatCen, Research

NatCen on the Election: Will young people turn out to vote?

A flurry of voter registrations by people under-35 has got everyone talking about the influence this group could have on the election result. But will they turn out to vote?
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Tags: NatCen on the Election, politics, polling, young people
Posted on 07 June 2017 by Keeva Rooney, Researcher

NatCen on the Election: 4 things our health surveys can tell you about manifesto pledges

What do the manifestos say about improving the nation's health - and are they likely to make any difference? Keeva Rooney outlines 4 things you need to know.
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Tags: NatCen on the Election, child obesity, health, healthy eating, public health