This monthly publication keeps you informed of key issues and developments in research impacting on, or of interest to, local government.
April 2026 Analysis and Research Bulletin
Welcome to the Local Government Association (LGA) Analysis and Research Bulletin.
This comprehensive monthly publication keeps you informed about key issues and developments in research impacting on local government.
The bulletin brings together the work of the LGA and also features relevant publications from the wider research community. The information in this bulletin is grouped under themed areas. This publication is produced by LGA Research and Information and we provide high-quality analysis and research across all aspects of local government.
A new archive providing back-dated copies of this bulletin is now available.
Education and young people
Apprenticeships: August 2025 to January 2026 - England
These statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Department for Education (DfE) provide information on apprenticeships in England from August 2025 to January 2026.
Further education and skills statistics: August 2025 to January 2026 - England
These DfE statistics provide information on participation and learner outcomes in the further education (FE) and skills sector including apprenticeships, reported from August 2025 to January 2026 in England.
Pupil attendance in schools updated to include data covering the period 8 September 2025 to 3 April 2026 - England
This DfE data provides information on the levels of attendance and overall, authorised and unauthorised absence in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools in England from 8 September 2025 to 3 April 2026.
Level two and three attainment by young people aged 16 to 25 in 2025 - England
These DfE statistics provide information on the attainment of young people aged 16 to 25 in 2025 in England in 2025, based on matched administrative data.
Family routes: educational outcomes for children in long-term foster care
This DfE report considers the educational outcomes of children who remained in long-term foster care after entering care before the age of eight in England
Outcomes for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities, in England: 2024 to 2025
These DfE statistics provide a range of outcome measures at national and local authority level for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England between 2024 and 2025.
Child sexual abuse and exploitation: recording practices in children’s social care and serious incident reporting
This DfE report provides information about child sexual abuse and exploitation recording practices and serious incident reporting, including qualitative insights across six local authorities in England.
Survey of adult skills 2023: national reports for England
These DfE reports consider the literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills of adults in England compared with those in other countries. The survey was carried out in 31 countries during 2022 and 2023.
Whole school approach to child sexual abuse
The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) have published a new, step-by-step guide for early years provisions, schools, colleges and other education settings to help improve their response to child sexual abuse.
Transport
Concessionary travel statistics: year ending, March 2025 - England
These concessionary travel statistics for the year ending March 2025 in England provide information on the number of bus passes, bus journeys, reimbursement and expenditure.
Statistical digest of rural England
The Statistical Digest is a compendium of socio-economic statistics for rural areas. The compendium is structured into eight thematic reports and the latest statistics on average travel patterns, access to vehicles and charging infrastructure, transport connectivity, and home working are now available in the connectivity and accessibility report.
Daily domestic transport use by mode, 7 March to 13 April 2026 – Great Britain
These Department for Transport (DfT) statistics provide information on the daily usage of selected domestic transport by mode in Great Britain and now include data from 7 March to 13 April 2026.
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure statistics, April 2026 – UK
These data and statistics from DfT and the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles provide information about public electric vehicle charging provision and have been updated to include details of monthly public EV chargers by country and region in the UK in April 2026.
Environment
Provisional UK greenhouse gas emissions statistics 2025
These Department for Energy Security and Net Zero statistics provide provisional estimates of UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions for 2025, including quarterly emissions estimates.
Energy trends: October to December 2025 - UK
Energy Trends is a quarterly bulletin from Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and contains statistics on all major aspects of energy in the UK between October and December 2025.
Household Energy Efficiency Statistics: January 2013 to February 2026 – England, Scotland and Wales
These Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero statistics, provide information on household energy efficiency in England, Scotland and Wales between January 2013 and February 2026.
Local government
Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027
These Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) statistics provide details of the level of Council Tax set by local authorities in England for the financial year 2026 to 2027.
Early careers in local government
Supporting councils to engage with the future workforce, the LGA Early Careers Toolkit contains guidance and resources to help councils connect with providers and young people and promote local government as a good place to work.
Metrics added to LG Inform this month include:
Community Life Survey
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have published additional metrics from their Community Life Survey. In 2024/25, 75 per cent of respondents in England aged 16 and over were satisfied with the local services and amenities, unchanged from 2023/24. Whereas nine per cent of respondents were dissatisfied with the local services and amenities in 2024/25, also unchanged from 2023/24. See LG Inform for the results from your area.
Available Geographies: Country – Region – London borough – Metropolitan District – Unitary – District
Local police recorded crimes
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have published local police recorded crime data for the 12 months to end of 2025. In England, there were 4,896,466 recorded offences (excluding fraud) down from 5,008,534 offences in the 12 months to end of 2024. The total recorded offences (excluding fraud) (offences per 1,000 population) for England in 2025 was 83.53 down from 85.44 in 2024. For more detailed information for your area compared to other similar areas, please see the LG Inform Crime and disorder report.
Available Geographies: Country – Region – County – London borough – Metropolitan District – Unitary – District
Employment, pay and workforce
April 2026 monthly labour market statistics - UK
This Learning and Work Institute publication provides an analysis of the ONS labour market statistics, released on the morning of 21 April 2026.
Labour Market Briefing: 21 April 2026 - Learning and Work Institute
Further education college workforce analysis - England
This DfE experimental analysis focuses on the further education college workforce in England using teachers’ pensions scheme data.
Teacher demand and postgraduate trainee need: 2026 to 2027 academic year - England
This DfE data provides information on annual teacher demand trajectories and postgraduate initial teacher training trainee need, for those starting training in the 2026 to 2027 academic year, in England.
Economy
'How to' guide on understanding local Gross Value Added (GVA), productivity, and income
This guide from the What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth
is intended to help local policymakers understand how to think about the GVA, productivity, and income performance of their local area and develop appropriate policies. It provides guidance on available data and what to look for when you analyse it.
This guide is part of a series on understanding local economic performance, with guides on analysing local economic data and understanding skills, below:
'How to' guide: analysing local economic data
Using example charts, this ‘how to’ guide walks policymakers through defining their research questions, selecting data, analysing data, and presenting data. From considering stocks and flows to choosing the right comparison places, this guide is a useful overview for anyone just starting their data analysis journey.
Understanding local economic performance: skills
This 'how to' guide helps policymakers understand their local skills performance, taking the reader through data and the policy implications for an example local authority.
Economic activity and social change in the UK, real-time indicators: 23 April 2026
This ONS early experimental data and analysis provides information on economic activity and social change in the UK.
UK trade, quarterly goods and services: October to December 2025
These ONS quarterly estimates provide information on total trade, trade in goods, and trade in services by country for October to December 2025.
Retail sales; Great Britain: March 2026
These ONS statistics provide a first estimate of retail sales in Great Britain in volume and value terms, seasonally and non-seasonally adjusted.
Housing
Tenure change: turning existing dwellings and buildings into social homes - Wales
This report from The Bevan Foundation considers the opportunities to turn existing dwellings and buildings into social homes, including the benefits, and the barriers to this being done at scale.
Crime
Criminal court statistics quarterly: October to December 2025 – England and Wales
These Ministry of Justice (MoJ) statistics provide information on the type and volume of cases received and processed through the criminal court system of England and Wales, including statistics on case timeliness.
Pathways between probation and addiction: a follow-up study - England
This report from the MoJ and DHSC provides the results of a follow-up study of alcohol or drug treatment requirements assessing engagement and reconviction outcomes using justice (including probation notes) and health data.
Regular publications and events
Free online workshop: Using QGIS to map 2021/22 census data from the UK Data Service
22 April 2026, 10.00 - 12.30
A table of numbers is not always the best way to present census data, often we want to visualise the information as a map to help people see patterns quickly.
This free online workshop, organised by the UK Data Service, will focus on the use of the free and open-source cross-platform QGIS GIS application to create maps and other geographical visualisations from 2021/22 census data provided by the UK Data Service (UKDS).
Participants will be provided with materials covering the steps involved in the practical demonstrations should they wish to go through the steps themselves during or after the session.
More information and booking<https://ukdataservice.ac.uk/events/using-qgis-to-map-2021-22-census-data-from-the-uk-data-service-2026-04-22/>
View all UK Data Service events<https://ukdataservice.ac.uk/training-events/>
View census resources on the UKDS Learning Hub<https://ukdataservice.ac.uk/learning-hub/census/>
PHIRST Webinar- Working with under-served communities in public health research
Thursday 7 May 10-11.30AM online,
The central mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Central to this mission is ensuring that research meaningfully reflects the diversity of the populations it aims to serve. Yet traditional research approaches often adopt a “one size fits all” model, which can inadvertently exclude people who face additional barriers to participating in research, including those from underserved groups.
This NIHR PHIRST webinar brings together teams whose evaluations have engaged closely with such populations. Through three case studies, presenters will share practical insights into what worked well, what proved challenging, and what can be learned to support more inclusive and context‑sensitive public health research. The webinar will showcase experiences from evaluation projects involving:
- Prison leavers supported by Projects Athena and Phoenix
- Over 65s taking part in the Falls Management Exercise programme
- Parents accessing the Best Start for Baby Service in Camden
Find out more about each presentation on the PHIRST website
Register for the Working with under-served communities in public health research on Eventbrite.
Upcoming webinar - NIHR Policy Research Unit in Healthy Ageing
The NIHR Policy Research Unit in Healthy Ageing is continuing its webinar series to showcase a broad range of research delivered by the Unit informing health and social care policy and practice. Sessions will be of interest to those working across policy in national government, regional combined and local authorities, health and social care practitioners, public health, voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sectors, professional bodies, think tanks, large charities and anyone interested in the health and wellbeing of those in mid to later life.
Find out more about the next webinar, Improving how physical activity is assessed in primary care, which is held in collaboration with the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Healthy Weight.
Please also share with your networks, all are welcome. If you have any questions or concerns about accessibility, please contact [email protected]
Date: Wednesday 6 May 2026: 12.00pm - 1.00pm
Chair: Professor Chris Todd (University of Manchester)
This session will include talks on:
- Characterising the use of the General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPPAQ) in English primary care, using data from the Clinical Practice Research Data Link (CPRD)
- Brief Tools for the Assessment of Physical Activity in Primary Care Settings: An Expert-Informed Narrative Review
- Roundtable on Tools to Support Measurement of Physical Activity in Primary Care Settings
Follow-on webinars will be shared on the NIHR events listings over time.
Local government’s best kept secret - unlock the value of your data at the GeoPlace Conference 2026
Transform how your authority uses its existing data assets with practical insights from the GeoPlace Annual Conference on 21 May in Leicester. This free event focuses on how address and street data — including UPRNs and USRNs — can be put to work to improve service delivery, streamline processes, and support evidence‑based decision‑making.
Delegates will hear from strategic speakers, take part in interactive roundtables, and explore real‑world examples showing how councils are reducing duplication, improving coordination across services, and unlocking organisational value with better data.
For transformation teams looking to drive efficiency, strengthen data capabilities, and support better outcomes without new data spend, this conference delivers actionable learning and practical approaches you can apply back at your authority.
Social Research Association (SRA) training courses
The SRA are currently offering a range of online training courses using zoom.
SRA - Social Research Practice journal
The latest issue of the SRA's free e-journal is now available.
The Rees Centre newsletter
The Rees Centre newsletter is published every two months giving an update on their fostering related research activities and events along with a book review and a section on young voices.
Changing Populations newsletter
The latest newsletter from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Centre for Population Change is now available.
Child Welfare Inequalities Project (CWIP) news
The CWIP at Coventry University studies the links between deprivation and children’s chances of being unable to live safely within their birth families and also aims to establish child welfare inequalities as a core concept in policy making, practice and research. Information about current CWIP projects is available on the website.
NIHR School for Public Health Research
Sign-up to receive the latest news and updates from the NIHR School for Public Research including publications, funding opportunities, upcoming events and more. Sign-up for the NIHR mailing list. Read the latest NIHR newsletter.
Centre for Evaluation newsletter
The Centre for Evaluation develops interventions, systems and strategies to improve public health using rigorous evaluation methods. Visit the website to sign up for the Centre for Evaluation newsletter.
What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth newsletter
This regular newsletter from the What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth provides the latest resources and evidence. Visit the website to sign up for the What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth newsletter.
Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Newsletter
The CSA newsletter
brings together the most up-to-date research into an accessible overview for frontline professionals and commissioners. Visit the website to sign up for the CSA newsletter.
National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) Direct
This regular NFER newsletter provides research, industry insights and free resources and events. Sign up for the NFER newsletter.
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) Centre for Evaluation
The Centre for Evaluation aims to improve the design and conduct of evaluations of complex public health interventions through the development, application and dissemination of rigorous methods, and facilitate the use of robust evidence to inform policy and practice decisions. The Centre produces a termly newsletter.
Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) newsletter
WCPP works to address key economic and societal challenges through the use of evidence and produce a regular WCPP newsletter
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) news alert
EEF news alerts provide information about teaching and learning toolkits, project evaluation reports, grant funding rounds and news and events.
NESTA
NESTA is an innovation foundation which aims to tackle society’s big challenges. Sign up to the NESTA newsletter.
Policy Bristol Newsletter
The Policy Bristol Newsletter provides regular policy updates and the latest policy research and events news.
ActEarly monthly bulletin
The AntennAE monthly e-bulletin provides the latest news and developments from Act Early.
The Health Foundation newsletter
This monthly Health Foundation newsletter provides details about funding opportunities, latest publications and blogs, and the latest news from the world of UK health care.
The Learning and Work Institute newsletter
This monthly Learning and Work Institute newsletter provides news updates, latest publications and blogs.
The Evidence Edit
This EEF newsletter from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) provides information and resources relating to primary and secondary education.