This monthly publication keeps you informed of key issues and developments in research impacting on, or of interest to, local government.
May 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
Stability measures for children looked after in England: 31 March 2025
These Department for Education (DfE) statistics provide information on the stability of children looked after in England on 31 March 2025 in their placement, at school and in their professional support.
Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England: spring term 2024 to 2025
These DfE statistics provide information on the levels of suspension and permanent exclusion in the spring term 2024 to 2025 in England, by school type, with reasons for suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Pupil attendance in schools 8 September 2025 to 15 May 2026 - England
These DfE statistics provide data on the levels of attendance and overall, authorised and unauthorised absence in state-funded primary, secondary and special schools covering the period 8 September 2025 to 15 May 2026 in England.
Risk factors for becoming NEET: a statistical analysis using linked data - England
This DfE analysis considers risk factors for being not in education, employment or training (NEET) at ages 17 to 19 and 20 to 24 in England.
Parent, pupil and learner voice: omnibus surveys for 2025/26 academic year - England
This DfE publication provides findings from regular omnibus surveys of primary and secondary school pupils’ parents or carers, secondary school pupils and 16 to 18 learners for the 2025/26 academic year in England.
Safety in the children and young people secure estate: update to December 2025 – England and Wales
These Ministry of Justice (MoJ), HM Prison and Probation Service and Youth Custody Service statistics cover assaults, self-harm and deaths in the children and young people secure estate in England and Wales up to December 2025.
Practice guide – foster care
Foundations, the What Works Centre for Children and Families have produced a new practice guide to help local authorities choose the best support for their fostering families and children in care. The guide is based on findings from a systematic review, which brings together the best available evidence on a specific aspect of fostering.
Transport
Reported road casualties Great Britain, provisional results: 2025
This Department for Transport (DfT) data provides information on personal injury collision and casualty statistics on public roads in Great Britain for 2025.
Road traffic estimates in Great Britain: 2025
These DfT road traffic estimates for Great Britain are broken down by vehicle type and road type for 2025.
Environment
Estimates of residual waste and municipal residual waste in England 2019 to 2024 calendar years
These Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) statistics estimate the amount of residual waste and municipal residual waste generated in England covering the calendar years 2019 to 2024 for four principal measures.
Local government
Procurement support survey report
This LGA report provides the results of an online survey to identify, document, and prioritise the principal user needs of local government in England for the successful implementation and adoption of the Procurement Act 2023 and the Procurement Regulations 2024. The survey also sought to understand the current state of procurement practices and key challenges for local government.
Interactive boundary map: England
The LGA’s Research and Information Team has produced an interactive map showing the boundaries of the new unitary authorities announced in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Hampshire, along with the two new unitaries in Surrey and the remaining areas undergoing local government organisation for which the new boundaries have yet to be announced. This is the first map which shows all of the new council boundaries together, and will be updated when new authority boundaries are announced.
New LG Inform report - adult social care priorities for local authorities
The Adult social care priorities for local authorities report includes the key metrics to support the priorities and expectations for local authorities for 2026/27 set out by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The priorities are generally aligned with the adult social care outcome areas in the Local Outcomes Framework. The metrics are primarily sourced from the annual Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF) but also include quarterly statistics in development from the Client-Level Data (CLD) collection.
The report can be run for any single tier and county council in England, with comparisons made to the mean average for all councils in England, and one other optional comparison group. This report is available to the public.
Metrics added to LG Inform this month include:
Children in low income families - England
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have published an additional dataset for after housing costs within their children in low income families collection. For 2024/25 in England there were 2,915,148 children (aged under 16) living in relative low income families, after housing costs. This represents 27.1 per cent of children (aged under 16). The region with the highest after housing costs rate was the West Midlands at 32.2 per cent compared to the South East at 20.8 per cent. For context, in England 19.8 per cent of children (aged under 16) living in Relative low income families, before housing costs. See LG Inform for your area by age band, work status and family status.
Available Geographies: Country – Region – County, London borough – Metropolitan District – Unitary – District
Personal income statistics - England
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have published the latest personal income by tax year statistics. This includes for the first time a breakdown of tax rates. For 2023/24 in England 81.4 per cent of individuals paid at savers and basic income tax rate, 15.9 per cent at the higher income tax rate, and 2.7 per cent at the additional income tax rate. Also added to LG Inform are the proportions of income tax sources. In England, for 2024/25 10.4 per cent of taxpayers were liable under self-employment income, 75.2 per cent under employment income, and 26.5 per cent under pension income
Available Geographies: Country – Region – County – London borough – Metropolitan District – Unitary – District
Employment, pay and workforce
The school teacher & support staff workforce in England 2026
This National Foundation for Educational Research (NfER) research summarises the key trends in teacher and support staff workforces. It explores findings about staff numbers, recruitment, retention, pay and working conditions, as identified in NFER's annual reports.
Further education workforce in England, 2024 to 2025 academic year
These Department for Education (DfE) statistics provide information on the size and characteristics of the further education workforce in England from the 2024 to 2025 academic year.
Young people and work report: survey with education professionals
This Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) interim report provides findings on teachers’ views of young people’s opportunities and barriers to access and engage in work, education and training, and the current focus of the school curriculum.
Economy
Statistical digest of rural England
The Defra statistical digest is a compendium of socio-economic statistics for rural areas and is structured into eight thematic reports.
The latest rural statistics on poverty due to low income and household expenditure are now available within the communities and households report.
The latest rural statistics on fuel poverty, central heating, and Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) take-up are now available in the energy report.
Economic activity and social change in the UK, real-time indicators: 29 May 2026
This Office for National Statistics (ONS) early experimental data and analysis provides information on economic activity and social change in the UK
Housing
Homelessness statistics: October to December 2025 - England
This Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) data provides the latest statistics and management information on homelessness and rough sleeping in England and includes details of statutory homelessness in England for October to December 2025.
Crime
Offender management statistics quarterly: October to December 2025 – England and Wales
This MoJ and HM Prison and Probation Service publication provides key statistics relating to offenders who are in prison or under Probation Service supervision.
Criminal justice statistics quarterly: December 2025 – England and Wales
This MoJ publication provides an overview of trends in the use of out of court disposals, defendants prosecuted, offenders convicted, remand and sentencing decisions in England and Wales for the 12-month period of January 2025 to December 2025.
Knife and offensive weapons sentencing statistics 2025 – England and Wales
These MoJ statistics provide information on knife and offensive weapons sentencing in England and Wales covering the period to the end of December 2025.
The correlation between prison misconduct and reoffending
This MoJ research considers how prison misconduct is associated with reoffending. It explores the links between prison adjudications and proven reoffences within a two-year follow-up period.
Being young inside: young adult transitions across the long-term prison sentence
This report from the Prison Reform Trust explores what it means to receive and serve a long prison sentence at the point of transition into adulthood.
Regular publications and events
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit in Healthy Ageing webinar
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.
Below are details of the next free webinar being held on Wednesday 17th June 2026, 12pm – 1pm: ‘Can AI Deliver for Policy Research? Evaluating Accuracy, Efficiency, and Insight’
For more information and to register, follow this link. Please also share with your networks, all are welcome.
AI is increasingly being used in policy research, but how reliable is it in practice?
This session (jointly held between the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Healthy Ageing, and the NIHR Innovation Observatory) looks at how AI tools can help with policy research tasks like reviewing evidence, analysing documents, and extracting data. It shares findings from real studies comparing AI with human researchers, highlighting where AI works well and where it still falls short.
Follow-on webinars will be shared on the website over time.
If you have any questions or concerns about accessibility, please contact [email protected]
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.