The NatCen Blog

Here we’ll be talking about our research in the context of the latest news, opinion and
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Posted on 17 August 2022 by Ray Purdy, CEO and Founder of Air & Space Evidence

Understanding and tackling fly-tipping in England

Fly-tipping is a growing problem in England. In 2020/21 English local authorities dealt with 1.13 million fly-tipping incidents, an increase of 16% from 2019/20. The issue is also having a significant financial impact. The estimated cost of dealing with fly-tipping on public land has risen by 87% to nearly £400 million in just four years.
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Posted on 04 August 2022 by Ceri Davies, Director

Making an impact? Routes for deliberation to make a difference

On 27 July, the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the Policy Institute at King’s College London held the second in an ongoing seminar series looking at a range of aspects to do with both the theory and practice of public deliberation.
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Tags: Deliberation, deliberative research, NatCen Centre for Deliberative Research, deliberative polling
Posted on 26 July 2022 by Mehul Kotecha, Senior Researcher

Qualitative research...just a sum of its parts?

After 20 years as a qualitative researcher, the term ‘qualitative research’ rolls off my tongue with ease. I ‘know’ what it is. I do it every day. I try and convince others of its virtues. But here I am, writing a blog on qualitative research for the first time.
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Posted on 25 July 2022 by Jennifer Barton-Crosby, Research Director

Understanding female perpetrators of intimate partner violence

The Home Office Domestic Abuse Perpetrators Research Fund is focused on strengthening the evidence base for ‘what works’ in addressing perpetrator behaviour, to support effective commissioning and delivery of perpetrator services and interventions. As part of this initiative, NatCen was awarded funding in 2021 to carry out a piece of research with the aim of improving understanding of female perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV).
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Posted on 18 July 2022 by Marta Mezzanzanica, Research Director

The public's view: how did the pandemic impact on UK consumers' experiences?

Since its emergence in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant social and economic disruption across the world, with businesses forced to close, borders closed, personal restrictions imposed and supply chains interrupted. Consumers were also affected, directly or indirectly, by this disruption.
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Posted on 14 July 2022 by Kate Belcher, Researcher/Analyst

A new ‘worry gap’ between women and men is a concerning legacy of the pandemic

Women are twice as likely as men to report levels of extreme worry since the pandemic, according to new analysis published today as part of NatCen’s annual Society Watch report.
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Posted on 15 June 2022 by Eliska Holland, Researcher

Exploring the relationship between loneliness and mental health

Loneliness is something that many people will experience from time to time and is part of the human experience. Defined as ‘a subjective, unwelcome feeling of lack or loss of companionship’, loneliness is not the same as social isolation and people can feel lonely even if they have a lot of social contact.
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Tags: health, health and lifestyle, loneliness, mental health, qualitative research, social
Posted on 13 June 2022

Deliberation: a way of doing society?

On 25 May 2022, NatCen’s Centre for Deliberative Research and the Policy Institute at King’s College London launched the first in an ongoing seminar series looking at a range of aspects exploring both the theory and practice of deliberation.
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Tags: Deliberation, NatCen Centre for Deliberative Research, deliberative polling, deliberative research
Posted on 03 May 2022 by Andy MacGregor, Director of Policy Research ScotCen

Staying healthy in a fast-changing world: exploring young people’s experiences of unhealthy food marketing

Changes in young people’s media habits in recent years, alongside the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, have transformed the landscape for policymakers concerned with unhealthy food marketing.
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Tags: COVID-19, Scottish Centre for Social Research, food marketing, health, healthy eating, obesity
Posted on 16 March 2022 by Macfarlane, Phyllis, Trustee

What I’ve learned from a life in research

Our trustee Phyllis Macfarlane shares what she has learnt from a life spent working in the insight sector.
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Tags: career paths, leadership, methodology and innovation, social and political attitudes, social research, trustees