New statistics for old? -measuring the wellbeing of the UK
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Allin, P
Hand, DJ
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Attempts to create measures of national wellbeing and progress have a long history. In
the UK, they go back at least as far as the 1790s, with Sir John Sinclair’s Statistical Account
of Scotland. More recently, worldwide interest has led to the creation of a number of indices
seeking to go beyond familiar economic measures like GDP. We review the Measuring
National Well-being development programme of the UK’s Office for National Statistics, and
explore some of the challenges which need to be faced to bring wider measures into use.
These include: the importance of getting the measures adopted as policy drivers; how to
challenge the continuing dominance of economic measures; sustainability and environmental
issues; international comparability; and methodological statistical questions.
the UK, they go back at least as far as the 1790s, with Sir John Sinclair’s Statistical Account
of Scotland. More recently, worldwide interest has led to the creation of a number of indices
seeking to go beyond familiar economic measures like GDP. We review the Measuring
National Well-being development programme of the UK’s Office for National Statistics, and
explore some of the challenges which need to be faced to bring wider measures into use.
These include: the importance of getting the measures adopted as policy drivers; how to
challenge the continuing dominance of economic measures; sustainability and environmental
issues; international comparability; and methodological statistical questions.
Date Issued
2017-01-01
Date Acceptance
2015-12-17
Citation
Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A - Statistics in Society, 2017, 180 (1), pp.3-43
ISSN
0964-1998
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
3
End Page
43
Journal / Book Title
Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A - Statistics in Society
Volume
180
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2016 Royal Statistical Society.
Subjects
wellbeing
progress
beyond GDP
quantum of happiness
public policy
sustainable development
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2016-11-03