This page is no longer updated. It has been superseded by the Business insights and impacts on the UK economy dataset page (see link in Notices). It contains comprehensive weighted datasets for Wave 7 onwards. All future BICS datasets will be available there. The datasets on this page include mainly unweighted responses from the voluntary fortnightly business survey, which captures businesses’ responses on how their turnover, workforce prices, trade and business resilience have been affected in the two-week reference period, up to Wave 17.

Age-standardised mortality rates for deaths involving coronavirus (COVID-19), non-COVID-19 deaths and all deaths by vaccination status, broken down by age group.

As a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, media consumption behavior in the United Kingdom (UK) is changing. A third of respondents to a recent survey revealed that they were reading more newspaper content, and just under half were watching more live television. For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.

The Community Life Survey (CLS) is a household survey conducted in England, tracking the latest trends and developments across areas key to encouraging social action and empowering communities, including: volunteering and charitable giving; views about the local area; community cohesion and belonging; community empowerment and participation; influencing local decisions and affairs; and subjective well-being and loneliness.

The CLS was first commissioned by the Cabinet Office in 2012. From 2016-17, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) took over responsibility for publishing results. During 2020, the DCMS also commissioned the Community Life COVID-19 Re-contact Survey (CLRS) (SN 8781) to provide data on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected volunteering, charitable giving, social cohesion, wellbeing and loneliness in England.

Background
Up to 2015-16, the survey used a face-to-face methodology. Following thorough testing (experimental online versions of the survey were released for 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16), the CLS moved online from 2016-17 onwards, with an end to the previous face-to-face method. The survey uses a push-to-web methodology (with paper mode for those who are not digitally engaged). The survey informs and directs policy and action in these areas;

• to provide data of value to all users, including public bodies, external stakeholders and the public; and
• underpin further research and debate on building stronger communities.

The Community Life Survey incorporates a small number of priority measures from the Citizenship Survey, which ran from 2001-2011, conducted by the then Department for Communities and Local Government. These measures were incorporated in the Community Life Survey so that trends in these issues could continue to be tracked over time. (The full Citizenship Survey series is held at the UK Data Archive under GNs 33347 and 33474.)

Further information may be found on the GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/community-life-survey">Community Life Survey webpage.

Community Life COVID-19 Re-contact Survey, 2020
The re-contact survey (CLRS) is a follow-up to the Community Life Survey (CLS). The DCMS commissioned the CLRS to provide data on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected volunteering, charitable giving, social cohesion, wellbeing and loneliness in England. The two waves of data are based on the 2,812 respondents who participated in both waves of the research:

• Wave 1 (pre-pandemic) survey respondents who participated in the CLS from July 2018 through to February 2020.
• Wave 2 (during the pandemic) survey: respondents who took part in a follow-up survey from 7-26 July 2020.

Further information may be found in the https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-life-covid-19-re-contact-survey-2020-main-report/2-methodology-and-interpretation-community-life-recontact-survey-2020">Community Life COVID-19 Re-contact Survey 2020- Main Report and the https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-life-covid-19-re-contact-survey-2020-main-report/2-methodology-and-interpretation-community-life-recontact-survey-2020">Methodology and Interpretation - Community Life COVID-19 Re-Contact Survey 2020 report.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The Active Lives Children and Young People Survey, which was established in September 2017, provides a world-leading approach to gathering data on how children engage with sport and physical activity. This school-based survey is the first and largest established physical activity survey with children and young people in England. It gives anyone working with children aged 5-16 key insight to help understand children's attitudes and behaviours around sport and physical activity. The results will shape and influence local decision-making as well as inform government policy on the PE and Sport Premium, Childhood Obesity Plan and other cross-departmental programmes. More general information about the study can be found on the Sport England Active Lives Survey webpage and the Active Lives Online website, including reports and data tables.

The Active Lives Children and Young People survey is a school-based survey (i.e., historically always completed at school as part of lessons). Academic years 2020-2021 and 2019-20 have both been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in school sites being closed to many pupils for some of the year (e.g., during national lockdown periods, and during summer term for 2019-20). Due to the closure of school sites, the Active Lives Children and Young People Survey, 2020-2021 was adapted to allow at-home completion. Despite the disruption, the survey has still received a sufficient volume of responses for analysis.

The adaptions involved minor questionnaire changes (e.g., to ensure the wording was appropriate for those not attending school and to enable completion at home), and communication changes. For further details on the survey changes, please see the accompanying User Guide document. Academic year 2020-21 saw a more even split of responses by term across the year, compared to 2019-20 which had a reduced proportion of summer term responses due to the disruption caused by Covid-19. It is recommended to analyse the data within term, as well as at an overall level, because of the changes in termly distribution.

The survey identifies how participation varies across different activities and sports, by regions of England, between school types and terms, and between different demographic groups in the population. The survey measures levels of activity (active, fairly active and less active), attitudes towards sport and physical activity, swimming capability, the proportion of children and young people that volunteer in sport, sports spectating, and wellbeing measures such as happiness and life satisfaction. The questionnaire was designed to enable analysis of the findings by a broad range of variables, such as gender, family affluence and school year.

The following datasets have been provided:

1) Main dataset – this file includes responses from children and young people from school years 3 to 11, as well as responses from parents of children in years 1-2. The parents of children in years 1-2 provide behavioural answers about their child’s activity levels, they do not provide attitudinal information. Using this main dataset, full analyses can be carried out into sports and physical activity participation, levels of activity, volunteering (years 5 to 11), etc. Weighting is required when using this dataset (wt_gross / wt_gross.csplan files are available for SPSS users who can utilise them).

2) Year 1-2 dataset – this file include responses from children in school years 1-2 directly, providing their attitudinal responses (e.g. whether they like playing sport and find it easy). Analysis can be carried out into feelings towards swimming, enjoyment for being active, happiness etc. Weighting is required when using this dataset (wt_gross / wt_gross.csplan files are available for SPSS users who can utilise them).

3) Teacher dataset – this file includes response from the teachers at schools selected for the survey. Analysis can be carried out into school facilities available, length of PE lessons, whether swimming lessons are offered, etc. Weighting was formerly not available, however, as Sport England have started to publish the Teacher data, from December 2023 we decide to apply weighting to the data. The Teacher dataset now includes weighting by applying the ‘wt_teacher’ weighting variable.

For further information about the variables available for analysis, and the relevant school years asked survey questions, please see the supporting documentation. Please read the documentation before using the datasets. More general information about the study can be found on the Sport England Active Lives Survey webpages.

Latest edition information

For the second edition (January 2024), the Teacher dataset now includes a weighting variable (‘wt_teacher’). Previously, weighting was not available for these...

First reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, now more than 846,200 confirmed cases of COVID-19 are spread across 187 countries worldwide. The US and several countries in Europe such as Italy, Spain, and Belgium have continued to see a decrease in daily cases. Russia, Brazil, and Latin American countries are seeing increasing trends. India has also seen an increase in the number of new cases reported despite strict distancing measures taken early on.
Special populations analysis covered in the report include the following:
COVID-19 in children may result in systemic multisystem syndrome with severe outcomes.
Childhood routine vaccination rates drop during pandemic.
COVID-19’s impact in pregnant women unclear, though most cases are asymptomatic.
The COVID-19 pandemic could cause an increase in the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Complications of opioid addiction will be challenging for the management of disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More

An October 2021 report explored the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the cultural out-of-home industry in the United Kingdom between 2020 and the first half of 2021. The study showed that the night time economy suffered the most as a result of the pandemic, having experienced revenue losses of roughly 91 billion British pounds between March 2020 and June 2021. Meanwhile, the daytime economy lost approximately 36 billion British pounds in the same period. Overall, the cultural out-of-home industry lost over 136 billion British pounds across all sectors.

The Family Resources Survey (FRS) has been running continuously since 1992 to meet the information needs of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It is almost wholly funded by DWP.

The FRS collects information from a large, and representative sample of private households in the United Kingdom (prior to 2002, it covered Great Britain only). The interview year runs from April to March.

The focus of the survey is on income, and how much comes from the many possible sources (such as employee earnings, self-employed earnings or profits from businesses, and dividends; individual pensions; state benefits, including Universal Credit and the State Pension; and other sources such as savings and investments). Specific items of expenditure, such as rent or mortgage, Council Tax and water bills, are also covered.

Many other topics are covered and the dataset has a very wide range of personal characteristics, at the adult or child, family and then household levels. These include education, caring, childcare and disability. The dataset also captures material deprivation, household food security and (new for 2021/22) household food bank usage.

The FRS is a national statistic whose results are published on the gov.uk website. It is also possible to create your own tables from FRS data, using DWP’s Stat Xplore tool. Further information can be found on the gov.uk Family Resources Survey webpage.

Secure Access FRS data
In addition to the standard End User Licence (EUL) version, Secure Access datasets, containing unrounded data and additional variables, are also available for FRS from 2005/06 onwards - see SN 9256. Prospective users of the Secure Access version of the FRS will need to fulfil additional requirements beyond those associated with the EUL datasets. Full details of the application requirements are available from http://ukdataservice.ac.uk/media/178323/secure_frs_application_guidance.pdf" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Guidance on applying for the Family Resources Survey: Secure Access.

FRS, HBAI and PI
The FRS underpins the related Households Below Average Income (HBAI) dataset, which focuses on poverty in the UK, and the related Pensioners' Incomes (PI) dataset. The EUL versions of HBAI and PI are held under SNs 5828 and 8503, respectively. The Secure Access versions are held under SN 7196 and 9257 (see above).

FRS 2022-23

The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the FRS 2022-23 survey was much reduced when compared with the two previous survey years. Throughout the year, there was a gradual return to pre-pandemic fieldwork practices, with the majority of interviews being conducted in face-to-face mode. The achieved sample was just over 25,000 households. Users are advised to consult the FRS 2022-23 Background Information and Methodology document for detailed information on changes, developments and issues related to the 2022-23 FRS data set and publication. Alongside the usual topics covered, the 2022-2023 FRS also includes variables for Cost of Living support, including those on certain state benefits; energy bill support; and Council Tax support. See documentation for further details.

FRS 2021-22 and 2020-21 and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the FRS 2021-22 and 2020-21 data collection in the following ways:

• In 2020-21, fieldwork operations for the FRS were rapidly changed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the introduction of national lockdown restrictions. The established face-to-face interviewing approach employed on the FRS was suspended and replaced with telephone interviewing for the whole of the 2020-21 survey year.

• This change impacted both the size and composition of the achieved sample. This shift in mode of interview has been accompanied by a substantial reduction in the number of interviews achieved: just over 10,000 interviews were achieved this year, compared with 19,000 to 20,000 in a typical FRS year. While we made every effort to address additional biases identified (e.g. by altering our weighting regime), some residual bias remains. Please see the FRS 2020-21 Background Information and Methodology document for more information.
• The FRS team have published a technical report for the 2020-21 survey, which provides a full assessment of the impact of the pandemic on the statistics. In line with the Statistics Code of Practice, this is designed to assist users with interpreting the data and to aid transparency over decisions and data quality issues.

• In 2021-22, the interview mode was largely telephone, with partial return to face-to-face interviews towards end of survey year. The achieved sample was over 16,000 households. This is a return towards the number expected in a normal survey year (around 20,000 households).
• In both survey years, there remain areas where users are advised to exercise caution when making comparisons to other survey years. More details on how the results for the 2020 to 2021 and 2021-22 survey years were affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic can be found in the FRS 2020 to 2021 Background Information and Methodology and FRS 2021 to 2022 Background Information and Methodology.

The FRS team are seeking users' feedback on the 2020-21 and 2021-22 FRS. Given the breadth of groups covered by the FRS data, it has not been possible for DWP statisticians to assess or validate every breakdown which is of interest to external researchers and users. Therefore, the FRS team are inviting users to let them know of any insights you may have relating to data quality or trends when analysing these data for your area of interest. Please send any feedback directly to the FRS Team Inbox: team.frs@dwp.gov.uk

As of May 2, 2023, the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had been confirmed in almost every country in the world. The virus had infected over 687 million people worldwide, and the number of deaths had reached almost 6.87 million. The most severely affected countries include the U.S., India, and Brazil.

COVID-19: background information COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that had not previously been identified in humans. The first case was detected in the Hubei province of China at the end of December 2019. The virus is highly transmissible and coughing and sneezing are the most common forms of transmission, which is similar to the outbreak of the SARS coronavirus that began in 2002 and was thought to have spread via cough and sneeze droplets expelled into the air by infected persons.

Naming the coronavirus disease Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can be transmitted between animals and people, causing illnesses that may range from the common cold to more severe respiratory syndromes. In February 2020, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses and the World Health Organization announced official names for both the virus and the disease it causes: SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, respectively. The name of the disease is derived from the words corona, virus, and disease, while the number 19 represents the year that it emerged.

The UK inflation rate was three percent in January 2025, up from 2.5 percent in the previous month, and the fastest rate of inflation since March 2024. Between September 2022 and March 2023, the UK experienced seven months of double-digit inflation, which peaked at 11.1 percent in October 2022. Due to this long period of high inflation, UK consumer prices have increased by over 20 percent in the last three years. As of the most recent month, prices were rising fastest in the communications sector, at 6.1 percent, but were falling in both the furniture and transport sectors, at -0.3 percent and -0.6 percent respectively.
The Cost of Living Crisis High inflation is one of the main factors behind the ongoing Cost of Living Crisis in the UK, which, despite subsiding somewhat in 2024, is still impacting households going into 2025. In December 2024, for example, 56 percent of UK households reported their cost of living was increasing compared with the previous month, up from 45 percent in July, but far lower than at the height of the crisis in 2022. After global energy prices spiraled that year, the UK's energy price cap increased substantially. The cap, which limits what suppliers can charge consumers, reached 3,549 British pounds per year in October 2022, compared with 1,277 pounds a year earlier. Along with soaring food costs, high-energy bills have hit UK households hard, especially lower income ones that spend more of their earnings on housing costs. As a result of these factors, UK households experienced their biggest fall in living standards in decades in 2022/23. Global inflation crisis causes rapid surge in prices The UK's high inflation, and cost of living crisis in 2022 had its origins in the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the initial waves of the virus, global supply chains struggled to meet the renewed demand for goods and services. Food and energy prices, which were already high, increased further in 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 brought an end to the era of cheap gas flowing to European markets from Russia. The war also disrupted global food markets, as both Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of cereal crops. As a result of these factors, inflation surged across Europe and in other parts of the world, but typically declined in 2023, and approached more usual levels by 2024.

With COVID-19 at the forefront, people may not have been aware of the importance of seeking medical help for early signs of cancer or taking up screening, when available, to diagnose cancer sooner. In addition, some people may not have wanted to be referred to a hospital for diagnostic tests due to fear of catching coronavirus in the healthcare setting. COVID-19 may have also affected whether people took part in healthy behaviours that could reduce the chances of getting cancer. These factors may have led to more cancers occurring, and more cancers being diagnosed at a late stage when treatment may be less successful.

To understand peoples experiences and attitudes towards potential symptoms of cancer, their help-seeking behaviours and engagement in prevention behaviours (i.e. smoking, diet, exercise, alcohol consumption) during the pandemic we carried out a large study in adults aged 18+ across the UK. We aimed to include adults from a range of different backgrounds.

Working closely with Cancer Research UK, we carried out an online survey with over 7,500 people to ask about any recent symptoms, cancer screening and health behaviours during the UK lockdown period. Survey questions included the time taken to visit the GP with a range of possible cancer symptoms, attitudes to cancer screening, anxiety about seeking help in the current situation, other barriers to seeking help, health behaviours including smoking, alcohol, diet and physical activity, and preferred ways of receiving public health information. The survey was repeated 6 months later to assess any changes in attitudes.

We also interview 26 people (by telephone) who had taken part in the survey across two timepoints (autumn 2020 and spring 2021) to understand their attitudes and behaviours in more detail and how these changed during the course of the pandemic.

Our study findings have been used to help in rapidly developing clear public health messages to encouraging people to act on the early signs of cancer, take up cancer screening when it became available and engage in healthy behaviours. Results from our study have been used to help to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 on cancer outcomes in the longer term.

Background: The impact of COVID-19 on the UK public attitude towards cancer and potential cancer symptom help-seeking is likely to be considerable, translating into impact on the NHS from delayed referrals, missed screening and later-stage cancer diagnosis.

Aim: The aim of this study was to generate rapid self-report evidence on public views/responses of the covid-19 pandemic on caner symptoms to support and inform public health interventions with the potential to encourage: 1. timely symptom presentation, 2. engagement with cancer screening services and 3. improve cancer-related health behaviours I the wake of the pandemic.

Design: Prospective mixed-methods cohort study in the UK population.

Methods: During June-August 2020, and again six month later, we will conduct UK-wide online population survey of adults ages 18+. We measured attitudes and behaviour in the domains of 1. cancer symptom presentation, 2. intentions to engage with cancer screening, 3. Engagement in cancer-risk behaviours such as smoking, increased alcohol, poor diet and reduced physical activity. We sampled from established online cohorts (via CRUK and HealthWise Wales), supplemented with social media recruitment. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a sub-sample of survey participants to understand contextual influences on cancer attitudes and behaviours.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The Community Life Survey (CLS) is a household survey conducted in England, tracking the latest trends and developments across areas key to encouraging social action and empowering communities, including: volunteering and charitable giving; views about the local area; community cohesion and belonging; community empowerment and participation; influencing local decisions and affairs; and subjective well-being and loneliness.

The CLS was first commissioned by the Cabinet Office in 2012. From 2016-17, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) took over responsibility for publishing results. During 2020, the DCMS also commissioned the Community Life COVID-19 Re-contact Survey (CLRS) (SN 8781) to provide data on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected volunteering, charitable giving, social cohesion, wellbeing and loneliness in England.

Background
Up to 2015-16, the survey used a face-to-face methodology. Following thorough testing (experimental online versions of the survey were released for 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16), the CLS moved online from 2016-17 onwards, with an end to the previous face-to-face method. The survey uses a push-to-web methodology (with paper mode for those who are not digitally engaged). The survey informs and directs policy and action in these areas;

• to provide data of value to all users, including public bodies, external stakeholders and the public; and
• underpin further research and debate on building stronger communities.

The Community Life Survey incorporates a small number of priority measures from the Citizenship Survey, which ran from 2001-2011, conducted by the then Department for Communities and Local Government. These measures were incorporated in the Community Life Survey so that trends in these issues could continue to be tracked over time. (The full Citizenship Survey series is held at the UK Data Archive under GNs 33347 and 33474.)

Further information may be found on the GOV.UK Community Life Survey webpage.

The Community Life Survey Experimental Online Survey Data, 2015-16, gathered data from an online alternative to the face-to-face survey, comprising a sample of 3,256 adults in England, which ran from July 2015 to March 2016. Data from a postal version of the questionnaire, which was included in a targeted 50% of second reminder mailing packs, is also contained in the dataset. This questionnaire covered the same topics as the online survey but was reduced in length. Full details can be found in the Web Survey Technical Report.

End User Licence and Special Licence data
Users should note that there are two versions of each Community Life Survey Experimental Online Data experimental online dataset. One is available under the standard End User Licence (EUL) agreement, and the other is a Special Licence (SL) version. The SL version contains more detailed variables relating to: social class; ethnicity; religion; sexual identity and lower level geographical classifications.

The SL data have more restrictive access conditions than those made available under the standard EUL. Prospective users of the SL version will need to complete an extra application form and demonstrate to the data owners exactly why they need access to the additional variables in order to get permission to use that version. Therefore, users are strongly advised to order the standard version of the data.

The SL version of the Community Life Survey Experimental Online Data, 2015-2016 is held under SN 8125.


Main Topics:

The survey covers measures that are key to understanding our society and local communities such as volunteering, charitable giving, neighbourhood, civic engagement, social action and subjective well-being.

The National Diabetes Audit (NDA) provides a comprehensive view of diabetes care in England and Wales. It measures the effectiveness of diabetes healthcare against NICE Clinical Guidelines and NICE Quality Standards. This is the Type 1 Diabetes report. It details the findings and recommendations relating to diabetes care process completion, treatment target achievement and structured education for people with type 1 diabetes. The 2019-20 audit covers the period 01 January 2019 to 31 March 2020. This is the first NDA report dedicated to people with type 1 diabetes. A new diagnosis validation process, which considers medication as well as recorded diagnosis, has been introduced to try to ensure that only people with true type 1 diabetes are included (see appendix). Results are to be taken in the context of low data submission from specialist services, possibly hampered due to COVID-19.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The English Housing Survey (EHS) is a continuous national survey commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government (MHCLG) that collects information about people's housing circumstances and the condition and energy efficiency of housing in England. The EHS brings together two previous survey series into a single fieldwork operation: the English House Condition Survey (EHCS) (available from the UK Data Archive under GN 33158) and the Survey of English Housing (SEH) (available under GN 33277). The EHS covers all housing tenures. The information obtained through the survey provides an accurate picture of people living in the dwelling, and their views on housing and their neighbourhoods. The survey is also used to inform the development and monitoring of the Ministry's housing policies. Results from the survey are also used by a wide range of other users including other government departments, local authorities, housing associations, landlords, academics, construction industry professionals, consultants, and the general public. The EHS has a complex multi-stage methodology consisting of two main elements; an initial interview survey of around 12,000 households and a follow-up physical inspection. Some further elements are also periodically included in or derived from the EHS: for 2008 and 2009, a desk-based market valuation was conducted of a sub-sample of 8,000 dwellings (including vacant ones), but this was not carried out from 2010 onwards. A periodic follow-up survey of private landlords and agents (the Private Landlords Survey (PLS)) is conducted using information from the EHS interview survey. Fuel Poverty datasets are also available from 2003, created by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The EHS interview survey sample formed part of the Integrated Household Survey (IHS) (available from the Archive under GN 33420) from April 2008 to April 2011. During this period the core questions from the IHS formed part of the EHS questionnaire. End User Licence and Special Licence Versions: From 2014 data onwards, the End User Licence (EUL) versions of the EHS will only include derived variables. In addition the number of variables on the new EUL datasets has been reduced and disclosure control increased on certain remaining variables. New Special Licence versions of the EHS will be deposited later in the year, which will be of a similar nature to previous EHS EUL datasets and will include derived and raw datasets. Further information about the EHS and the latest news, reports and tables can be found on the GOV.UK English Housing Survey web pages. English Housing Survey, 2021-2022: Household Data contains data from the interview survey only. The data from the physical survey are available under English Housing Survey, 2021: Housing Stock Data.Due to changes to the methodology in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, both the achieved full interview (household) and dwelling (stock) samples in 2020-21 were smaller than in a normal year, at 7,474 households and 5,228 dwellings respectively. Vacant dwellings were not surveyed in 2021-22 because social distancing restrictions prevented interviewers from visiting the sampled addresses to identify them. Further details about the key changes made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are included in the Technical Report available as part of the study documentation.

Immersive technologies, or extended reality (XR) – an umbrella term for virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and haptics – have recorded a boom in popularity over the past decade. In line with greater social acceptance of technology, XR has revolutionised how people interact with data, information and content, making it a staple in modern business processes and next-generation entertainment. Recognising that XR could become the ‘new norm', the government, research agencies and private equity stakeholders have supported developments through investment funding and business incubation. Revenue is expected to increase at a compound annual rate 19.7% to reach £3.7 billion over the five years through 2024-25. While the roots of immersive technologies remain in gaming and entertainment, XR has provided a growing list of capabilities in other key industries, including healthcare, design, engineering and manufacturing. Aided by increased private investment and government support, spiralling demand for immersive solutions among downstream businesses has spurred an influx of tech startups to the industry. Despite the short-term disruption caused by pandemic-related restrictions, COVID-19 fuelled growth in immersive technology adoption, with society and businesses recognising immersive technology as less of a novelty and more of a utility as the development cycle has progressed. Revenue is forecast to increase by 30% in 2024-25, as public sector support and snowballing private equity interest continues to drive rapid growth in spend on immersive technology. The government aims for Britain to be a global leader in the development of XR, with new funding initiatives indicating strong support for immersive technology companies in the future. This includes £20.4 billion in research and development in the 2024 Autumn budget. Over the five years through 2029-30, revenue is forecast to increase at a compound annual rate of 24.6% to reach £11.2 billion. However, ongoing challenges, including a tight talent pool and the implications for average revenue per billing, which are the result of a widespread economic slowdown, may keep barriers to success high for startup tech companies. Nonetheless, a post-pandemic world has the potential to accelerate the adoption of XR in modern society.