Britdata: finding data on the UK for journalists, researchers & campaigners

BritdataAbout Britdata

A wealth of data is available on the UK, its people, economy, government and public services, hidden only by the fact you have to know where to look for it. The aim of this e-book is to point out good places to look, particularly for journalists but also for campaigners, researchers and others. While it doesn’t aim to be comprehensive, it does aim to highlight a wide range of reliable sources.

The first section aims to provide a guide to the many sources of data on Britain and its public sector which will help you find stories or carry out research with them, broadly divided into open data about the UK; data on national government; data on locally-based government services including councils, police, NHS; data generated by the democratic process; Freedom of Information; other sources; and some tips on dealing with data. The second section provides specific data on local authority areas of the UK.

I most recently revised Britdata in August 2019 with the latest Office for National Statistics population data, including updates of all the local authority area profiles, as well as a few corrections and information on how GDPR affects subject access requests.

Download a preview of the introduction here.

Download the full table of contents here.

Buy Britdata

You can buy Britdata from this website if you would like to pay in pounds sterling, or through Leanpub to pay in US dollars.

In both cases, you will get instant access to the latest PDF version of the book. Leanpub also provides instant access to epub and mobi versions; if you buy from this site and require these formats, or if you have any other queries, contact me via mail [AT] samathieson.com.

Buyers of Britdata from this site or Leanpub will automatically get free updates when I publish new versions, and there’s a full refund available for anyone who decides it’s not for them within 45 days of purchase.

Britdata e-book: £9.99

Sold through this site via PayPal (you don’t need an account; credit and debit cards accepted). PDF will download when payment has been completed; don’t forget to save it.




Britdata e-book: US$11.99 (+VAT in EU)

Sold through Leanpub. US$14.39 including VAT if bought in UK.

Leanpub