Guidance

Reproduction number (R) and growth rate: methodology

How the R value and growth rate estimates are produced.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

The Department of Health and Social Care publishes estimates of the reproduction number (R) and growth rate for England and the 7 NHS England regions. This document outlines how these estimates are produced and assured for publication.

This document refers mainly to the production of the R value and growth rate for England and its regions. However, the same process applies to estimates of the R value and growth rates for Scotland and Wales.

The devolved administrations publish estimates of the R value and growth rate for their own nations. Scotland and Wales use UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) estimates of the R value and growth rate. In Northern Ireland, the R value is produced by the COVID-19 modelling group on behalf of the Department of Health.

Updates to this page

Published 30 April 2021
Last updated 6 September 2021 + show all updates
  1. Updated the methodology for R and growth rate estimates.

  2. Updated to reflect JBC taking on responsibility for R and growth rate estimates.

  3. First published.

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