Research and analysis

DCMS Official Statistics Workplan 2023/24

Updated 21 March 2024

1. Introduction

This page outlines the high-level priorities and plans for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) official statistics in 2023/24. These are based on our current understanding of existing and rapidly emerging user needs. We always value feedback from users. You can contact the DCMS statistics team on evidence@dcms.gov.uk.

A number of DCMS’s public bodies also produce official statistics. This includes Arts Council England, British Film Institute, Gambling Commission, Historic England, Sport England and VisitEngland. You can also see a calendar of all official statistics planned by DCMS and our public bodies.

Following the machinery of government changes in February 2023, some official statistics and public bodies were transferred to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The publication of our workplan has been delayed so that we can accurately set out which statistics DCMS is now responsible for.

2. Our statistics

We are committed to continue to provide robust, high-quality and relevant official statistics during a time of new and fast-emerging analytical demands, guided by the principles in the Code of Practice for Statistics. The rest of the work plan sets out more detail about our planned portfolio of DCMS statistics for 2023/24.

User research summary

We carried out some formal user research in 2022, as part of our commitment to providing statistics that best meet user needs. A summary of the user research findings has been published alongside this workplan.

2.1 Economic estimates

Our economic estimates provide statistics on the contribution of DCMS sectors to the economy. These help us understand the number and size of businesses in the DCMS sectors, the number and characteristics of those employed in DCMS sectors and how much they earn, how DCMS sectors contribute to UK trade, and the gross value added to the UK economy. 

What is the impact of the machinery of government change?

This year, DCMS is publishing economic estimates for the digital sector on behalf of DSIT. These statistics will be published separately from, but alongside, the statistics for DCMS sectors.

Gross value added (GVA)

• annual GVA: our most robust estimate
• monthly GVA: a faster, though less accurate, estimate which we plan to continue to publish quarterly
• regional GVA

Trade

• annual trade in goods 
• annual trade in services 
• annual trade in tourism

Employment and earnings

• annual employment: an expanded earnings and employment publication based on Annual Population Survey (APS) data
• quarterly employment statistics: a faster ‘tables only’ release based on the same data source as the annual publication
• annual ‘snapshot’ earnings release, based on the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)

Business demography

• annual business demographics: the number and characteristics of businesses in DCMS sectors.

Satellite accounts

• Tourism Satellite Account: we will continue to work with the Office for National Statistics to ensure publication of estimates of employment and gross value added by the tourism sector
• Sport Satellite Account: we will explore options for robust measurement of the broader economic contribution of the sport sector

Productivity

We will continue to develop our measure of productivity, with the aim of producing estimates as a regular release if there is sufficient user need. We will publish updated productivity estimates this year.

2.2 Participation survey

Our Participation Survey provides statistics on adult engagement with DCMS sectors, and digital sectors within DSIT. These help us analyse cultural, digital, and live sporting engagement, providing a clear picture of why people do or do not engage, as well as providing evidence for the levelling-up agenda. 

As a result of a partnership between Arts Council England (ACE) and DCMS, in 2023/24, we have boosted the Participation Survey to be able to produce meaningful estimates at the local authority level (as we plan now to do every 3 years).

We will continue to publish quarterly data tables and annual data tables and report, summarising the key findings.

What is the impact of the machinery of government change?

We plan to retain digital questions in the Participation Survey in 23/24 and 24/25, on behalf of DSIT. The statistics will be published by DCMS.

2.3 DCMS-funded cultural institutions

We publish statistics about DCMS-funded cultural institutions. These help us understand how DCMS-funded cultural institutions generate income, how sponsored museums and galleries are performing against their annual performance indicators and the number of monthly visits to sponsored museums and galleries.

What is the impact of the machinery of government change?

No impact - responsibility remains with DCMS.

In the year ahead, we expect to publish:

• Monthly visitor figures for sponsored museums and galleries (published quarterly). If necessary, we may issue additional publications covering visitor figure numbers at different timescales.
• Annual performance indicators for sponsored museums and galleries.
• Total income of DCMS-funded cultural institutions (including, but not limited to, sponsored museums and galleries).

2.4 Community Life Survey

The Community Life Survey is a key evidence source for understanding more about community engagement, volunteering, social cohesion, wellbeing and loneliness amongst adults (aged 16+) throughout England.

In 2023/24 and 2024/25, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is funding a boost of the Community Life Survey in order to be able to produce meaningful estimates at the local authority Level, and incorporate questions on ‘pride in place’ and ‘life chances’.   

What is the impact of the machinery of government change?

No impact - responsibility remains with DCMS.

2.5 Reported Treasure Finds

Statistics on Reported Treasure Finds present the number of finds of treasure and portable antiquities reported and recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme. We release an account because of the importance of treasure finds in understanding and interpreting history on a national and local level. The scheme is an intrinsic part of cultural protection, preserving important and significant finds for public access.

We published our annual report in November 2022, and plan to publish next year’s statistics in November 2023.

What is the impact of the machinery of government change?

No impact - responsibility remains with DCMS.

2.6 Employer Skills Survey

The latest Employer Skills Survey fieldwork was completed in spring 2023 and the results are being analysed. The Department for Education, which runs the survey, plans to start publishing results from autumn 2023. 

At DCMS, we plan to publish the skills shortage and skills gap breakdowns for the DCMS sectors and sub-sectors in early 2024. This data will cover all of the UK. It will therefore will not be directly comparable with our first skills data release in January 2022, as this was based on the 2019 Employer Skills Survey, which did not cover Scotland. 

What is the impact of the machinery of government change?

This year, DCMS will publish skills shortages and skills gap breakdowns for the digital sector on behalf of DSIT. These statistics will be published separately from, but alongside, the statistics for DCMS sectors.

2.7 Supplementary tables

Over the last year, we have published a wide range of supplementary tables. We will continue to do this for transparency as users request particular cuts of data. If you require a breakdown of our statistics that we have not already published, please contact us on evidence@dcms.gov.uk.

The Cyber Security Breaches Survey and UK Business Data Survey have transferred to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.