Official Statistics

The People and Nature Survey for England: Monthly interim indicators for January 2021 (Experimental Statistics)

Updated 23 March 2021

Applies to England

1. Main findings

• During January, national lockdown restrictions in England do not appear to have had an effect on the proportion of adults visiting green and natural spaces. In January, almost two thirds of the adult population (61%) had visited a green and natural space in the last 14 days, which was consistent with December (61%) and November (64%).
• Thirty per cent of adults had not spent any time in green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days and fifteen per cent had not visited any green and natural spaces in the previous month.
• For adults who did not spend time outdoors in the last 14 days, 51% stayed at home to stop coronavirus spreading / due to Government restrictions (up from 34% in December). The second most reported reason was bad / poor weather, cited by forty seven per cent of adults.
• The full results for the monthly interim indicators for for April 2020 to January 2021 have been published alongside this report.

2. Other pages in this release

The People and Nature Survey for England, led by Natural England, is one of the main sources of data and statistics on how people experience and think about the environment. It began collecting data via an online panel (adults aged 16 years and older) in April 2020, and runs continuously, in line with Government Statistical Service guidance on data collection during the COVID-19 crisis.

The experimental statistics in this publication are based on a survey of 2,080 adult respondents conducted online continuously between 1st–31st January 2021 (inclusive). Throughout this bulletin, “this month” and “January” refers to this period.

A spreadsheet containing the results for the monthly interim indicators for April to January 2021 has been published alongside this report, and previous reports for April to December 2020 can also be viewed.

Further information about the People and Nature Survey for England (including information on methods, strengths and limitations, and Experimental Statistics status) is available. To receive updates on the survey, including data releases and publications, sign-up via the People and Nature User Hub.

Results from this survey covered a period of national lockdown in England. This included national restrictions on movement requiring everyone not to leave home, or be outside of their home except where necessary. This page summarises the latest advice on accessing green spaces safely.

3. Experimental statistics

All initial releases from the People and Nature survey will be released as Experimental Statistics. This status highlights to users that these Official Statistics are in the National Statistics testing phase and that Natural England is still working on further developing the methodologies used in their production whilst ensuring adherence to the Code of Practice for Statistics (the Code).

4. Time spent in green and natural spaces

Figure 1 shows the proportion of adults in England who had taken a visit to a green and natural space during the previous fortnight.

Sixty one per cent of adults in England said that they had spent time outside in green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days which was broadly consistent with October onwards. In Januuary, thirty percent of adults had not spent any time in green and natural spaces in the previous 14 days.

Figure 1: The proportion of adults in England (weighted percentage) visiting green and natural spaces since coronavirus restrictions has overall increased since April 2020. In January, sixty one per cent of adults made a visit to a green and natural space in the previous 14 days. Thirty per cent of adults had not visited a green and natural space in the previous 14 days.

Figure notes Source: Q6 / No_Of_Visits: How many times, if at all, did you make this type of visit to green and natural spaces in the last 14 days?
(1) Data collected between April 1st and January 31st 2021 (inclusive).
(2) The samples for this question were 1,868 (April), 1,898 (May), 1,872 (June), 1,889 (July), 1,856 (August), 1,866 (September), 1,854 (October), 1,869 (November), 1,863 (December) and 1,860 (January) respondents.
(3) Error bars represent the 95% confidence interval of the mean (see Glossary).

Over a third of the adult population (36%) say that they are spending more time outside than before COVID-19 (Figure 2), slightly down on the previous month (41%). Just over a quarter of adults (27%) reported that they have spent more time noticing nature / wildlife.

Figure 2: In January, over a third of adults (36%) said they are spending more time outside than before COVID-19 and 27% said they are noticing nature / wildlife more. Almost a fifth (19%) of adults were connecting more with family and friends outdoors while almost a third (32%) reported exercising more in the outdoors.

Figure notes Source: QCV2a / CV_Q2A: Since the coronavirus restrictions began, have you increased the amount of time spent on any of the following?
(1) Data collected between May 1st 2020 and January 31st 2021 (inclusive).
(2) The samples for this question were 2,083 (May), 2,083 (June), 2,087 (July), 2,079 (August), 2,082 (September), 2,082 (October), 2,083 (November), 2,083 (December) and 2,080 (January) respondents.
(3) Error bars represent the 95% confidence interval of the mean (see Glossary).
(4) Respondents can select more than one option and so percentages will not add up to 100%.

A total of 15% of adults reported that they had not spent any time in green and natural spaces in the previous month (see Figure 3). For adults that had spent free time outside in green and natural spaces, 48% had visited an urban green space and almost a third had visited the countryside (29%) during the last month, while a quarter had visited woods (27%) and rivers, lakes and canals (24%).

Figure 3: Proportion of adults in England (weighted percentage) visiting different types of green and natural spaces within the last month (April 2020 – January 2021). Urban green spaces have been the most frequently visited across all months. The proportion of people not making a visit in the last month decreased from 26% to 10% between April and September and has increased in subsequent months to 15% for January. Note that only a subset of types of green and natural spaces have been presented - see the supporting data for all types of green and natural spaces visited during the last month.

Figure notes Source: Q2 / M1_Q2: Which of the following type(s) of green and natural spaces have you visited during the last month?
(1) Data collected between April 1st 2020 and January 31st 2021 (inclusive).
(2) The samples for this question were 2,017 (April), 2,015 (May), 2,001 (June), 2,024 (July), 2,009 (August), 2,021 (September), 2,021 (October), 2,022 (November), 1,994 (December) and 1,972 (January) respondents.
(3) Error bars represent the 95% confidence interval of the mean (see Glossary).
(4) Respondents can select more than one option and so percentages will not add up to 100%.
(5) Only a subset of types of green and natural space have been presented - see the supporting data for all green and natural spaces.

The survey asked adults about their reasons for not spending time in green and natural spaces during the previous 14 days. In January, the main reason was ‘Stayed at home to stop coronavirus spreading / Government restrictions’ reported by 51% of adults (up from 34% in December). Between April and October, there was a month-on-month decrease in the figure (70% in April to 29% in October; see Figure 4). Other main reasons reported for not getting out were: bad / poor weather (47%), poor physical health or illness (12%), being too busy at home (10%), or at work / family commitments (9%).

Figure 4: The main reason for not spending free time outdoors in the last 14 days (January 2021) by a proportion of adults in England was ‘Stayed at home to stop coronavirus spreading / Government restrictions’, which was cited by 51% of respondents (up from 34% in December). The second most common reason was ‘Bad / poor weather’ cited by 47% of respondents. Note that only a subset of reasons have been presented - see the supporting data for all reasons.

Figure notes Source: Q27a / M2B_Q2: What was the main reason or reasons for not spending free time outdoors in the last 14 days?
(1) Data collected between April 1st 2020 and January 31st 2021 (inclusive).
(2) The samples for this question were 958 (April), 754 (May), 647 (June), 605 (July), 569 (August), 567 (September), 676 (October), 687 (November), 729 (December) and 715 (January) respondents who reported not spending time outdoors in the last 14 days.
(3) Error bars represent the 95% confidence interval of the mean (see Glossary).
(4) Respondents can select more than one option and so percentages will not add up to 100%.
(5) Only a subset of reasons have been presented - see the supporting data for all reasons.

5. Other results

The accompanying spreadsheet includes monthly results for a number of areas including:

• Activities undertaken during a visit to green and natural spaces;
• Reasons for not spending time outside;
• Worries or concerns related to visiting green and natural spaces;
• The role of green and natural spaces for health and wellbeing;
• Feelings of nature connection;
• Importance of gardens;
• Behaviour changes during the Coronavirus pandemic;
• Children’s time in nature.

6. Methodological note

See ‘Methods and limitations’ page.

7. Strengths and Limitations

See ‘Methods and limitations’ page.

8. Glossary

Green and natural spaces are defined in this survey as green and blue spaces in towns and cities (e.g. parks, canals); the countryside (e.g. farmland, woodland, hills and rivers); the coast (e.g. beaches, cliffs) and activities in the open sea; visits of any duration (including short trips to the park, dog walking etc.). They do not include: gardens; outside spaces visited as part of someone’s employment; spaces outside the UK. Additional questions are asked about private gardens.

95% confidence interval is a range of values around a calculated statistic (e.g. the mean) that you are 95% certain contains the true value of that statistic. For example, where there is a mean value of 49 with a 95% confidence interval of 2, we would be 95% certain that the true mean of the population was in the range of 47-51 (i.e. 49 -2 and 49 + 2).

9. Contact

Natural England welcomes feedback on these monthly indicators, questions and suggestions for analysis for future releases. Please contact the team by email: people_and_nature@naturalengland.org.uk

If you would like to receive further information on the survey, including data releases, publications and survey changes, then visit our User Hub and sign-up to the mailing list at the bottom of the page (best viewed in Google Chrome). After signing up, if you do not receive a confirmation email please check your ‘Junk’ or ‘Spam’ folder.

The Senior Responsible Officer for this publication is Dr Katherine Burgess.

10. Pre-release access

Pre-release access was not sought for this release

11. Related links

Coronavirus – guidance on accessing green spaces safely: Latest government guidance on using green spaces and protecting yourself and others.

Natural England operational update: Coronovirus information on how Natural England is facing the challenges posed by Coronavirus.

People and Nature questionnaire: Includes link to People and Nature Survey questions.

People and Nature Survey information: Further information on the People and Nature Survey for England.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer public places - urban centres and green spaces: Guidance for the owners and operators of urban centres and green spaces to help social distancing.

The Countryside Code Statutory guidance on respecting, protecting and enjoying the outdoors.