What rights do you get at 18?
In England and Wales, you can’t buy a house yourself until you’re 18. Read
Fact checks
Joseph O’Leary
Training Manager
Joe has been fact checking UK politics and policy for over a decade, having joined the team in 2011. He has delivered training in fact checking to civil servants, statisticians, journalists and businesses, both in the UK and internationally, as well as designing accredited courses in data analysis for the FE sector. Joe also enjoys teaching critical thinking in primary and secondary schools, and regularly gives talks to journalism students. He is now designing courses to help businesses and employees use data with more confidence.
Most non-UK citizens can’t donate to UK political parties
UK political parties can only accept donations from “permissible donors”. Individuals must be on the electoral register to donate. Read
Fact checks
Economy, Business & Finance
About 15% of the UK’s electricity comes from wind
Over a quarter of the UK’s electricity is coming from wind at the height of the winter snow, but usually it accounts for 15% across the UK. Read
Fact checks
Health
No-one knows the exact cost or benefit of the NHS internal market in England
A widely-quoted estimate of £10 billion as the cost of the NHS internal market can’t be backed up by the evidence. Read
Fact checks
Education
6% of young first-time students drop out of university after their first year
Overall, mature students are more likely to drop out of full-time degrees than younger students, and disadvantaged students are more likely than their peers to drop out. Read
Fact checks
Education
Exam stress for school children
Exam stress clearly affects children in the UK, and there’s some evidence from counselling services and school leaders that it’s a growing problem. Read
Fact checks
Crime
Allegations of rape
It’s impossible to know how many false allegations of rape are made, but the evidence suggests that proven cases are rare. 3-4% of allegations is a reasonable estimate. Read
Fact checks
Economy, Business & Finance
Why was PFI so popular in the 2000s?
PFIs were widely seen as the only viable option for funding construction projects among some public bodies in the 2000s, and used across government departments. Read
Fact checks
Health
More ambulances are being delayed outside A&Es
One in six ambulances were delayed for over half an hour after arriving at A&Es in England in the first week of 2018. Read
Fact checks
Health
Is the NHS recruiting enough new GPs?
The number of GPs is falling, but we can’t be certain by how much. The number in training is rising, although we don’t know if this will be enough for the government to meet its recruitment targets. Read
Fact checks
