- What is Polisphere?
- Polisphere is a platform for exploring official UK local authority statistics. You can search by postcode or place name, view detailed area profiles, compare areas side by side, and ask natural-language questions answered by AI using real data.
- Where does the data come from?
- All data is sourced from official UK public bodies: the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Nomis (labour market statistics), Police.uk (crime data), HM Land Registry (property prices), the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), and Census 2021. Data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- How often is the data updated?
- Update frequency varies by source. Some datasets (like claimant count) are updated monthly, others (like Census data) are point-in-time snapshots. Each metric displays its period so you can see how current the data is.
- What areas are covered?
- Polisphere covers local authority districts (LADs) across England and Wales. Some metrics have narrower coverage — for example, deprivation indices cover England only. Coverage badges on each metric indicate the geographic scope.
- How does the Ask feature work?
- When you ask a question, Polisphere retrieves relevant metrics for the areas you mention, then sends the data to Google Gemini which generates a natural-language answer grounded in the real numbers. Answers are cached to improve response times for common questions.
- Can I trust the AI answers?
- AI answers are grounded in official statistics, but they can occasionally misinterpret data or miss nuance. Always check the underlying numbers on the area profile page and refer to the original data sources for critical decisions.
- Do I need an account?
- Not currently — you can explore all features without signing up.
- Is there an API I can use?
- The backend REST API that powers this site is not currently offered as a public API. If you need bulk access to the underlying data, we recommend going directly to the original sources (ONS, Nomis, Police.uk, Land Registry).
- Why is some data missing for my area?
- Not all metrics are available for every local authority. Some datasets only cover England, and some areas may have suppressed values for statistical disclosure reasons. If a metric is unavailable, it will be noted on the area profile.
- How can I report an issue?
- If you encounter a problem or have feedback, please get in touch via the contact details on our website. We appreciate bug reports and suggestions.