Indicator Data

Each year, Heritage Counts collates a large dataset of indicators which provide an insight into the state of the historic environment. In most cases, these indicators have been collected since 2002, providing over 10 years of trend data.

The evidence collected is used by historic environment professionals to understand how the historic environment is changing, develop policies to protect it and to demonstrate its importance.

Data is organised according to the five strategic priorities of Heritage 2020 below (you can find out more about Heritage 2020 from the Historic Environment Forum web pages). The data is accompanied by easy-to-use statistics in Excel spreadsheets. These enable year-on-year changes in the historic environment to be tracked at national, regional and, wherever possible, local level:

Discovery, identification and understanding: Provides indicators on the scale and scope of the historic environment and assets

Constructive conservation and sustainable management: Includes indicators on the overall condition of the historic environment, indicators from the Heritage at Risk programme and data on managing the historic environment, including planning statistics

Public engagement: Presents data on participation in heritage, heritage membership and volunteering in the sector

Capacity building: Indicators of heritage investments from private, public and voluntary sectors as well as the skills and capacity of the sector

Helping things to happen: Includes indicators of the importance of guardianship

Local Authority Profiles

Local Authority Profiles are comprehensive datasets and information on the historic environment for each local authority in England. Local communities with an interest in conserving their local heritage and local authority staff can find a range of information.

The following categories of information are available in the local authority profiles:

• Number of designated heritage assets
• Number of designated heritage assets classed as 'at risk'
• Whether there is a Heritage Champion
• Number of planning applications, listed building consents and parks and garden consents
• The number of historic environment specialists advising the local authority

Please note: Some users with older versions of Excel may experience difficulties opening the files. Please treat them as a trusted document in any dialogue boxes that pop up. If you still experience difficulties, please email [email protected] so we can send you the files.

Visitor attraction trends

In 2019, Historic England commissioned BDRC to produce a report on Visitor Attraction Trends in England. The report provides a comprehensive England-wide analysis of heritage attractions and visits in 2018 and trend data.