Latest Fact Checks

From false health claims to misleading statements on immigration, politics and conflict—our expert team delivers impartial, evidence based fact checks.

26 April 2018

What happened to violent crime in London since 2008?

Under Boris Johnson’s time as mayor the murder rate halved, though we can’t say for sure whether the rise in stop and searches was effective.

25 April 2018

How the EU works: what is the customs union?

The EU’s customs union was first established in 1968 by the six founding member states of the current EU (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands).

25 April 2018

Health visitor numbers in England down by a fifth since 2015

There were the equivalent of 10,000 NHS health visitors working full-time in England in December 2015. That fell by 19% by December 2017 to just over 8,200 now.

24 April 2018

Would free bus travel save young people £1,000 a year?

Labour made several claims about young people and bus travel in a video to launch their new free travel policy.

24 April 2018

How many child asylum seekers are found to be adults?

Two thirds of assessed child asylum seekers, but a small proportion of all child asylum seekers, are found to be over 18.

23 April 2018

28% of 2-15 year olds in England estimated to be overweight or obese

An estimated 16% of children aged 2-15 in England were obese in 2016, and a further 12% were overweight.

20 April 2018

BBC Question Time: factchecked

Question Time was in Chesterfield this week. We factchecked the net migration target, how many stop and searches are knife-related, and result in arrests, and primary school children carrying drugs.

20 April 2018

Stop and search: higher arrest rate?

The number of stop and searches fell by 78% between 2009/10 and 2016/17, with the proportion leading to arrests rising from 8% to 17% in the same period.

20 April 2018

Are children being used to carry drugs?

Reports from police in England and Wales to the National Crime Agency suggest in 42% of forces children as young as 12 are being used to carry drugs from urban to rural areas.

20 April 2018

The net migration target was never likely to have been met

Governments since 2010 have set a target to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands, and this target has never been met.

Fact checks

Analysis

Policy & Impact

About

Latest Fact Checks

What happened to violent crime in London since 2008?

How the EU works: what is the customs union?

Health visitor numbers in England down by a fifth since 2015

Would free bus travel save young people £1,000 a year?

How many child asylum seekers are found to be adults?

28% of 2-15 year olds in England estimated to be overweight or obese

BBC Question Time: factchecked

Stop and search: higher arrest rate?

Are children being used to carry drugs?

The net migration target was never likely to have been met

Full Fact fights bad information