Transparency data

Local authority interactive tool (LAIT)

An interactive dashboard for comparing data about children and young people across all local authorities in England.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 28 January 2014
• Last updated: 28 May 2025
  Show all updates

  1. 28 May 2025

     Added a new version of the children's services statistical neighbour benchmarking tool, plus an update note and a technical report.

  2. 19 December 2024

     Added 'Children’s services statistical neighbour tool guide'. Removed 'Local authority interactive tool: user guide' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  3. 22 November 2024

     Updated 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  4. 7 November 2024

     Updated 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  5. 20 September 2024

     Updated 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  6. 9 August 2024

     Removed 'Local authority interactive tool'. Updated 'Local authority interactive tool: user guide' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  7. 7 March 2024

     Updated 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  8. 14 February 2024

     Updated 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  9. 12 January 2024

     Updated 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  10. 24 November 2023

      Updated 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  11. 10 November 2023

      Updated 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  12. 1 August 2023

      Updated 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  13. 27 June 2023

      Updated 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  14. 10 May 2023

      Removed link to survey about decommissioning the local authority interactive tool as the survey is now closed. Added link to Ofsted’s 5-year inspection data.

  15. 5 May 2023

      Updated 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  16. 3 March 2023

      'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log' have been updated.

  17. 24 January 2023

      'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log' have been updated for January.

  18. 16 December 2022

      'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log' have been updated for December.

  19. 28 November 2022

      'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log' have been updated.

  20. 7 November 2022

      'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log' have been updated.

  21. 1 November 2022

      'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log' have been updated.

  22. 30 September 2022

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'. Also added details on sources of original data on the LAIT.

  23. 16 August 2022

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  24. 6 July 2022

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  25. 19 May 2022

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  26. 7 April 2022

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  27. 3 March 2022

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  28. 21 December 2021

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  29. 25 November 2021

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  30. 12 November 2021

      Updated version log attached.

  31. 5 November 2021

      Added an updated version of the local authority interactive tool.

  32. 5 August 2021

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  33. 8 July 2021

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  34. 21 May 2021

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  35. 20 April 2021

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  36. 1 April 2021

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool', 'Local authority interactive tool: user guide', 'Local authority interactive tool: version log' and 'Children's services statistical neighbour benchmarking tool'.

  37. 2 March 2021

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  38. 2 February 2021

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  39. 8 January 2021

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  40. 17 December 2020

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  41. 8 October 2020

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  42. 11 September 2020

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  43. 4 August 2020

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  44. 3 July 2020

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  45. 14 May 2020

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  46. 23 April 2020

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  47. 9 April 2020

      Updated local authority interactive tool (LAIT), and LAIT version log.

  48. 5 March 2020

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  49. 17 February 2020

      Added updated versions of 'Local authority interactive tool', 'Local authority interactive tool: user guide' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  50. 31 January 2020

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log. Added a link to a survey to help us understand how you use LAIT and related data sets and tools.

  51. 20 December 2019

      Replaced the 'local authority interactive tool' and version log documents with updated versions.

  52. 20 November 2019

      Updated tool with corrected 2019 data for percentage of child protection re-referrals within 12 months.

  53. 5 November 2019

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  54. 29 October 2019

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  55. 7 October 2019

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  56. 20 September 2019

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  57. 30 July 2019

      Replaced all 4 documents with updated versions.

  58. 9 July 2019

      Replaced the local authority interactive tool and log files with updated versions.

  59. 14 June 2019

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  60. 26 April 2019

      Attached updated versions of the local authority interactive tool (LAIT) and version log.

  61. 11 April 2019

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  62. 22 March 2019

      Added information about the review of statistical neighbour groupings.

  63. 19 March 2019

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  64. 5 March 2019

      Updated LAIT and version log.

  65. 30 January 2019

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  66. 19 December 2018

      Updated LAIT tool and version log.

  67. 28 November 2018

      Added a new version of the local authority interactive tool and version log.

  68. 21 November 2018

      Updated documents 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'.

  69. 9 November 2018

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  70. 19 October 2018

      Attached updated versions of LAIT tool and version log.

  71. 15 October 2018

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  72. 11 September 2018

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  73. 7 August 2018

      Updated the LAIT tool.

  74. 1 August 2018

      Updated 'Local authority interactive tool' and 'Local authority interactive tool: version log'

  75. 10 July 2018

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  76. 6 June 2018

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  77. 8 May 2018

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  78. 11 April 2018

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  79. 21 February 2018

      Replaced the Local Authority Interactive Tool and version log with new versions.

  80. 2 February 2018

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  81. 22 December 2017

      Updated the LAIT version log.

  82. 22 December 2017

      Updated 'Local authority interactive tool' spreadsheet, following update of data from other statistical releases.

  83. 10 November 2017

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  84. 5 October 2017

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  85. 8 September 2017

      Updated LAIT, the version log and user guide.

  86. 24 August 2017

      Updated tool and version log.

  87. 7 July 2017

      Updated tool and version log.

  88. 16 June 2017

      Updated tool and version log.

  89. 3 April 2017

      Updated the tool and version log.

  90. 28 February 2017

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  91. 10 February 2017

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  92. 8 February 2017

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  93. 1 February 2017

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  94. 20 December 2016

      Replaced the LAIT tool and version log with December documents.

  95. 29 November 2016

      New version of the local authority interactive tool. See the version log to find out what data has changed.

  96. 11 November 2016

      Updated tool and version log.

  97. 24 October 2016

      Updated tool and version log.

  98. 20 October 2016

      Updated the LAIT tool and version log.

  99. 4 October 2016

      Updates to the LAIT tool and version log.

  100. 6 September 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  101. 29 July 2016

       Updated the LAIT and version log to include percentage of pupils with special educational needs (SEN), dedicated schools grant, pupil premium, child death reviews, 'ForeverFSM6' (free school meals) and permanent/fixed period exclusions.

  102. 12 July 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  103. 4 July 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  104. 26 May 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  105. 10 May 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  106. 11 April 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  107. 7 April 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  108. 11 March 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  109. 26 February 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  110. 28 January 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  111. 7 January 2016

       Updated tool and version log.

  112. 16 December 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  113. 1 December 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  114. 23 November 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  115. 10 November 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  116. 23 October 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  117. 19 October 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  118. 14 October 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  119. 9 October 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  120. 5 October 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  121. 8 September 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  122. 2 September 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  123. 4 August 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  124. 13 July 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  125. 30 June 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  126. 16 June 2015

       Updated tool.

  127. 15 June 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  128. 21 May 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  129. 19 May 2015

       Updated LAIT, user guide and version log.

  130. 2 March 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  131. 10 February 2015

       Updated tool and version log.

  132. 4 February 2015

       Updated LAIT, user guide and version log.

  133. 21 January 2015

       Updated the local authority interactive tool and version log documents.

  134. 14 January 2015

       Updated the local authority interactive tool and version log documents.

  135. 18 December 2014

       Updated the local authority interactive tool and version log documents.

  136. 27 November 2014

       Updated the local authority interactive tool and version log documents.

  137. 5 November 2014

       Added updated version of the local authority interactive tool and the version log.

  138. 23 October 2014

       Updated tool and version log.

  139. 3 October 2014

       Updated LAIT, user guide and version log.

  140. 15 September 2014

       Updated tool and version log.

  141. 3 September 2014

       Revised tool and version log.

  142. 8 August 2014

       Revised tool and version log.

  143. 4 August 2014

       Tool updated.

  144. 2 July 2014

       Tool revised.

  145. 30 June 2014

       Revised the local authority interactive tool (LAIT) and updated the version log.

  146. 20 May 2014

       Tool revised

  147. 28 April 2014

       Tool revised.

  148. 9 April 2014

       Tool revised.

  149. 10 March 2014

       Tool revised.

  150. 3 February 2014

       Tool revised.

  151. 30 January 2014

       Tool updated with new data.

  152. 28 January 2014

       First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Children’s services statistical neighbour benchmarking tool

MS Excel Spreadsheet, 163 KB

Children’s services statistical neighbour benchmarking tool: update note

PDF, 346 KB, 8 pages

Children’s services statistical neighbour benchmarking model: technical report

PDF, 365 KB, 22 pages

Details

The local authority interactive tool (LAIT) is an app that presents information in interactive tables and charts, along with local authorities’ rank positions in England and against statistical neighbours.

It includes local authority, regional and national data on:

• children looked after and adoption
• child protection
• the children’s social care workforce
• special educational needs and disability
• pupil attainment and attendance
• children’s health
• youth justice
• post-16
• finance

The ‘Children’s services statistical neighbour benchmarking tool’ allows you to select a local authority and display its ‘closest statistical neighbours’ (local authorities with similar characteristics). The tool has been reviewed and rebuilt to include updated socio-economic variables from the 2021 census. More information is available in the associated update note and technical report.