More or Less

4.6 (2.9K)
MATHEMATICS
UPDATED DAILY

Tim Harford explains - and sometimes debunks - the numbers and statistics used in political debate, the news and everyday life

12 HR AGO

The Stats of the Nation: Sex, drugs and empty homes

What kind of state does the UK find itself in as we start 2026? That’s the question Tim Harford and the More or Less team is trying to answer in a series of five special programmes. In the third episode, we’re searching for answers to these questions: Are there really 700,000 empty homes that could be used to solve the housing crisis? Does the NHS pay less for drugs than health services in other countries? Is violent crime going up or down? Is the UK in the midst of a fertility crisis? Get in touch if you’ve seen a number in the news you think we should take a look at: moreorless@bbc.co.uk Contributors: Dr Huseyin Naci, Associate Professor and Director the Pharmaceutical Policy Lab at the London School of Economics Professor Jennifer Dowd, deputy director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science at the University of Oxford Credits: Presenter: Tim Harford Reporters: Lizzy McNeill and Nathan Gower Producers: Katie Solleveld and Charlotte McDonald Series producer: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound mix: Sarah Hockley and James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

29 min
1 DAY AGO

The Stats of the Nation: Health

What kind of state does the UK find itself in as we start 2026? That’s the question Tim Harford and the More or Less team is trying to answer in a series of five special programmes. In the second episode, we’re asking some interesting questions about health and the NHS: Has life expectancy in the UK starting to go up again at last? What statistics tell you about the health of the NHS? After years of promises, are there actually any more GPs? What’s happening to cancer rates in the UK? What’s gone wrong with productivity in the health service? Get in touch if you’ve seen a number in the news you think we should take a look at: moreorless@bbc.co.uk Contributors: Stuart McDonald, Head of Longevity and Demographic Insights at the consultancy Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP) Jon Shelton, Head of Cancer Intelligence at Cancer Research UK Ben Zaranko, Associate Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Credits: Presenter: Tim Harford Reporter: Nathan Gower Producers: Lizzy McNeill, Katie Solleveld and Charlotte McDonald Series producer: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound mix: Sarah Hockley and Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

29 min
2 DAYS AGO

The Stats of the Nation: The Economy

What kind of state does the UK find itself in as we start 2026? That’s the question Tim Harford and the More or Less team is trying to answer in a series of five special programmes. In the first episode, we’re starting the week by asking some interesting questions about the economy: Is the cost-of-living crisis over? The economy is expected to have grown by 1.5% in 2025. Is that a big number? When taxes are at record highs, why does it feel as if everything is such hard work for public services? Do the majority of people in Scotland pay less tax than they would in the rest of the UK? Does the UK have a more progressive tax system than Scandinavian countries? Get in touch if you’ve seen a number in the news you think we should take a look at: moreorless@bbc.co.uk Contributors: Ruth Curtice, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation Helen Miller, Director of Institute for Fiscal Studies Mairi Spowage, Professor and Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde John Burn-Murdoch, chief data reporter for the Financial Times Credits: Presenter: Tim Harford Quiz contestant: Lizzy McNeill Producers: Nathan Gower, Katie Solleveld and Charlotte McDonald Series producer: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound mix: Sarah Hockley and James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

29 min
4 DAYS AGO

Numbers of the year 2026

From record-breaking passenger numbers, to some more record-breaking numbers - courtesy of the Men’s football World Cup. We look forward to what 2026 might have in store for us - numerically of course. Presenter: Tim Harford Producers: Charlotte McDonald and Katie Solleveld Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Mix: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

9 min
31/12/2025

Numbers of the year 2025

From the number of women in space and transistors on a chip to social media usage -we’re taking a look back the key numerical moments of 2025. We explore the woes of a big infrastructure projects. Plus, just how can you make sure your New Year’s Resolutions are successful? We’ve got statistics to help. Presenter: Tim Harford Reporter: Lizzy McNeil Producers: Charlotte McDonald and Katie Solleveld Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Mix: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

28 min
27/12/2025

Numbers of the year 2025

We look back at some stand out numbers of 2025. How significant were Trump’s import tariffs? China sets the pace for solar power installation across the globe. We also look upwards to a particularly speedy comet - 3i Atlas. Presenter: Tim Harford Producers: Charlotte McDonald and Katie Solleveld Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Mix: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

9 min
24/12/2025

Were there really Three Wise Men?

The surprising things we learn when we count everyone - a tour of the UK census through time. We also figure out just how many parking officers there are versus soldiers in the British army. Who really does all the housework? Plus - 20 years of ‘Freakonomics’ with Stephen Dubner. And finally - were there really three wise men who visited baby Jesus? And were they kings as the Christmas hymn would lead us to believe? Presenter: Tim Harford Reporter: Lizzy McNeil Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Nathan Gower and Katie Solleveld Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Mix: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

28 min
20/12/2025

The shocking world of US health costs

A loyal listener wrote in to question this claim made by neuroscientist Dr Daniel Levitin: "Here in the US valium in a pharmacy might be $3 that same pill in a hospital setting might be $750." Our listener was shocked at how one pill can cost 250 x more in a hospital setting than in a pharmacy. But can it? Sort of. We turned to Elisabeth Rosenthal to take us on a dive into the frankly shocking world of US Health costs. Presenter: Tim Harford Producer: Lizzy McNeill Series Producer: Tom Colls Editor: Richard Vadon Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Mix: Neil Churchill

9 min

See All (1.1K)

Tim Harford

Host
Huseyin Naci

Guest
Jennifer Beam Dowd

Guest
Stuart McDonald

Guest
Jon Shelton

Guest
Ben Zaranko

Guest
Ruth Curtice

Guest
Helen Miller

Guest
Mairi Spowage

Guest
John Burn-Murdoch

Guest

4.6

out of 5

2,919 Ratings

Always brilliant

26/11/2025

jjh297

Little to fault here. Sometimes I struggle to keep up but that’s my issue, not Tim Harford’s.
One of the best

19/10/2025

Tgyrvbyjnvewxft5;4

Intelligent analysis presented in an interesting manner
Is itself biased

09/11/2025

Jimini666

Only wants to fact check the non BBC political outlook. Poor when it does this and it does this more than ever. Once a decent show, now showing itself up.
Poor stats in the Vlad episode

01/11/2025

Eldo19998

For a maths show I’m not sure the facts are correct. Lizzy McNeil states “As other historians and archaeologists pointed out, the room the killings were meant to have taken place in was only 12 by 7 meters, large enough for only 40 to 50 people, which is 10 percent lower than the 500 the pamphlet claimed Research” ….10% lower that 500 is not 50!! .. it’s 10% OF 500. There is another reference to 100% of inhabitants, which would be EVERYBODY and not just 7% losses. Disappointed!