Ensuring the health impacts of noise are considered in national policy decisions

In England and Wales, the CIEH Noise Survey provides the only source of information on the vital contribution made by environmental health professionals working to resolve noise complaints.

2020/21 Noise Survey

The 2020/21 England Noise Survey report has been published. 144 local authorities responded to the survey, accounting for 45% of local authorities in England.

The report found that the number of noise complaints increased by 54% between 2019/20 and 2020/21 in 89 local authorities, which participated in both years.

Key findings:

• A total of 356,367 noise complaints were recorded by 144 local authorities, on average 149 complaints for every 10,000 people
• 11,211 formal actions were taken by responding local authorities
• There were 88 noise-related prosecutions
• The average number of complaints per Full Time Equivalent Professional increased from 299 to 633
• There are 563 FTEs working at 144 local authorities to investigate and resolve noise complaints, on average 3.9 FTE per local authority

This year's report is supported by Cirrus Research. Established in 1970, Cirrus Research is a globally recognised name in scientific noise measurement equipment, serving health and safety and environmental health professionals in all parts of the world.

Noise changes lives, and Cirrus Research's priority is to make monitoring, measuring, and controlling excessive noise levels as straightforward as possible, whilst ensuring that the most effective decisions are taken to protect people and the environment from the risks noise presents. Cirrus Research has a long-standing relationship with local government environmental health officers, housing associations and independent acoustic consultants, and actively contributes to the successful resolution of noise nuisance complaints by supporting EHOs with market-leading instrumentation that provides in-depth data and analysis.

Noise survey 2020/21 report - England

2020/21 Wales Noise Survey

Wales noise survey is now closed. All local authorities in Wales participated in the survey and the results will be published shortly.

For any queries relating to the Wales Noise Survey, please email [email protected].

Why is it so important?

Our noise survey provides the only source of regular national information on the important contribution made by EHPs working to resolve noise complaints.

Our survey results were referenced in the 2017 Chief Medical Officer annual report to emphasise that "environmental noise comes second in burden of disease to air pollution and arguably is responsible for more disturbance of quality of life". Noise is the single largest issue of complaint made to local authorities in the UK and over 80% of people report being exposed to noise pollution in their homes.

Past survey results