Are millions of people getting Motability cars for anxiety and ADHD?

More or Less

BBC

Business, Mathematics, Science, News Commentary, News

4.6 • 3.5K Ratings

🗓️ 15 October 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week:

The Conservative party conference has been told that millions of people are getting free cars from the government because they have ADHD and anxiety. Is that right?

The chair of the Labour party says that only 3% of farmers will be affected by proposed changes to inheritance tax. Is that true?

The charity Movember claim that two in five men die too young. What does that really mean?

And Tim’s mid-life crisis has manifested itself in a marathon run. We ask a scientist if data can help him finish faster.

If you’ve seen a number in the news you think we should take a look at, let us know: [email protected]

Presenter: Tim Harford Reporter: Nathan Gower Producer: Lizzy McNeill Series producer: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound mix: Gareth Jones Editor: Richard Vadon

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.
0:06.1	Can I just say?
0:07.6	You're about to listen to a BBC podcast.
0:10.0	It's such a wonderful listen.
0:11.7	So nice.
0:12.5	There are loads more like it on BBC Sounds.
0:14.8	Different paces, different heights, the roof is buckling.
0:17.9	Where you can also listen to live sports commentary.
0:20.2	It's right foot goes for goal.
0:21.6	And then enjoy even more podcasts full of analysis and reaction to the big stories.
0:27.7	The stat that is astonishing is they ended with the lowest amount of possession.
0:31.2	And she's had to live with that.
0:32.8	So if you love sport, a passion, it's almost like a religion.
0:35.8	Listen on BBC Sounds.
0:38.7	Sort of expecting that every week now. Hello, I'm welcome to more or less. We're the program that takes the BS out
0:45.0	of numbers. Leaving us with Numer. Nailed it at last. I'm Tim Harford. And in this, the last program
0:53.0	in the current series, we'll be asking how many
0:55.7	people will be affected by plans to change inheritance tax for farmers. The Conservative Party
1:01.9	conference have been told that millions of people are getting free cars from the government
1:06.5	because they have anxiety and ADHD. Can that be right? Are two in five men dying too young?
1:14.6	What does that even mean? And my midlife crisis has manifested itself in a marathon run. I mean,
1:21.6	I don't really like to talk about it, but can the data help me run faster? Or for that matter,
	...

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