Numerals (1, 2, 3 and so on)
We use numerals for all numbers. People find numerals easier to read and they scan for them.
For numbers over 999, use a comma for clarity - for example, 1,000.
For numbers less than 1, use 0 before the decimal point - for example, 0.25.
Exceptions:
- Use the numeral unless writing out the number makes more sense
- Write out numbers in common phrases where it would be odd to use a numeral (like ‘one or two people’ or ‘one in a million’)
- Some further use cases of ‘one’ - see below
Examples of where we use numerals:
- Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey
- It takes 1 to 3 weeks from the time you were exposed to chickenpox for the spots to start appearing
- Do this for 1 or 2 minutes
- Depression affects about 1 in 10 people at some point during their life
- 1-to-1 therapy
One or 1
We spell out ‘one’ when it means ‘a’ or to avoid repeating a word.
Examples
- Never take 2 doses at the same time to make up for a forgotten one
- You can also phone 0818 22 44 78 to order one
We also use ‘one’ at the beginning of a sentence and in phrases like:
- ‘one or the other’
- ‘one of the most common’
- ‘one at a time’
At the start of a sentence
Never use ‘1’ at the start of a sentence. But, it is OK to use other numerals at the start of a sentence. If it looks confusing, consider rewording your sentence or writing out the number.
Ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on)
For numbers 1 to 9, we do not use ordinal numbers with letter suffixes. For example, '1st', as in 'your 1st vaccine'. Instead, spell out the word 'first'. This works better in page titles, headings and menu links.
For numbers 10 and higher, use ordinal numbers. These are easier to read as ordinal numbers with letter suffixes. For example, use '10th' not 'tenth', '50th' not 'fiftieth'.
Fractions and percentages
Spell out common fractions like two-thirds.
For percentages, use the % symbol - for example, 50%.
However, it's often better not to use a percentage. Instead of 50%, for example, you could say '1 in 2' or 'half'.
Do not mix fractions and percentages in one article, use one or the other.
Statistics
Use statistics sparingly. Consider the style of writing and your target audience.
Use the clearest, most meaningful format to explain what you're illustrating. For example, use ‘1 in 7 people’ rather than ‘14.3% of people’.
Avoid mixing different number formats. Use one or the other.
Example: Overall, around 7 in every 10 people live at least a year after diagnosis and around 5 in 10 people live at least 10 years.
Balancing statistics
Research done by the ESRI (the Economic and Social Research Institute) around communicating cervical screening suggests it's best to balance the number of people affected by something with the number of people who will not be affected.
Example 1
If 1,000 people are screened, about 20 people will have abnormal (pre-cancerous) cervical cells:
- 18 of these 20 people will have these cells found through screening
- 2 of these 20 people will not have these cells found through screening and may develop cervical cancer
Example 2
If 1,000 women age 30 have a baby, 1 baby will have Down syndrome, the other 999 babies will not.
If 1,000 women age 40 have a baby, 12 will have Down syndrome, the other 988 babies will not.