For a document that is wholly based on statistics, the recent report from the National End of Life Care Intelligence Network (NEoLCIN) on variations in place of death in England (NEoLCIN, 2010) is fascinating reading. It highlights the differences across the country in where people die and challenges assumptions about what can and can’t be achieved for people who want to die at home. Too often we judge effectiveness on the basis of the individual case. This report helps us to look beyond personal experience and individual services. It sets a benchmark against which to judge how health and social care services are supporting people to die at home.