Want to know what it's like now where your UK ancestor lived?

For the data nerd find information often down to the level of UK communities of a few thousand,

Neighbourhood Statistics
From the Office of National Statistics, this website provides information about people, health, work, education, housing, crime and the environment in the UK. A neighbourhood summary can be produced through using a postcode search.
Crime
The police crime mapping facility can be used to find out more about crime in a neighbourhood through using the postcode search facility for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Crime maps, advice and information about neighbourhood policing are all available through this site.
Health
A health profiles produced annually by the Association of Public Health Observatories. The profile provides information about health inequalities, deprivation, obesity, smoking and other health related topics.
Labour Market
Official labour market statistics such as unemployment rates, claimant count, jobs vacancies and other claimant information for England and Wales from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Education
Secondary school league tables showing GCSE attainment between 2005 and 2010 are available by ward and district through the Department of Education. For England see https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-and-college-performance-tables-in-england-2017-to-2018.

Government Data
Provides local and national data across many subjects through a postcode search.