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Who we are

Overview

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics. We are also the UK’s recognised national statistical institute. Read more about us on the ONS website (opens in a new tab) 

We are one of the organisations that make up the UK statistical system. These guidelines are mainly for the ONS, though there are related brands.

Photographs of inside and outside ONS offices

Brand family

The UK statistical system is formed of a group of independent statutory bodies, and so the organisations do not follow GOV.UK branding. The brand family is made up of:

  • UK Statistics Authority: responsible for overseeing the UK statistical system
  • Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR): independent regulatory arm of the Authority
  • Office for National Statistics (ONS): largest producer of official statistics in the UK and its national statistical institute
  • Government Statistical Service (GSS): community for those working in the collection, production and communication of official statistics
  • Data Science Campus: organisation within ONS that builds data science capability

Read more about the UK statistical system on the UK Statistics Authority website (opens in a new tab) 

The UK statistical system is led by the UK Statistics Authority

Statistics for the public good strategy

2020 saw the launch of the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA)’s five-year strategy: Statistics for the Public Good (opens in a new tab) 

It brought a new mission:

High quality data and analysis to inform the UK, improve lives and build the future.

— collective mission of the UK statistical system

Four core principles will underpin the work of the ONS and the wider statistical system over the five-year strategy. We at the ONS will be:

  • radical in our decisions
  • ambitious in our actions
  • inclusive in all that we are and do
  • sustainable in our outlook

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