Content types on the ONS website Headline releases
Overview
A headline release, or a headline bulletin, is a short page, published alongside a dataset or datasets
It includes headline findings, alongside essential methodology and caveats for users.
Headline releases should be used when there is:
- limited interest or value in the topic area for users and stakeholders
- no evidence to suggest users are regularly engaging with more than the first 500 words of a full bulletin
- little to say about the data from one release to the next
- limited capacity to publish a full bulletin each month
A headline release, bulletin or data-only release should be used to release new data for the first time. More information on how to release new data is available in our bulletin guidance
Structuring a headline release
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Other pages in this release | When publishing more than one content page (not datasets) in a release, use this section to link to them |
| Main points | Up to six bullet points containing headline figures or trends in the data. |
| Data on [topic] | Links to the most relevant datasets referenced in this release. |
| Data sources and quality | Should link to more detailed methodology publications, such as Quality and Methodology Information (QMI) reports, methodology articles, user guides and planned changes. May also include short updates on important changes, linking to separate pages when there are significant updates. |
| Related links | Links to in-depth analysis or articles on this subject from the ONS. Can include links to associated bulletins, such as revised or mid-year estimates. Links to related publications or statistics that users might find useful. Can include links to publications from other organisations. |
Headline release template
Download our template (Word, 172KB) (opens in a new tab) to help you draft your bulletin in the headline release structure
How a headline release differs from a bulletin
- Main points are the only commentary provided: there are no additional sections for analysis or reporting.
- Data sources and quality is shorter than in a bulletin; only include essential quality information, and link users to more detailed information in an accompanying methodology publication.
- The Glossary section is optional, and should only be used where important terms cannot be explained in the main points.
There is no minimum length to a headline release. If a headline release includes any analysis, it should be changed to a bulletin format and include the mandatory bulletin sections (opens in a new tab) .
Supporting shorter releases
If a dataset or headline release are not sufficient for a release, consider publishing articles alongside the data and headline release. The headline release still needs to work as a standalone product. We should not rely on users using an article to understand the headlines.
If there is a frequent requirement to publish articles alongside a headline release, consider whether a bulletin would be more suitable, bearing in mind the principles behind our products (opens in a new tab)
Alternatives to supporting articles
If the supporting information is targeted at a smaller audience, consider other ways to share it with the right users:
- users could get in touch to request copies of particularly long or technical information that is not relevant to most users
- consider whether a newsletter might be a better way to share important technical information
Avoid publishing content that is not relevant to your data
Publishing content that is not relevant to a large number of users damages the user experience of the website, making it harder for users to find content via search because:
- it increases the chances of most users ending up on the wrong page
- it makes users less likely to trust the website and our content
- it also makes the website more difficult and more expensive to maintain