Topics Statistical designation
Overview
It is important that we provide users of our statistics with information about their official designation.
We do this by:
- using the accredited official statistics badge on our content and datasets
- including clear subsections in our statistical articles and quality and methods guides
This helps users to understand the trustworthiness, quality and value of the statistics, in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in a new tab)
Statistical designation subsection
All statistical articles and quality and methods guides that include accredited official statistics or official statistics in development must include a Statistical designation subsection.
Include this:
- at the end of the Quality, methods and data sources section of your statistical article
- at the start of the Quality of the statistics section of your quality and methods guide
If all of the statistics are accredited official statistics
Use the following text:
The Office for Statistics Regulation independently reviewed these accredited official statistics in [Month Year]. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in a new tab) and should be labelled “accredited official statistics”.
If all of the statistics are official statistics in development
Use the following text:
These statistics are labelled as “official statistics in development”. They are based on information from [insert main data sources]. We are developing how we collect the data and produce the statistics to improve their quality.
Once we have completed the developments, we will review the statistics with the Statistics Head of Profession.
If the statistics meet trustworthiness, quality and value standards based on user feedback, we will remove the “official statistics in development” label to publish under the “official statistics” label.
If they do not meet trustworthiness, quality and value standards, we will further develop them and might stop producing them.
If they were “accredited official statistics” before the start of the developments, we will ask the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) to reassess and re-accredit them.
We will inform users of the outcome of our, and any OSR, review and any changes.
If some of the statistics are accredited official statistics and some are official statistics in development
Use the following text:
The Office for Statistics Regulation independently reviewed the [specific set of statistics] accredited official statistics in [Month Year]. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in a new tab) and should be labelled “accredited official statistics”.
The [specific set of statistics] statistics are labelled as “official statistics in development”. They are based on information from [insert main data sources]. We are developing how we collect the data and produce the statistics to improve their quality.
Once we have completed the developments, we will review the statistics with the Statistics Head of Profession.
If the statistics meet trustworthiness, quality and value standards based on user feedback, we will remove the “official statistics in development” label to publish under the “official statistics” label.
If they do not meet trustworthiness, quality and value standards, we will further develop them and might stop producing them.
If they were “accredited official statistics” before the start of the developments, we will ask the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) to reassess and re-accredit them.
We will inform users of the outcome of our, and any OSR, review and any changes.
If some of the statistics are accredited official statistics and some are official statistics
Use the following text:
The Office for Statistics Regulation independently reviewed the [specific set of statistics] accredited official statistics in [Month Year]. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in a new tab) and should be labelled “accredited official statistics”.
If some of the statistics are official statistics in development and some are official statistics
Use the following text:
The [specific set of statistics] statistics are labelled as “official statistics in development”. They are based on information from [insert main data sources]. We are developing how we collect the data and produce the statistics to improve their quality.
Once we have completed the developments, we will review the statistics with the Statistics Head of Profession.
If the statistics meet trustworthiness, quality and value standards based on user feedback, we will remove the “official statistics in development” label to publish under the “official statistics” label.
If they do not meet trustworthiness, quality and value standards, we will further develop them and might stop producing them.
If they were “accredited official statistics” before the start of the developments, we will ask the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) to reassess and re-accredit them.
We will inform users of the outcome of our, and any OSR, review and any changes.
If the statistics and methods are not yet official statistics
Sometimes we publish statistical research and methods that are not yet official statistics.
Use the following text:
These are not official statistics. We are publishing them as research into [a new/an alternative] method for producing [topic] statistics. Do not use them for policy- or decision-making.
Find out when the Office for Statistics Regulation reviewed the statistics
To find out the month and year when the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) independently reviewed the statistics, follow these instructions:
- Visit the OSR web page on accredited official statistics (opens in a new tab)
- Select the “List of accredited official statistics” link, which will generate a spreadsheet listing all accredited official statistics that the UK government produces.
- Filter the spreadsheet by “Producer”, selecting “Office for National Statistics”.
- Filter the spreadsheet by “Domain”, selecting the relevant subject area, for example, “Labour Market and Welfare” for Employment in the UK.
- Locate the date in column H, “Month of accreditation”.