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The UK’s statistical landscape
The UK has a devolved statistical system. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the largest producer and covers England and Wales for most statistics. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each have their own statistical agencies for devolved matters. The UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) provides independent oversight of all official statistics, including the power to publicly rebuke ministers who misuse them.
Always check which body produced a statistic and which geography it covers before using it in a story. “UK” statistics and “England” statistics are often conflated in press releases, sometimes accidentally and sometimes not.
The main bodies
Office for National Statistics (ONS)
https://www.ons.gov.uk ↑- Covers
- England and Wales (most statistics); some UK-wide
- Release schedule
- Release calendar at ons.gov.uk/releasecalendar
Key datasets: Census, population estimates, economic statistics (GDP, inflation, employment), health, crime (Crime Survey for England and Wales), well-being, housing, migration.
Journalist tip: Sign up for release alerts by topic. Download the reference tables (Excel/CSV), not just the bulletin.
National Records of Scotland (NRS)
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk ↑- Covers
- Scotland
- Release schedule
- Publication calendar on NRS website.
Key datasets: Scottish census, population estimates, births, deaths, marriages, vital events.
Journalist tip: For economic and crime statistics covering Scotland, also check Scottish Government Statistics (statistics.gov.scot).
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)
https://www.nisra.gov.uk ↑- Covers
- Northern Ireland
- Release schedule
- Release calendar on NISRA website.
Key datasets: NI census, population, births, deaths, economic activity, housing, deprivation.
Journalist tip: NISRA produces the Northern Ireland Deprivation Measure (NIDM) — comparable to England's IMD.
StatsWales
https://statswales.gov.wales ↑- Covers
- Wales
- Release schedule
- Published via Welsh Government statistical releases.
Key datasets: Welsh Government statistics portal: education, health, economy, housing, transport, environment.
Journalist tip: StatsWales data is highly queryable online — you can customise tables without downloading raw data.
UK Statistics Authority (UKSA)
https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk ↑- Covers
- UK-wide oversight role
- Release schedule
- UKSA publishes correspondence when ministers misuse statistics — always worth checking.
Key datasets: Regulates official statistics. Assesses compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. Publishes assessments and reprimands of official statistics misuse.
Journalist tip: Search UKSA's published correspondence when a government minister quotes a statistic that seems implausible. UKSA has publicly rebuked ministers and departments for misleading statistics use.
Reading an official statistical bulletin
1
Key findings first
ONS bulletins open with numbered key findings — these are the headline numbers. Read them as a summary, but do not stop there.
2
Check the geography
England, England and Wales, UK, Great Britain — these are different geographies. A statistic about England is not automatically a UK statistic.
3
Read the technical notes
Methodology is at the end of most bulletins. Understanding how data was collected is essential for knowing its limitations.
4
Download the data tables
The HTML bulletin contains only selected charts. The accompanying Excel or CSV tables have the full data you need for your own analysis.
5
Contact the analyst
Each bulletin lists a named analyst with a contact email. They can answer methodology questions and often know of related unpublished data.
Red flags
- A press release cites "UK" data when the underlying statistic only covers England.
- Comparison between two statistics that use different methodologies or geographies.
- A government minister cites a statistic that UKSA has previously rebuked as misused.
- Statistics described as "latest" that are more than a year old — always check the reference period.
- Experimental or provisional statistics presented as finalised figures.
Using official statistics checklist
- I have identified which body produced the statistic and what geography it covers.
- I have checked whether it is a National Statistic (quality-assured by UKSA).
- I have read the methodology section and noted the main limitations.
- I have downloaded the data tables, not relied solely on the bulletin text.
- I have checked the reference period and noted it in my story.
- I have searched UKSA's published correspondence for any previous rebukes related to this statistic.
When official data does not exist
If the statistic you need is not published by any official body, an FOI request to the relevant authority may obtain it. Use our FOI Request Builder to draft one.
Common mistakes
- Conflating England and UK statistics — always check the geographic coverage.
- Using the bulletin's headline number without reading the caveats in the technical notes.
- Not checking when the data was collected — "published last month" may mean the data is from two years ago.
- Comparing statistics from different bodies that use different definitions (e.g. different definitions of "unemployment").
Related guides
Primary sources
Frequently asked questions
What is pre-release access and can journalists get it?
Pre-release access allows specified individuals to see official statistics before they are published. The Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order 2008 governs who can receive it and how far in advance (maximum 24 hours for most statistics, 5 days for National Statistics). Journalists at major national organisations can apply for pre-release access for specific releases. Regional and local journalists can often access releases via government press offices on the day of publication.
What is the difference between Official Statistics and National Statistics?
All statistics produced by government departments and agencies are Official Statistics. National Statistics are a subset that have been assessed by the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) against the Code of Practice for Statistics and meet the highest standards of quality, value, and trustworthiness. If statistics are assessed and fail, they lose National Statistics status. Always check whether statistics you are citing are National Statistics — it tells you they have been independently quality-assured.
How do I read an ONS statistical bulletin?
ONS bulletins follow a standard structure: key findings (a numbered bullet-point summary), main body (detailed analysis with charts), and technical notes/methodology. Start with the key findings. Then read the technical notes to understand how the data was collected and its limitations. Download the accompanying data tables for the raw numbers. The 'About this release' section tells you the next publication date and the contact analyst's email address — you can email them with questions.
Related guides
Primary sources
- Office for National Statistics— ONS
- National Records of Scotland— NRS Scotland
- NISRA — Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency— NISRA
- StatsWales — Welsh Government statistics— StatsWales
- UK Statistics Authority— UKSA
- Code of Practice for Statistics— UKSA
- data.gov.uk — central open data portal— UK Government