Anna Price to Sandra Tudor: Compliance review of Housing supply and stock in England statistics 

Dear Sandra,

Compliance review of statistics on housing supply and dwelling stock in England

We have completed a compliance review of the Housing supply: indicators of new supply statistics, Housing supply: net additional dwellings, and Dwelling stock (including vacants) estimates produced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) against the standards of the Code of Practice for Statistics (the Code). These statistics are currently published as accredited official statistics. Our review considered whether these statistics continue to meet the standards of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value.

Based on the findings of our review, we conclude that these statistics meet the standards of the Code. The statistics show many strengths including extensive triangulation across multiple housing data sources, the transparent communication of limitations and revisions and developing EPC-based estimates of net additional dwellings to address users’ needs for more timely information.

The review identified some areas where further action is needed. We have identified one requirement which must be met for the statistics to retain their accredited official statistics status. This involves providing clearer labelling of the status of the new EPC-based estimates. We have also identified four recommendations to further enhance the Trustworthiness, Quality and Value of the statistics. We expect MHCLG to address the requirement by the next time the EPC-based estimates are published and to publish an update setting out how it plans to address the four recommendations by March 2027.

I am grateful for the constructive engagement of the statistical team during this review. I am copying this letter to Neil Higgins and Julia Bowman, the responsible statisticians.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Anna Price

Joint Head of Regulatory Compliance for OSR