Ed Humpherson to Liz McKeown and Jennet Woolford: Accreditation status of Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey statistics 

Published:

Sent from: Office for Statistics Regulation

Sent to: Office for National Statistics

Download correspondence (124 KB)

Dear Liz and Jen, 

Accreditation status of statistics derived from the Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey 

Thank you for your letter setting out ONS’s proposed approach to statistics derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Population Survey (APS), and for your continued engagement with OSR on the recovery of labour market statistics and the development of the Transformed Labour Force Survey (TLFS). 

We recognise the considerable work undertaken by ONS to improve the quality of the LFS and the progress that has been made since late 2023. We also recognise the strategic importance of the TLFS programme and understand that your focus is on establishing a sustainable basis for producing accredited labour market statistics using the transformed survey in the future.

Having considered the information provided in line with our guidance, OSR has concluded that it would be appropriate to change the affected LFS and APS-based official statistics from ‘suspended’ accreditation to ‘cancelled’ accreditation. This decision does not reflect concerns regarding the trustworthiness of the organisations producing the statistics or the quality of their statistical outputs. Rather, it recognises that the accreditation of these statistics has been suspended for some time and that ONS is not currently seeking reaccreditation while priority is given to preparing for future assessment of TLFS-based outputs. 

Data from the LFS and APS are also used as a primary source for a range of statistics across the official statistics system. In line with the approach we are taking with ONS statistics, we will also cancel the accreditation of statistics produced by other official statistics producers, where extensive use is made of LFS and APS data and where the accreditation is currently suspended. We have copied in all producers whose accredited official statistics are affected by this decision and listed the affected statistics in Annex A of this letter, to ensure consistent communication and transparency for users across the statistical system. 

We expect all producers to continue providing clear and transparent quality information for users and to explain the implications of survey quality issues for interpretation and use of the statistics. 

We have also considered the evidence provided by ONS regarding Regional Gross Disposable Household Income (GDHI). ONS has demonstrated that, while APS data contribute to the production of these statistics, they represent only one component within a broader methodological framework and are not the primary determinant of the estimates. The quality issues affecting the APS therefore do not have the same direct impact on GDHI as they do on statistics that rely predominantly on APS or LFS data. On this basis, we have concluded that Regional GDHI should not be included within the group of statistics affected by this decision and can instead be considered separately for accreditation. 

We welcome the constructive engagement that ONS has shown throughout this process and look forward to continuing our work together as the TLFS develops and the evidence base for future accreditation assessments matures. 

I have copied this letter to Heads of Profession and Chief Statisticians of departments producing the affected statistics. 

Yours sincerely,  

Ed Humpherson 
Director General for OSR 

Annex A: Statistics moving from Suspended to Cancelled Accreditation 

Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (formerly the Department for Business and Trade) 

  • Business Population Estimates for the UK and Regions 
  • Trade Union Membership 

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (former department) 

  • Digital Sector Economic Estimates: Employment series 

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (formerly the Department for Culture, Media and Sport) 

  • DCMS Sector Economic Estimates: Employment series 

Department for Education 

  • NEET age 16 to 24 

National Records of Scotland 

  • Healthy Life Expectancy 

Office for National Statistics 

  • Employment in the UK 
  • Labour Market in the Regions of the UK 
  • Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) 
  • Population of the UK by Country of Birth and Nationality 
  • Personal Well-being in the UK 
  • Adult Smoking Habits in the UK 
  • Health State Life Expectancies 

Scottish Government 

  • Scottish Monthly Labour Market Trends 
  • Scotland’s Labour Market Insights 

Welsh Government 

  • Wales Monthly Labour Market Overview 
  • Labour Market Statistics (Annual Population Survey) 
  • Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) in Wales 
  • Welsh Language data from the Annual Population Survey 
  • Levels of highest qualification held by working age adults