Standards for Official Statistics (SOS) Arrangements

The Standards for Official Statistics (SOS) set out the specific practices producers must follow to ensure that statistics serve the public good and are grounded in the principles of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value (TQV). 

These Standards apply directly to producers of official statistics and underpin OSR’s regulatory work.  

From launch, all OSR assessments and compliance reviews will be based on Code 3.0, including the updated SOS.  

This means: 

• Accreditation decisions will reflect adherence to the new standards. 

• Compliance reviews will assess progress against the updated expectations. 

• Casework received after launch will be considered against Code 3.0, while recognising that the new Code will be in the process of being embedded. 

Transitional Arrangements

To support a smooth transition: 

• Regulatory work initiated before launch that is in the meeting requirements stage will continue under Code 2.1. 

• For other regulatory work, OSR will take a proportionate and pragmatic approach to regulatory compliance.

We will:  

• Recognise work already underway. 

• Encourage early conversations about compliance. 

• Consider department-specific circumstances and existing publication timelines. 

• Acknowledge that some areas are new to the Code, though not necessarily new to practice. 

Where full compliance is not immediately possible, we encourage you to develop a clear and achievable plan, with a realistic timetable, to work towards meeting the new standards. 

Timeline Guidance

From Launch: Compliance Expectations

To ensure a smooth and compliant transition to the new Code of Practice, producers should take the following actions from launch: 

• Review the Standards for Official Statistics (SOS): Familiarise yourself thoroughly with the SOS to understand its scope and implications for your work and all your outputs. 

• Communicate the change within your team: Ensure all relevant team members are aware that the new SOS will be applied during OSR regulatory reviews. 

• Evaluate current practices: Consider your existing procedures and practices and see if there are any areas that may require development to meet new standards. You can use this this self evaluation tool with your teams to collate their views about their application of the Code and assist in formulating action plans. 

• Develop an action plan for changes to be made over the coming 6 months at both the organisational and output-specific level. If you see the need for more substantial change that will take longer to address, it would be worthwhile contacting your Head of Profession for Statistics. If you believe there are significant areas of non-compliance for some accredited official statistics, be sure to get in touch with the relevant domain team in OSR to discuss your concerns about compliance. 

• Confirm readiness prior to review: If you are looking to request that your statistics are assessed against the Code, you should first ensure that you are content that they fully comply with the updated SOS. 

Embedding the principles of Code 3.0 serves as a valuable opportunity for producers to reflect on the application of the Code and identify areas for development and improvement. 

Within 6 Months of Launch: Organisational Requirements

For organisational-level or trustworthiness requirements, we expect producers to review practices and publish any materials within 6 months of launch, including: 

• Publishing a statement of compliance with the Code. 
• Publishing your organisations:
  • release practice policy
  • data management policy
  • public involvement and engagement strategy
• Actively engage key users to identify or review priority questions that your statistics should answer, and report findings and decisions in your annual statistical work programme. Where a statistical work programme is not already in place, departments should take steps to develop one to ensure that user engagement is systematically captured and informs future priorities. 

 A full list can be found in our guidance on required policies and statements relating to official statistics production. 

Status of Existing Accredited Official Statistics (AOS)

Existing accredited official statistics (AOS) will not need to be re-assessed against the new Code to keep their accreditation. OSR will continue to plan its schedule for review against the Code on a priority basis. It would be valuable for producer teams to reflect on their own application of the Code standards and self-evaluate how effectively they are able to demonstrate those standards.  

If you are interested in obtaining accredited official statistics status for your statistics, please contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk.