The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) has today published its final report from the systemic review of economic statistics produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The review confirms the findings of OSR’s interim report, which highlighted urgent action needed to rebuild trust in core economic statistics. OSR placed four immediate requirements on ONS earlier this year, covering recovery of survey operations, transparency in prioritisation, a clear strategy for data sources, and a programme of quality reviews.
To some extent, this review reflects the recent history of ONS’s economic statistics. However, we recognise that there have been important activities and developments since our interim report. ONS has responded positively to the challenges identified in OSR’s interim report and the Devereux review by publishing detailed improvement plans for economic statistics and survey operations. These plans set out clear milestones and demonstrate a more open and transparent approach to communication. Since the summer, ONS has also taken several positive steps to strengthen its approach, with an emphasis on openness, transparency, and prioritisation. This openness marks an important step in rebuilding trust and fostering confidence in the future of UK economic statistics, we welcome these developments and will consider them in further detail as part of our response to ONS’s forthcoming quarterly progress report.
OSR judges that ONS’s published improvement plans meet the immediate requirements we set out.
Today’s report also sets out OSR’s expectations for maintaining progress, including:
- Publishing a comprehensive data sources strategy and roadmap.
- Greater transparency on resource allocation across economic statistics.
- A prioritised programme of quality reviews.
To provide assurance, OSR will adopt a multi-faceted regulatory approach, including quarterly progress assessments, annual reports, and continued compliance checks against the Code of Practice for Statistics. We expect ONS to publish its first quarterly progress report in December 2025, and OSR will follow up publicly with our view on the progress ONS has made in the new year.
Ed Humpherson, Director General for OSR, said:
“Delivery of these improvements are essential to ensure economic statistics are trustworthy and fit for purpose. OSR will maintain close oversight to support and assure progress.”
Notes to editors
- The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) outlined requirements for ONS (Office for National Statistics) in April this year, by publishing a report regarding our emerging conclusions on economic statistics.
- The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) provides independent regulation of all official statistics produced in the UK, and aim to enhance public confidence in the trustworthiness, quality and value of statistics produced by government.
- OSR regulate statistics by setting the standards official statistics must meet in the Code of Practice 3.0 for Statistics. We ensure that producers of official statistics uphold these standards by conducting assessments against the Code. Those which meet the standards are given Accredited Official Statistics status, indicating that they meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and value.
- We also report publicly on systemwide issues and on the way that statistics are being used, celebrating when the standards are upheld and challenging publicly when they are not. OSR is independent from government Ministers, and separate from producers of statistics, including the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
- OSR’s Director General, Ed Humpherson, reports directly to the Chair of the UK Statistics Authority Board. The Director General, and OSR, have wide discretion in highlighting good practice and reporting concerns with the production and use of statistics publicly. OSR’s work is overseen by the Board’s regulation committee (made up of non-executive directors, and with no statistical producer in attendance). OSR’s budget is proposed by the Board’s regulation committee and endorsed by the Board.