OSR publishes its findings on response rate challenges in ONS’s Labour Market Statistics

Today the Office for Statistics Regulation has published a review of experimental Labour Market Statistics produced by the Office for National Statistics.

Following ONS’s decision to replace its planned LFS-derived labour market statistics with a new series using additional data sources in October, OSR conducted a short review of these important statistics.

OSR wants to see ONS doing all that is possible to ensure trustworthiness, quality and value of this extremely important data, that underpins many key economic outputs. Our report sets out several requirements for ONS to act upon in advance of the transition to the Transformed LFS and the need to consider lessons for the future.

OSR’s focus is on the data being:

• robust enough to bear the weight put upon it;
• communicated clearly and coherently; and
• meeting the needs of users.

We would like to thank the teams involved for their positive engagement in working with us to the tight timescales between the Labour Market publications and for taking action on some of our requirements in time for today’s release.

We welcome that ONS has published a high level plan for the production of Labour Market statistics over the coming months to inform users.

Ed Humpherson, DG Regulation said:

“We welcome the steps already taken by ONS in addressing our recommendations. Given the importance of these statistics, it is vital that ONS takes action to ensure labour market estimates can command the confidence of users and serve the public good.

“OSR will continue to engage with ONS during the transition to a new transformed labour force survey to promote the need for communications that are joined up and coherent and that the statistics meet the principles of the Code of Practice. ”