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  1. OSR launches its review of poverty statistics

    Following on from our blog published earlier this year on the trouble with measuring poverty, we are beginning our review on income-based poverty statistics in the UK. We’ve been working in this space for a while, from regulatory reviews of benefit and deprivation statistics to casework on the use of poverty statistics in the public […]

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  2. The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) Publishes its Reviews of UK Benefit Statistics

    OSR has today published a package of reviews concerning UK benefit statistics. This includes a full assessment of Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) benefit statistics for Great Britain and a compliance check of the Department for Communities’ (DfC) benefits statistics summary for Northern Ireland. There has been heightened interest in benefit statistics during the COVID-19 […]

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  3. OSR Statement regarding transparency of data related to COVID-19

    The UK Statistics Authority’s vision is simple: Statistics should serve the public good. By championing high standards, we seek to uphold public confidence in statistics that serve the public good. As part of governments’ communications on the pandemic there have been high profile public briefings, media interviews and statements from each of the four governments […]

    Covid-19 virus
  4. Are statistics serving the Public Good? Our Research Programme is going to help us find out

    Since the launch of our research programme, we have been finding out exactly what problems currently exist around understanding the public good of statistics, such as: difficulties defining and measuring the public good knowing little about how the public actually use statistics in their daily lives not knowing the best way to communicate statistics to […]

    Statistics for the public good
  5. Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) reflects on record volumes of casework

    The UK Statistics Authority has today published its Annual Review of Casework. Making public statements about the dissemination and use of statistics has been an important part of the Authority’s work since it began. In this work, the Authority is guided by its statutory objective to promote and safeguard official statistics. The report covers April 2019 […]

  6. The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) Suggests a Range of Improvements Following the Assessment of ONS’s Business Demography Statistics

    OSR has today published a full assessment of ONS’s business demography statistics. This report suggests that a range of improvements is needed for these statistics to fully meet National Statistics standards. We will formally review whether the statistics merit their continued designation as National Statistics at two key points. First, upon publication of the next […]

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  7. First Award Winners Announced for the Voluntary Application of the Code Award 2020

    Today, we are proud to announce the winners of the first ever Voluntary Application of the Code Award. This new and prestigious Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) award is given in partnership with the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) and our media partner Civil Service World. This rewards excellence in the voluntary application of the ‘pillars’ […]

    Voluntary Application Award 2020
  8. Assessment of 2021 Censuses in the UK

    The Census is one of the most important sources of official statistics, informing decisions about almost every aspect of life within the UK. The three Census offices – the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the National Records of Scotland (NRS) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) – continue to prepare to deliver […]

  9. OSR review of approach to developing statistical models designed for awarding 2020 exam results

    The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) will conduct a review of the approach taken to developing statistical models designed for awarding 2020 exam results.    Our review will consider the extent to which qualifications’ regulators across the UK developed their models in line with the principles set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics.     The review will […]

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  10. Statement from the Office for Statistics Regulation on Grade adjustment in UK exams in 2020 

    Due to COVID-19, exams in schools, colleges and other settings across the UK have been cancelled. This year, grades awarded are based on teacher estimated grades submitted via the awarding organisations to the qualifications’ regulators. Teachers also provided rank orders for each candidate from their centre within the defined bands. These estimated grades are known […]

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