The Office for Statistics Regulation publishes its annual casework report for 2025/26

The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) has published its annual casework report, covering the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

Casework is generated when someone raises a concern with OSR, or when OSR identifies a concern itself, regarding the production or use of statistics. The report shows OSR investigated 167 pieces of casework during the year, fewer than the 219 cases handled in 2024/25, though still notably higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Cases were raised by members of the public, parliamentarians and through OSR’s own monitoring activities, with OSR-initiated monitoring accounting for a greater share of casework than in previous years.

The report highlights five key themes over the year: supporting the appropriate use of statistics in public communications; the growing complexity of cases requiring deeper regulatory engagement; OSR’s work during the May 2026 local and devolved elections, which included proactive and reactive work to help the public navigate statistical claims made during campaigns; the increasing influence of this work beyond our core remit of official statistics; and how we will continue to build on this in the future.

The report also reflects on OSR’s use of the new Standards for the Public Use of Statistics, Data and Wider Analysis, introduced as part of the updated Code of Practice for Statistics (Code 3.0) in October 2025. These standards, which have themselves been shaped by past casework, provide a strong framework for OSR to advise on how statistics are communicated across all public-facing government communications.

Looking ahead, casework will remain central to OSR’s regulatory activity. It underpins all aspects of our strategy, supporting our role as a credible and rigorous regulator, acting as a catalyst for improvement across the system, championing the public use of statistics, and enhancing trustworthiness, quality and value across the UK. OSR will continue to draw on feedback from its casework processes, alongside an internal review of its work during the 2026 elections, to further strengthen and refine how casework is delivered in future.

Ed Humpherson, Director General for OSR said:

“This year’s casework reflects both the continued demand for our work and the evolving nature of the challenges we face. While overall volumes have declined, the increasing complexity of cases and the breadth of issues we are asked to consider highlight the importance of strong, clear standards for the use of statistics in public debate.  As we look ahead, we are strengthening our capacity to respond to these challenges and to build on our growing influence across the wider landscape of public communications.”