How we regulate

Our current and upcoming regulatory work

Our rolling work programme (Excel download) shows the regulatory projects we are working on now and planning next. We update it four times a year to help users see what we are reviewing and when.

The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) is the independent regulatory arm of the UK Statistics Authority. We regulate official statistics across the UK to support public confidence in statistics and ensure they serve the public good.

At the heart of our work is the Code of Practice for Statistics, which sets the standards for producing, communicating and using statistics. We assess official statistics against the Code’s principles of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value. When statistics meet the Standards for Official Statistics, we can award them accredited official statistics status, known in law as National Statistics.

We also look at how statistics, data and wider analysis are used in public debate. The concept of intelligent transparency is now embedded in the Code through the Standards for the Public Use of Statistics, Data and Wider Analysis. These standards set expectations for public bodies to use statistics openly, clearly and accessibly, so people can understand the evidence behind public statements and decisions.

Our regulatory tools

Our regulatory tools are designed to support producers and users of statistics. Expand each section to learn more about the purpose of the tool and when it may be useful.

Compliance reviews (including assessment)

In accordance with the Statistics and Regulation Service Act 2007, OSR independently reviews whether official statistics comply with the principles of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value in the Code of Practice.

We do this through a tailored process called a compliance review, where we evaluate the extent to which official statistics meet the standards set out in the Code.

A compliance review is the umbrella term for a review of any official statistics against the Code carried out by OSR.

There are three types of compliance review:

1. Assessment: a review conducted when a producer has requested the accreditation of official statistics. Compliance with all standards and practices of the Code’s Standards for Official Statistics is reviewed. Assessment is the only tool that allows us to grant accredited official statistics status (called National Statistics in the Act).

2. Compliance review of existing accredited official statistics: a review conducted to check the statistics’ ongoing compliance with the Code and confirm their accredited status. They often focus on a specific issue or part of the Code. They may lead to more-focused reviews if issues arise and could ultimately result in us deciding to remove the accreditation from the statistics.

3. Compliance review of official statistics: a review conducted to check the statistics’ ongoing compliance with Code, but where the outcome does not involve a decision on accreditation. Their main aim is to recommend improvements to the statistics. We may recommend that the producer seeks accreditation, but it is up to them to pursue accreditation separately via assessment.

See our guide on compliance reviews for further information on the scope, outcomes and outputs of compliance reviews, and the compliance review process.

See our published assessment reports and published compliance reviews.

Systemic reviews

Systemic reviews are used when we want to improve the public value of a set of statistics or examine a cross-cutting statistical issue such as data linkage or classifications rather than an individual set of statistics. Examining issues across the statistics landscape allows us to influence how the statistics system responds collectively to maximise quality and public value.

We undertake such reviews where an accumulation of evidence indicates there might be issues around gaps, overlaps, coherence, accessibility and other system-level issues. We can also use systemic reviews to highlight good practice and innovation in elements of public value, with a view to sharing lessons across the system.

See our published systemic reviews and ongoing systemic reviews.

Casework

One of our key roles is to use our voice to stand up for statistics and to represent the public. We undertake monitoring to identify issues, reporting publicly where we have concerns and highlighting good practice where possible.

Casework is the tool that best allows us to be responsive and investigate issues quickly as they arise.