ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK) is a partnership transforming the way researchers access the UK’s wealth of public sector data, to enable better informed policy decisions that improve people’s lives.

By joining up the abundance of administrative data already being created by government and public bodies across the UK and making it available for researchers, we are enabling vital research that has the potential to lead to better informed policy decisions and more effective public services, in areas from improving education and healthcare to tackling crime.

ADR UK’s work plays an important role in bridging the gap between government and academia, enabling government policy to be informed by the best evidence available, and putting us on the path to a future in which the true potential of administrative data for the public good is realised.

ADR UK is made up of three national partnerships (ADR Scotland, ADR Wales, and ADR NI) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS), coordinated by a UK-wide Strategic Hub. ADR UK is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation.

The role of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in ADR UK

ONS plays a crucial role in sourcing, linking and curating public sector data for ADR UK, ensuring that all data is accessed by researchers in a safe and secure form with minimal risk to data holders or the public.

To support the ADR UK partnership, ONS has committed to expanding and improving its established Secure Research Service (SRS) and significantly increasing the range of administrative data available. ONS focuses on increased data reuse to deliver efficiencies to government departments (who only need to provide data once), and maximise the use of this data by identifying shared priorities and objectives with government departments.

For more information, visit the ADR UK website, or email hub@adruk.org.

You can also follow ADR UK on Twitter.


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