ONS Research Excellence Awards 2025
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Research Excellence Awards are now finalised for 2025. On this page you can learn more about this year's award categories and the winners.
1. Background
Each year, around 300 projects gain approval to access the secure data held within ONS Trusted Research Environments (TRE) for statistical research. The research outcomes inform a diverse range of important economic and societal issues, including inequalities in education, the cost of living and insights from new linked health datasets.
Our awards recognise the excellent and innovative analyses carried out and promote best practice research methodologies and data matching or linking. The awards promote greater awareness and understanding of the data made available and the public good achieved from statistical analyses of the data.
Awards were decided by an independent judging panel made up of experts from across the research community.
2. Awards
The four awards categories for 2025:
Impact of Analysis Award
Nominations were invited to provide examples of how the research project demonstrated excellence in methodology, collaboration, communication and presentation of research, and public benefit or impact. This research should have used secure data owned or managed by the ONS, using a Trusted Research Environment (TRE). The work must have produced at least one new publicly visible impactful output or outcome within the last 18 months.
Government-led Impact of Analysis Award
This award recognises impactful research projects led by a UK government department or body that demonstrates successful collaboration across sectors. Eligible projects must have used secure data owned or managed by the ONS, using a Trusted Research Environment (TRE). The award was open to teams or individual analysts who have contributed to publicly visible outcome or insights within the past 18 months. To qualify, the research must have included collaboration with another organisation at one or more key stages of the research process.
Secure Data Creation Award
This award recognises the vital work involved in creating, enhancing, or preparing secure datasets for use within the ONS Data Service (Secure Research Service (SRS) or Integrated Data Service (IDS)). It celebrates efforts such as data engineering, linkage, enrichment, or improvements to metadata and documentation that have made secure data more accessible, functional, or usable for research. Eligible projects must have delivered data to the SRS or IDS within the past 18 months or be in the process of delivering data.
The People's Choice Award
All shortlisted entries were entered into the People's Choice Award, which was opened for all to cast their votes.
3. Winners
We are delighted to announce our winners.
Impact of Analysis Award
The Sure Start Evaluation Team, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Project title: The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes
This research fills the gap in understanding the impact of sharp cuts to the budget of Sure Start, a network of around 3,500 children’s centres in England that offered families with under-5s a “one-stop shop” for health, education and support.
Read the highlighted publication from the Institute for Fiscal Studies to learn more.
Government-led Impact of Analysis Award
The Health Research Group, Office for National Statistics
Project title: Connecting the dots: the benefit of linking data on health and wealth
This programme of work, commissioned by Cabinet Office, HM Treasury (HMT) and NHS England (NHSE), aimed to evaluate the impact of health conditions and interventions on an individual’s economic outcomes.
Read the highlighted publication from the LSE Business Review Institute to learn more.
Secure Data Creation Award
The CeLSIUS Team, University College London and Office for National Statistics
Project title: ONS Longitudinal Study 1971 to 2021
The CeLSIUS team, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), has been providing free guidance and support for academic, voluntary and public sector users of the ONS Longitudinal Study since 2001.
Read the highlighted publication from CeLSIUS to learn more.
ONS People's Choice Award
The Free Schools Project Team – University College London Institute of Education
Project title: The impact of free schools on neighbouring schools and their students
This research developed a detailed analysis of the impact of free schools, which were introduced, in England, in 2010 with the aim of improving school standards.
Read the highlighted publication from the UCL Institute of Education to learn more (PDF, 2,043KB).
4. More information
If you have any questions about the ONS Research Excellence Awards, please email SRS.Impact@ons.gov.uk.