Access the data securely

To use the Secure Research Service (SRS), you must access it through a secure environment known as a safe setting.

The following safe settings are currently available:

• Safe Rooms – secure rooms with bookable terminals, located at Office for National Statistics (ONS) offices in Titchfield (Hampshire) and Newport (South Wales)
• SafePods – small, self-contained secure rooms with a single workstation
• Assured Organisational Connectivity (AOC) – office access – access from your organisation’s approved office network
• Assured Organisational Connectivity (AOC) – remote access – access from home using your organisation’s secure remote setup

Your ability to access the Secure Research Service (SRS) depends on two factors:

• the access level assigned to your project
• the connectivity options approved for your organisation

These rules apply from the point of setting up new projects and from when new datasets are added to existing projects.

You must use the correct safe setting to access the SRS. This is a mandatory requirement.

If you do not follow the access rules, your organisation or individual account will face sanctions including the withdrawal of access to the SRS.

We carry out ongoing remote monitoring to ensure all users access and use the SRS correctly.

Each project is assigned an access level based on the datasets it has selected. Each dataset has been supplied by a data owner, who has set the specific conditions for how it can be accessed.

You must check the access permissions for every dataset in your project. You can find this information in the Metadata Catalogue, which shows the access level for each dataset:

• Level 1 – access only via Safe Room or SafePod
• Level 2 – access via Safe Room, SafePod, or Assured Organisational Connectivity (AOC) office connection
• Level 3 – access via Safe Room, SafePod, AOC office, or AOC remote (home) connection

How your project’s access level is set

Your project’s access level is based on the lowest access level of any dataset you include.

Example:

If your project includes six datasets – five at Level 3 and one at Level 1 – your project access level will be Level 1. This means you can only access the project using a Safe Room or SafePod.

If you add new datasets to an existing project, your access level may change. Always check the access level of each dataset before requesting changes.

Organisational Connectivity (AOC)

The second factor that affects how you can access the Secure Research Service (SRS) is whether your organisation has an AOC agreement.

• Safe Room and SafePod access is available to all accredited researchers.
• To access the SRS from your office or home, your organisation must have an AOC agreement in place.

This agreement must be approved before any office or remote access is allowed.

Summary: How access is determined

Your access to the SRS depends on:

1. The access level of your project
2. Your organisation’s AOC status

You must meet the requirements for both, to access your project through a specific route. These examples below show how this works in practice.

Example 1: No AOC agreement

Your project allows remote access (Level 3), but your organisation does not have an AOC agreement,
so you must use a Safe Room or SafePod.

Example 2: Project includes a Level 1 dataset

Your organisation has AOC, but one of your project’s datasets is Level 1,
so you can only access the project via a Safe Room or SafePod.

Example 3: Multiple projects with different access levels

Your organisation has AOC and you are working on several projects,
so you must use the correct access route for each project, based on its access level.

Safe Rooms are secure, bookable terminals located at ONS offices in:

• Titchfield (Fareham), Hampshire
• Newport, South Wales

They are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. Any changes to these hours will be announced in advance.

Before using a Safe Room, you must complete a security declaration.

Download the Safe Rooms and SafePods guide (PDF, 301 KB)

For questions, email: srs.customer.support@ons.gov.uk

SafePods are secure, self-contained rooms that meet the same standards as Safe Rooms. They allow accredited researchers to access secure datasets from multiple locations across the UK and Northern Ireland.

SafePods are mainly based at universities and research institutions.

• View SafePod locations and book online
• Download the Safe Rooms and SafePods guide (PDF, 301 KB)

For more information, visit the SafePod website.

Assured Organisational Connectivity (AOC) is an agreement between your organisation and the ONS that allows you to access the Secure Research Service (SRS) from your office or home.

To be approved, your organisation must meet strict physical and system security standards.

Benefits of AOC

• no travel required – access from your office or home

• guaranteed access – no need to book a Safe Room or SafePod

• 24 hour 7 day availability – access the SRS at any time

• free to use – as long as security standards are followed

To check if your organisation has AOC or to apply, email: srs.connectivity@ons.gov.uk.

You can apply for AOC and Researcher Accreditation at the same time as your project application.

AOC office access

To access the SRS from your organisation’s office, you must complete two forms:

1. AOCOA – Assured Organisational Connectivity Organisational Agreement

• signed by a senior authority (for example, vice principal or board director)

2. AOCCC – Assured Organisational Connectivity Compliance Client

• shows your organisation meets security and governance requirements

You will need input from your leadership, IT, and technical teams to complete these forms.

For help, email: srs.connectivity@ons.gov.uk

AOC remote (home) access

To access the SRS from home, your organisation must also complete:

• ARACCC – Assured Remote Access Connectivity Compliance Client

This is an optional add-on to the AOC foundation forms.

For more information, email: srs.connectivity@ons.gov.uk

Before your use of the Secure Research Service (SRS), you must:

• sign the Accredited Researcher Assurance Registration (ARAR) form

Before and during your use of the SRS, you must:

• avoid using phones or other devices while using the SRS, except to receive your multi-factor authentication code at login
• use only your approved organisational device (Assured Organisational Connectivity (AOC) only)
• if working from home, access the SRS only through your organisation’s secure VPN (AOC only)
• only access the SRS from the home address listed on your ARAR (AOC only)

We carry out continuous remote monitoring to ensure secure and compliant use of the SRS.

For general enquiries:

• email: srs.customer.support@ons.gov.uk

For login credentials or password resets:

• call: +44 1329 447871 (available: Monday to Friday, 9am to 11am and 1pm to 3pm)