Apply for an accredited research project

You must be an accredited researcher before you can access Secure Research Service (SRS) data. You can apply for researcher accreditation in the People and Projects Service (PPS) and do this in parallel with your project application.

Check dataset access conditions before you apply. Each dataset has access and governance information in the Metadata Catalogue. Access to some datasets is restricted to a safe room. Your project's overall access level is determined by the most restrictive dataset you select.

If you plan to access the SRS from an office or home location, your organisation must have an Assured Organisational Connectivity (AOC) agreement and the datasets in your project must allow this access. You can apply for AOC by emailing srs.connectivity@ons.gov.uk. You can do this in parallel with your project application.

Applications can take approximately 10 weeks to approve.

This can be quicker if you provide full detail and follow the application guidance. It is the responsibility of the researcher submitting the application to respond to queries in a timely manner to avoid delaying approval. To avoid notifications from the Project Accreditation Service for the Secure Research Service (PASS) going into spam folders, save pass@metadataworks.co.uk to your contact list after submitting your application.

It can take longer for complex projects or where data owners must provide approval.

To avoid delay:

• confirm dataset access conditions in the Metadata Catalogue before you apply; checking the "Data Dictionary" to ensure it has the variables you need

• follow the guidance provided for each question in PASS

• include all external datasets you want to ingest at the initial application stage and attach a completed external data request form to your application

• factor in time for data-owner approvals where special conditions apply

Submit your project application in the Project Accreditation Service for the Secure Research Service (PASS). The page also lists data available through the Secure Research Service (SRS). We will review your application under the Digital Economy Act 2017 and assess it against the Research Accreditation Panel standards.

You must meet the conditions of project accreditation. You can download the application questions to prepare, but you must submit your application through PASS.

Guidance to help you apply is included in PASS - question-level guidance and Research Project Accreditation Application Guidance – produced by the UK Statistics Authority.

Provide clear information about your research aims, methodology and data requirements. This helps us, data owners and the UK Statistics Authority check that your research is legal, ethical and in the public interest.

External data

If you intend to ingest external data that is not in the Secure Research Service (SRS) catalogue to complete your research, you should upload a completed SRS external Data request form (35.0 kB xlsx) to your Project Accreditation Service for the Secure Research Service (PASS) application. This should include all variables you wish to ingest and a justification for how your dataset and the variables within the dataset will fulfil your research aims.

Machine learning in the SRS

• you may use machine learning techniques if they produce only traditional static outputs such as tables, charts, written reports or code

• you cannot export machine learning model files

• you cannot import machine learning model files or objects

• to discuss machine learning for an existing project, email SRS.Project.Feasibility@ons.gov.uk

Statistical disclosure control

You are responsible for using methods that produce safe outputs. Contact the SRS Statistical Support Team at statistical.support@ons.gov.uk if you have questions.

Each project must name a project coordinator. You can also name a deputy project coordinator. All researchers must be accredited before accessing the project.

Project coordinator responsibilities

The coordinator is the governance lead for the project and must:

• ensure the team uses the Secure Research Service (SRS) in line with operating procedures and completes the project on time

• ensure the team follows the access conditions set for the project

• minimise storage use and optimise code, including removing unused files and compressing data kept for later use

• tell SRS Customer Support (via the Project Accreditation Service for the Secure Research Service (PASS)) and your Assured Organisational Connectivity (AOC) single point of contact about team changes before they happen

• nominate a replacement coordinator in PASS or by emailing srs.customer.support@ons.gov.uk if they are leaving the role

• seek SRS approval before changing project purpose or timescales

• respond to audit requests from Customer Support, Access or Security Compliance and Audit teams

• ensure ingests and outputs are proportionate to help us provide a timely service

• ensure the team understands Statistical Disclosure Control rules and follows the process for data ingests, transfers and outputs

• ensure all necessary approvals are in place before submitting any requests; see Supporting your research project guidance

Deputy project coordinator

The deputy supports the coordinator, can make changes, and provides cover when needed.

Researchers

Researchers must hold full or provisional accreditation before accessing the project.

Output reviewer

This role allows viewing of cleared pre-publication outputs. It does not provide access to data in the SRS.

We assess your application against the Research Accreditation Panel standards and will send comments or queries until it meets the criteria. The assessment includes:

• checks that the application is complete and of suitable quality

• feasibility checks and an ethics assessment by the Centre for Applied Data Ethics

• data-owner approval, which may include other governance boards and can take several weeks or longer

• accreditation by the UK Statistics Authority on behalf of the Research Accreditation Panel

• additional review by the Research Accreditation Panel or the National Statistician's Data Ethics Committee if the research carries additional risk

You may receive queries from multiple reviewers at any stage.

When your project and researchers are accredited or approved, we create user accounts and the project space. We map requested datasets to the project so you can access the data. See our guidance on supporting your research project.

Approved external data will not be available in your project space until you submit an ingest request. You can request additional external data through a project change request. Change requests are reviewed in the same way as project applications and may cause delays. Read more about the ingest process in the guidance on supporting your research project.

For transparency, a record of accredited researchers and accredited projects is published on the UK Statistics Authority website.

Keep your project area in good order. When your project ends, clear and export files needed to reproduce your work, such as code.

If you are no longer working on an active project, ask your project coordinator to request closure of the project via the Project Accreditation Service for the Secure Research Service (PASS).

We will contact the lead researcher as the project approaches its end date. You may be able to extend the project if necessary, but this is not guaranteed. For projects accredited under the Digital Economy Act, the project must be completed within five years.

When your research is complete, send any final publications to SRS.Impact@ons.gov.uk. We may develop a case study where there is innovative methodology, strong public benefit or notable collaboration. See research outcomes for more information.

Please note that if you need to return to your project to conduct further analysis following peer review it can be reopened easily. Once reinstated, your project will look exactly the same as it did before closure – all files and structure remain unchanged.

Email Secure Research Service (SRS) Customer Support at: srs.customer.support@ons.gov.uk for general queries. For initial log-in credentials or a password reset, call +44 1329 447871 between 09:00 and 11:00 and between 13:00 and 15:00.