How we support data users

At the Office for National Statistics (ONS) we are working with analysts from across government to improve the coherence of UK statistics.

Statistical coherence is a cross-cutting theme from the Code of Practice for Statistics. This is about bringing together outputs on the same topic to better explain the part of the world they describe. This can be across the four countries of the UK where policy making has been devolved (such as housing) or where multiple producers are publishing statistics on the same topic (such as income and earnings).

The Concordat on Statistics highlights the responsibility of the UK government and devolved administrations in producing “coherent and comparable statistics at international, UK and other sub-UK levels” while also recognising the different statistical requirements of the legislation and priorities of each nation.

It is our mission to provide UK-wide high-quality statistics, data and insights. A joined-up statistical picture across the UK allows for deeper and wider insight, which in turn helps users and policy makers in their decision making.

Producers of official statistics across the UK have set out the work under way to improve the coherence of statistics on several statistical themes. These coherence plans for April 2023 to March 2024 are available from the Analysis Function website.

More information and contact details are available on the specific topic areas set out in this section.

Adult social care statistics

This work is led by the Four Social Care Group, made up of members from:

• Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC)
• NHS England
• Department of Health Northern Ireland
• Office for National Statistics (ONS)
• Scottish Government
• Welsh Government

You can contact the Four Social Care Group by emailing social.care@ons.gov.uk.

Further information is available at the Health and care statistics and Adult social care statistics webpages.

Crime and justice

This work is led by the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Crime and Justice Working Group and the Centre for Crime and Justice at the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

You can contact the teams working in this topic area by emailing crime.statistics@ons.gov.uk.

Further information is available from the Improving crime statistics for England and Wales progress report.

Environment, climate and nature

This work is led by the new Government Statistical Service (GSS) theme group, chaired by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and vice-chaired by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

You can contact the teams working in this topic area by emailing gss.coherence@ons.gov.uk.

Further information is available from the ONS and central government via the GOV.UK website and for devolved administrations via the Welsh Government, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency websites.

Equalities

This work is led by different teams within the Health, Population and Methods Group at the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

You can contact the teams working in this topic area by emailing equalities@ons.gov.uk.

Further information is available at the ONS Centre for Equalities and Inclusion, UK Statistics Authority Inclusive Data Taskforce and National Statistician’s Inclusive Data Advisory Committee (NSIDAC) webpages.

Health

This work is led by:

• Health Leadership Forum
• Cross-UK Data and Statistics Group
• United Kingdom Health Statistics Steering Group (UKHSSG)

You can contact the teams working in this topic area by emailing gss.health@ons.gov.uk.

Further information is available at the Health and care statistics webpage.

Housing, homelessness and rough sleeping

This work is led by:

• Government Statistical Service (GSS) Housing Statistics Working Group
• GSS Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Statistics Working Group
• GSS Housing Steering Group
• GSS Private Rental Sector Working Group

You can contact the teams working in this topic area by emailing gss.housing@ons.gov.uk.

Further information is available at the Housing, homelessness and planning statistics and Cross-government work programme webpages.

Income and earnings

This work is led by the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Income and Earnings Coherence Steering Group and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Local and Coherence Division.

The GSS Income and Earnings Coherence Steering Group is made up of members from:

• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• ONS

You can contact the teams working in this topic area by emailing gss.income.earnings@ons.gov.uk.

Further information is available at the Income and earnings statistics coherence webpage.

Migration

This work is led by:

• Office for National Statistics (ONS) Centre for International Migration
• Home Office
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

You can contact the teams working in this topic area by emailing pop.info@ons.gov.uk.

Further information available at the Population and migration statistics overview and Updates webpages.

Trade and investment

This work is led by:

• Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
• Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• Office for National Statistics (ONS)
• Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)
• Scottish Government
• Welsh Government

You can contact the teams working in this topic area and find out more information by emailing subnational.trade@ons.gov.uk.

There are many partnerships and initiatives across the analytical community and beyond that have been designed to join up the UK analytical system. These include:

• Analysis Function Strategy
• User Engagement Strategy for Statistics
• GSS Harmonisation Workplan
• GSS Subnational Data Strategy
• Inclusive Data Taskforce Implementation Plan
• the Government Data Quality Framework

You can read more about these on the Analysis Function website.

If you want to get involved or have questions about the work we are doing, please email gss.coherence@ons.gov.uk.