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National and Official Statistics

All our statistical outputs are defined as official statistics by the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. They are produced to robust professional standards of quality and reliability.

Many of our official statistics are also ‘National Statistics’. These have been certified by the independent UK Statistics Authority as compliant with its Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

UK Statistics Authority

The UK Statistics Authority is an independent body operating at arm's length from government as a non-ministerial department, directly accountable to Parliament. Its objectives include the promotion and safeguarding of the production, publication, quality and comprehensiveness of official statistics that serve the public good, and ensuring good practice in relation to official statistics.

The Authority is also responsible for developing and maintaining the Code of Practice for Official Statistics and assessing all official statistics against this Code, before deciding whether they can be designated as 'National Statistics'.

Further details regarding the assessment process can be found in the UK Statistics Authority - Assessments area of this website. 


The UK Statistics Authority code of practice requires us to publish the following:

Breaches of the Code of Practice

Revisions and Corrections

Guide to Basic Quality Assurance in Statistics

Data access & Confidentiality

Statement of Administrative Sources (PDF 71 Kb)

Cost of responding to the armed forces unit survey (Updated 13 April 2011) (PDF 14kb)

Respondent Burden for the Annual Electoral Statistics Collection in Scotland (PDF 16 Kb)

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