Code of Practice for Statistics

Statistics are the foundation of our society. They support the decisions we make everyday and are the lifeblood of democratic debate. At the Office for Statistics Regulation, we set the standards for government statistics in accordance to our Code of Practice for Statistics.

9.30am release review

We want to make sure that statistics are equally accessible to all and as useful as possible to the people who use them. We are undertaking a review into whether the 9.30am release time stated in the Code meets today’s needs. Find out more.

Voluntary Application

The Code sets the standards that producers of official statistics should commit to. Producers of other statistics and data can also commit to the Code through voluntary application (VA) to help them produce analytical outputs that are high quality, useful for supporting decisions, and well respected.

See more about the Code of Practice for Statistics and Voluntary Application.

Award for Statistical Excellence in Trustworthiness, Quality and Value

Our annual award rewards excellence in the voluntary application of the pillars of the Code of Practice for Statistics: Trustworthiness, Quality and Value.

The award is given by Office for Statistics Regulation, in partnership with the Royal Statistical Society (RSS). Civil Service World is the media partner for the award.

Entrants will need to demonstrate how they meet each of the following criteria:

A stated commitment to applying TQV in producing and sharing their information
Examples of how TQV have been applied to innovate or improve their information or processes
A demonstration of how public value has been enhanced by their application of the pillars

Entries for the 2021 award are now closed. We will announce when we start taking entries for 2022 on this page and on our Twitter feed.