ONS policies and complaints in relation to disabilities, mental health and LGBTQ

FOI REF: FOI-2023-1103

You asked

To the Office for National Statistics and the UK Statistics Authority:

1. Please provide all policies you hold in relation to Mental Health.

2. Please provide all policies you hold in relation to LGBTQ.

3. Please provide all policies you hold in relation to Disabilities.

4. Please provide all complaints data you hold in relation to Mental Health in the last 5 years.

5. Please provide all complaints data you hold in relation to LGBTQ in the last 5 years.

6. Please provide all complaints data you hold in relation to Disabilities in the last 5 years.

We said

Thank you for your request. 

To clarify, the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) is the body responsible for oversight of the statistical system, comprising of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Office for Statistical Regulation (OSR), and the Government Statistical System (GSS). As the Office for National Statistics (ONS) comes under the UKSA's umbrella, we share a Human Resources function. The following response therefore covers both the UKSA and ONS. 

In our answer, we have interpreted your request as pertinent to internal HR/staff policies and complaints, rather than policies and complaints about our statistical information. Please see the following answers to your requests. 

1. Please see the associated downloads for the following policies held in relation to Mental Health: 

• Attendance & Wellbeing Policy  
• Equality and Diversity Policy (please note that this policy is dated from 2009 but has been updated more recently)

Other resources and support:  

• Managing Health & Wellbeing at work guidance for employees and managers  

2. Please see the associated downloads for the following policies held in relation to LGBTQ:

• Equality and Diversity Policy
• Gender Identity and Transitioning at Work Policy

Other resources and support:

• Gender identity and transitioning at work resources  
• Special Leave additional guidance - covers any requirements for medical transition related leave etc.

3. Please find attached the following policies and guidance documents held in relation to Disabilities:

• Flexible Working Framework
• Equality and Diversity Policy

Other resources and support:   

• Workplace Adjustment Guidance  
• Sign-posting Workplace Adjustments Guidance and resources within our wider employment policies

4. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide data on complaints in relation to Mental Health specifically. This is not recorded as an “opening reason” for cases on our database. Therefore actioning this would involve a member of staff sifting through the cases we hold and making a judgement call on which cases are related to mental health, and which are not. As there is subjective judgement involved in the collation of this data, the requested information is not held in a recorded form. 

5. One grievance with the opening reason “sexual orientation” has been opened under our Resolution policy in this period.  

6. One grievance with the opening reason “disability” has been opened under our Resolution policy in this period.