ONS Research Excellence Awards 2025
Applications for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Research Excellence Awards 2025 are now closed. On this page you can learn more about this year's award categories and the judging panel.
1. Background
Each year, around 300 projects gain approval to access the secure data held within ONS Trusted Research Environments for statistical research. The research outcomes inform a diverse range of key economic and societal issues. Everything from inequalities in education and the cost of living through to insights on new linked health datasets.
The awards recognise the excellent and innovative analyses carried out and promote best practice research methodologies and data matching or linking. The awards promote greater awareness and understanding of the data made available and the public good achieved from statistical analyses of the data.
Awards will be decided by an independent judging panel made up of experts from across the research community.
Awards will be presented at our Research Capability event on Thursday 4 December 2025, by a senior ONS representative.
2. Awards
This year, we are delighted to offer four award categories.
Impact of Analysis Award
Nominations should include clear examples of how the research project has demonstrated excellence in methodology, collaboration, communication and presentation of research, and public benefit or impact. This research should have used secure data owned or managed by the ONS, using a Trusted Research Environment (TRE). The work must have produced at least one new publicly visible impactful output or outcome within the last 18 months.
Government-led Impact of Analysis Award
This award recognises impactful research projects led by a UK government department or body that demonstrates successful collaboration across sectors. Eligible projects must have used secure data owned or managed by the ONS, using a Trusted Research Environment (TRE). The award is open to teams or individual analysts who have contributed to publicly visible outcome or insights within the past 18 months. To qualify, the research must include collaboration with another organisation (other than the applicant's own) at one or more key stages of the research process.
Data Creation Award
This award recognises the vital work involved in creating, enhancing, or preparing secure datasets for use within the ONS Data Service (SRS or IDS). It celebrates efforts such as data engineering, linkage, enrichment, or improvements to metadata and documentation that have made secure data more accessible, functional, or usable for research. Eligible projects must have delivered data to the SRS or IDS within the past 18 months, or be in the process of delivering data. .
ONS People's Choice Award
All eligible entries will automatically be entered into the People's Choice Award, which will be open to all to cast their votes.
3. People's Choice Awards 2025 summaries
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
Court enforced alcohol abstinence: does it reduce reoffending?
Researcher: Carly Lightowlers, University of Liverpool
Award type: Impact of Analysis
Research theme: Crime and Justice
Summary: This study assessed whether alcohol abstinence and treatment requirements, issued by criminal courts as part of non-custodial sentences, reduced reoffending. Using statistical methods, such as regression modelling and survival analysis, the research found that abstinence requirements reduced the likelihood of reoffending, whereas treatment requirements did not show the same effect.
These findings have prompted critical reflection on the purpose and effectiveness of alcohol-related sentencing measures and the use of associated monitoring technologies like “sobriety tags”. The research has also contributed to public debate and influenced how criminal courts in England and Wales apply alcohol abstinence requirements, including who receives them and under what circumstances.
Highlighted publication: Court enforced alcohol abstinence: does it reduce reoffending?
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
Market concentration and productivity: evidence from the UK
Team: Economics Department, University of Kent
Award type: Impact of Analysis
Research theme: Economic Output and Productivity
Summary: Do bigger firms help or hurt the economy? This research explored how market concentration – when a few firms dominate an industry – affects productivity in the UK.
Drawing on comprehensive data covering almost every UK business from 1997 to 2020, the team uncovered a nuanced picture. For the average firm, higher market concentration is associated with lower productivity, suggesting that reduced competition can hinder performance. However, for workers, concentrated industries often mean employment in more productive firms. This reallocation of labour towards “superstar” companies – those that achieve more with fewer resources – can raise overall productivity per worker, even if many firms fall behind.
These findings highlight both the risks and opportunities of market concentration. While it may limit competition, it can also enable “superstar” firms to drive efficiency gains. Policymakers must balance these dynamics to ensure that economic growth benefits the wider economy, not just its biggest players.
Highlighted publication: Market concentration and productivity: evidence from the UK
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
A ‘double disadvantage’: neurodevelopmental profile and poverty confer synergistic risk of youth justice involvement
Researcher: Hope Kent, University of Exeter
Award type: Impact of Analysis
Research theme: Health, Social Care and Wellbeing
Summary: Children with neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism, ADHD, and acquired brain injury, and those living in poverty, are disproportionately represented in youth justice systems worldwide. This study analysed linked Ministry of Justice and Department for Education data, tracking a birth cohort of half a million children in England. The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile was used to understand their neurodevelopmental profiles.
Findings revealed that children living in poverty aged five years, and those with neurodevelopmental delay in important areas like social and emotional development, were more likely to receive a caution or conviction by the age of 16 years. The study tested whether poverty and neurodevelopmental difficulties interact to increase risk. The results suggest a synergistic effect – where the combined impact is greater than the sum of each factor alone.
These insights suggest that more generous family welfare policies supporting children with neurodevelopmental conditions could serve as an effective public health strategy for preventing youth involvement in the justice system.
Highlighted publication: A ‘double disadvantage’: neurodevelopmental profile and poverty confer synergistic risk of youth justice involvement
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
The State of UK Competition 2024
Team: Microeconomics Unit, Competition and Markets Authority
Award type: Government-led Impact of Analysis
Research theme: Economic Output and Productivity
Summary: Competition is vital for innovation, productivity growth, and welfare. However, recent studies suggest that the competitive process may be slowing down across the UK economy. This research used extensive firm-level microdata and production function estimation techniques to investigate trends over the past 25 years.
The analysis found that market power measures have slightly increased, and the UK’s economic dynamism has declined. These changes are prompted by firms that are larger, older and more productive, and by the services industries. Two possible explanations were considered: reduced effectiveness of competition policy and enforcement, or technological changes that favour larger firms. The evidence supports the latter – technological shifts appear to be benefiting larger firms and reshaping market dynamics. The study also explored the implications of these trends for the efficiency of the UK economy. The findings have been used widely across government, including in the development of the UK’s modern industrial strategy.
Highlighted publication: The State of UK Competition Report 2024
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
Exploring the Nexus Between Immigration, Integration, and Labour Market Outcomes
Researcher: Ezgi Kaya, Cardiff Business School
Award type: Impact of Analysis
Research theme: Employment and Labour Market
Summary: This project was part of an Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK) Research Fellowship. It provided comprehensive, high-quality evidence on the labour market performance and integration of immigrants in England and Wales. It used linked data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) and the 2011 Census.
The research found that immigrants with less than ten years of residence earned lower wages, worked longer hours, and were more likely to hold low-skilled or temporary jobs than UK-born employees. While some disparities reflected differences in workplace location, substantial inequalities remained even among co-workers within the same organisations. Variations across immigrant groups were influenced by differences in outside options and cultural norms, with only limited evidence of convergence over time.
The findings were shared widely through academic, public, and policy engagement. The project strengthened the evidence base informing public and policy debates on immigrant integration and workplace inequality in the UK.
Highlighted publication: Differences in labour market outcomes between immigrant and UK-born employees: evidence from linked data
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
Should we stay or should we go? Firms' decision on services mode of supply
Team: Department of Economics, University of Surrey
Award type: Impact of Analysis
Research theme: Economy and Trade
Summary: Over the last decade, events such as Brexit and the US-China trade war have shown how quickly international trade relations can shift.
While most research focuses on goods, services make up one-third of global trade and are the largest part of modern economies, yet they are often overlooked. Services can be traded in different ways, from selling across borders to setting up local affiliates abroad, and the choice of method shapes how firms and workers are affected by new trade barriers.
Using detailed data on UK firms – the world’s second-largest exporter of services – this project examined how businesses combine and switch between trade modes, and how these choices changed after the Brexit referendum.
The analysis found that many firms shifted towards local affiliates in the EU to maintain market access, softening the impact on exports but reducing UK-based employment. These findings provide new insights into the hidden consequences of services trade restrictions.
Highlighted publication: Changes to firms’ service delivery post-Brexit
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
The impact of free schools on neighbouring schools and their students
Team: The Free Schools Project Team, University College London Institute of Education
Award type: Impact of Analysis
Research theme: Education, Training and Skills
Summary: Free schools were introduced in 2010, with the aim of raising educational standards through increased competition. However, concerns were raised about potential negative effects on nearby schools and the risk of increased social segregation.
This project analysed the impact of free schools using data from the National Pupil Database – a survey of neighbouring schools – and local case studies.
The findings showed that primary free schools were associated with increased social segregation, particularly in terms of students’ ethnicity. In terms of academic outcomes, there was no significant change in attainment in neighbouring primary schools, but a modest increase in attainment was observed in neighbouring secondary schools.
To explain these effects, the project developed new insights into how choice and competition operate within local education markets. The findings have informed the work of national organisations representing educational stakeholders and provided the Government with an evidence base to guide future decisions on opening new schools.
Highlighted publication: The Free Schools Experiment: Analysing the impacts of English free schools on neighbouring schools (PDF, 2KB)
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
Scottish Longitudinal Education Outcomes University extract in the UK
Team: Advanced Skills and Learning Analysis Team, Scottish Government
Award type: Data Creation
Research theme: Education, Training and Skills
Summary: The Scottish Government Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) University data were made available to researchers for the first time through the Secure Research Service this year. This marks a noteworthy milestone in enabling access to high value, linked administrative data from Scotland.
The dataset links education records of students attending Scottish universities with earnings, employment and benefits data. The initial release covers tax years 2005 to 2006 to 2021 to 2022, with future updates planned to extend the time series. Crucially, this version of LEO includes outcomes data for graduates in employment in all four UK nations. This offers researchers a truly UK-wide longitudinal view of labour market outcomes from Scottish Higher Education institutions.
The dataset is already being used in health workforce research and is expected to generate strong interest across the research community, similar to the LEO data for England.
Highlighted publication: Scottish Longitudinal Education Outcomes University extract in the UK dataset
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes
Team: Sure Start Evaluation Team, Institute for Fiscal Studies
Award type: Impact of Analysis
Research theme: Education, Training and Skills
Summary: Sure Start was a network of around 3,500 children’s centres in England that offered families with children aged under five years a place to access health, education and support. While Sure Start was one of England’s biggest early years programmes in the late 2000s, its budget was then cut sharply – without evidence to show whether it benefitted children in the long term.
This research used large-scale datasets and cutting-edge statistical methods to assess the effects of Sure Start from birth through to the age of 16 years.
The team found that children who had access to Sure Start early in life were less likely to go to the hospital, did better at GCSEs, had fewer school absences, and reported better mental health. But Sure Start was not a silver bullet, and there was no evidence of impacts on more serious outcomes like school exclusions, criminal convictions, or interactions with the children’s social care system.
Highlighted publication: The health effects of universal early childhood interventions: evidence from Sure Start
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
Connecting the dots: the benefit of linking data on health and wealth
Team: Health Research Group, Office for National Statistics
Award type: Government-led Impact of Analysis
Research theme: Health, Social Care and Wellbeing
Summary: This programme of work was commissioned by the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury (HMT) and NHS England (NHSE). It aimed to evaluate the impact of health conditions and interventions on an individual’s economic outcomes.
Using the Public Health Data Asset – a collection of de-identified, linked datasets covering England and Wales – the team linked individual electronic health records with pay and benefits records. Statistical modelling was used to estimate changes in earnings, employment probability, and benefit receipt following a health diagnosis or intervention. The researchers also assessed the economic impact of meeting the elective care target of seeing 92% of patients within 18 weeks.
The results quantified the economic benefits of various health interventions and the economic impact of several health conditions for individuals and the broader economy. The outputs have directly informed policy and spending decisions by NHSE, HMT, and the Department of Health and Social Care.
Highlighted publication: NHS talking therapies bring long-term economic returns to England
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
Nursing and Midwifery Council Register - Census 2021 England and Wales
Team: Multi-organisation team colleagues from the Office for National Statistics, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Administrative Data Research (ADR) UK, and the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR)
Award type: Data Creation
Research theme: Health, Social Care and Wellbeing
Summary: This new administrative and Census 2021-linked dataset aims to help answer questions on the recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives in the UK. The professions are a major UK workforce, consisting of over 800,000 nurses and midwives. Workforce capacity and challenges in healthcare are a live, current issue, with students who cannot find positions despite understaffing. Shortages are being associated with increased patient mortality.
This ADR UK 'flagship' dataset is accompanied by a suite of data documentation. The dataset is pioneering in showing the potential of insights from the social sciences through linked registrant and census data to better understand workforce issues and inform future practice and policies. A linked ADR UK fellowship project will explore migration trends among healthcare professionals within the UK, to support workforce planning and educational investment.
It is hoped that the initiative may offer a guide for data research in other workforces and sectors.
Highlighted publication: Nursing and Midwifery Council Register linked to Census 2021 – England and Wales dataset
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
ONS Longitudinal Study 1971 to 2021
Team: CeLSIUS Team, University College London and the Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Award type: Data Creation
Research theme: Population and Social Insights
Summary: The ONS Longitudinal Study (LS) is a long-running dataset that contains census and life events data linked between five successive censuses from 1971 to 2011. The CeLSIUS team, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, has been providing free guidance and support for academic, voluntary and public sector users of the LS since 2001. The team directors collaborate with the ONS on the development and research oversight of the study.
The team supports research applications and live projects, clears results, and advises on research outputs. They deliver both in-person and online training, present at conferences, publish both methodological and outcome-based LS research, and deliver the “Linking our Lives” blog and podcast.
More recently, the team have been supporting the beta test stage of the project to link Census 2021 data ahead of the release of the new LS Research Database. This includes assessing the 2021 data for accuracy, comparability, consistency and security through active analytical use.
Highlighted publication: ONS Longitudinal Study – England and Wales dataset
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
Understanding disability and gender pay gaps in Northern Ireland through linked Census and earnings data
Researcher: John Hughes, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
Award type: Government-led Impact of Analysis
Research theme: Employment and Labour Market
Summary: Pay gaps, or differences in average earnings between groups, are important to policymakers, researchers, and the public. This study provided the first detailed evidence on disability pay gaps in Northern Ireland, which is an area that has been underresearched.
The research linked Census 2011 and a survey of employee earnings to analyse pay gaps across characteristics such as age, qualifications, occupation, and sector. Statistical modelling explored how characteristics contributed to gender and disability pay gaps.
Disabled employees were found to earn 12.1% less on average than non-disabled employees, with larger gaps among those aged 35 to 44 years and in professional roles. Gender pay gaps were four times higher in the private sector than the public sector and persisted, though narrower, after accounting for job and personal characteristics. The findings offer new insights on gender pay gaps and highlight differences between the private and public sectors, an important distinction given Northern Ireland’s reliance on public sector employment.
Highlighted publication: How pay gaps research is informing policy in Northern Ireland
To cast your vote, visit our People’s Choice Award page.
4. Meet the judging panel
Bill South
Deputy Director, Research Services and Data Access Division at the ONS
Bill leads the Division responsible for running the Secure Research Service (SRS) at the Office for National Statistics (ONS). His teams manage all aspects of the researcher journey - from processing project applications to ensuring that analytical outputs leaving the secure environment are non-disclosive. The teams also work closely with Administrative Data Research (ADR) UK partners to coordinate the delivery and use of new datasets from the ONS and across government for research purposes. Bill has worked at the ONS since 2003 in a variety of roles.
Ruth Gilbert
Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University College London
Ruth Gilbert is a clinical epidemiologist who uses administrative data to address clinical and policy questions related to the health and wellbeing of children and families. Ruth co-directs the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Children and Families Policy Research Unit, which informs Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) policy, and was a founder contributor to the Education and Child Health Insights from Linked Data (ECHILD) database, funded by ADR UK. She has developed linkages between healthcare and family justice data for England and has published on the importance of a household income indicator. She is co-investigator with the Health Data Research (HDR) UK Social and Environmental Determinants of Health Driver Programme.
Nicola Shearman
Head of the Legal and Data Services Team at the UK Statistics Authority
Nikki Shearman is currently Head of the Legal and Data Services Team at the UK Statistics Authority, where she oversees Legal Affairs, Legislation, Research Accreditation, Ethics, Information Rights and Data Protection. Over the past 15 years, Nikki has played a leading role in shaping both global and UK statistical legal frameworks. She currently chairs the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) taskforce on Modernising Statistical Legislation. Previously, Nikki led the UKSA International Engagement work, representing the UK at the UN, the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), and many other international forums.
Shayda Kashef
Senior Communications Manager, Public Engagement at ADR UK
Shayda has been working on Communications and Public Engagement for the ADR UK programme since 2019. From developing the brand voice and social media presence during the ADR UK pilot, to designing and implementing the ADR UK Public Engagement Strategy in 2021, Shayda has played a central role in building public trust in the use of data to improve people's lives. Shayda has contributed to various initiatives, including co-hosting the ADR UK Connecting Society podcast and establishing the Public Engagement in Data Research Initiative (PEDRI). She has a background in science communication and medical ethics.
Nick Parlantzas
Head of Data Science at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Nick currently leads a cross-government team delivering the National Infrastructure Spatial Tool, which strengthens the evidence base for the government's housing and economic growth agenda. Nick is a Chartered Scientist with 10 years of experience across the public and private sectors, and has delivered multi-million-pound projects in the UK and internationally, such as the World-Bank-funded Climate Resilience Improvement Project in Sri Lanka. He has a strong interest in geospatial data science, analysis, and modelling, with a particular focus on infrastructure and climate change.
5. More information
If you have any questions about the ONS Research Excellence Awards, please email IDS.Impact@ons.gov.uk.