Background
Each year, around 300 projects gain approval to access the secure data held within the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Secure Research Service (SRS) for statistical research. The research outcomes inform a diverse range of important 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 Tuesday 24 November 2026, by a senior ONS representative.
Awards
This year, we are delighted to offer five award categories.
Impact of Analysis Award
Applications should include clear examples of how the research project has demonstrated excellence in methodology, collaboration, communication of research, and public benefit or impact. This research must have used secure data owned or managed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the Secure Research Service (SRS).
The award is open to teams or individual analysts who have contributed to publicly visible outcome within the past 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 in the SRS. To qualify, the research must include meaningful collaboration by a government-led organisation with another organisation (other than the applicant’s own) at one or more main stages of the research process.
The award is open to teams or individual analysts who have contributed to publicly visible outcome within the past 18 months.
ADR UK Award for Methodological Innovation
This award recognises high-quality research undertaken by Administrative Data Researcher UK (ADR UK) Fellows or PhDs. The award celebrates research that demonstrates excellence in research methods. The work must have been carried out in one of the ADR UK Trusted Research Environments using ADR Flagship data.
Data Creation Award
This award recognises the vital work involved in creating, enhancing, or preparing secure datasets for use within the SRS. It celebrates efforts by teams, 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 within the past 18 months or be in the process of delivering data. Publicly available evidence should be supplied.
People’s Choice Award
The top-scoring judged eligible entries will be entered into the People’s Choice Award, which will be open to the wider public to cast their votes.
Applying
Applying for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Research Excellence Awards is simple. Applicants need to submit an application via our easy-to-use online application form, which offers comprehensive guidance along the way. The form will be made available on the launch day at the end of June.
Applicants may apply for more than one category but will only be eligible to win in one category. For any eligibility enquiries or any questions about the awards, please contact the ONS Research Excellence Awards team SRS.Impact@ons.gov.uk
2025 winners
Impact of Analysis Award
The Sure Start Evaluation Team, Institute for Fiscal Studies with their project, ‘The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes’.
This research fills the gap in understanding the impact of sharp cuts to the budget of Sure Start, a network of around 3,500 children’s centres in England that offered families with under-fives a “one-stop shop” for health, education and support.
Read the highlighted publication from the Institute for Fiscal Studies to learn more.
Government-led Impact of Analysis Award
The Health Research Group, Office for National Statistics, with their project, ‘Connecting the dots: the benefit of linking data on health and wealth’.
This programme of work, commissioned by Cabinet Office, HM Treasury (HMT) and NHS England (NHSE), aimed to evaluate the impact of health conditions and interventions on an individual’s economic outcomes.
Read the highlighted publication in the LSE Business Review Institute to learn more.
Secure Data Creation Award
The CeLSIUS Team, University College London and Office for National Statistics, with their dataset, ‘ONS Longitudinal Study 1971 to 2021’.
The CeLSIUS team, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), has been providing free guidance and support for academic, voluntary and public sector users of the ONS Longitudinal Study since 2001.
Read the highlighted publication from CeLSIUS to learn more.
People's Choice Award
The Free Schools Project Team, University College London Institute of Education with their project, ‘The impact of free schools on neighbouring schools and their students’.
This research developed a detailed analysis of the impact of free schools, which were introduced, in England, in 2010 with the aim of improving school standards.
Read the highlighted publication from the UCL Institute of Education to learn more (PDF, 2,043KB).