The UK's official statistics body has revealed sweeping changes to its publication schedule, confirming it will reduce its annual output by approximately 10% starting in 2026.
Data Quality Crisis Sparks Major Overhaul
The Office for National Statistics announced what it calls a 'recovery' plan designed to address growing concerns about the reliability of its core datasets. This strategic shift comes after staff at both the Treasury and the Office for Budget Responsibility raised alarms about data quality ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' autumn budget.
The statistics agency has been particularly transparent about problems with the Labour Force Survey (LFS), the official measure of UK employment, which has suffered from collapsing response rates. The LFS also serves as a critical component for calculating productivity data, measuring economic output per hour worked.
Productivity Forecasts and Budget Implications
The timing of these data issues couldn't be more critical, with economists warning that policymakers are effectively 'flying blind' due to the LFS problems. The ONS has previously indicated that fully resolving these issues could take until 2027.
Chancellor Reeves is widely expected to receive a sharply downgraded OBR forecast for UK productivity growth at the upcoming budget. This financial blow could be worth up to £20 billion, significantly increasing the likelihood of tax rises to compensate for the shortfall.
Strategic Focus on Core Statistics
Under the new plan, the ONS will narrow its publication focus to support recovery in the quality of essential economic and social statistics that decision-makers rely upon. Specific changes include reducing commitments to health data and reviewing funding for crime statistics.
Darren Tierney, permanent secretary at the ONS, stated: 'Our top priority is restoring the quality of our core statistics. Today's plans take us one step further, narrowing the focus of our portfolio and reducing the number of publications so we can devote resources to our improvement work.'
The agency emphasised that these measures represent putting quality over quantity and working closely with users to rebuild trust in UK official statistics.
