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Our work on public statistics   

One of our four strategic goals is to champion the public interest and ensure that societal decisions are informed and improved by the appropriate use of reliable data and statistics. This is the goal that our work on public statistics is directed towards. 

There are three parts to our work: 

  1. Influencing how government statistics are developed – arguing for the public statistics approach 

  1. Identifying specific areas where statistics need development – focusing currently on our campaign for a new measure of inflation 

  1. Statistics Under Pressure – aiming to foster an environment where statistics and data can reliably inform time-pressured decisions for the public good. 

This work is led by our Public Statistics Advisory Group.    

We would welcome any feedback you have on our public statistics proposals. Get in touch at policy@rss.org.uk. 

Influencing the development of statistics 

Our work on public statistics calls for a more ambitious focus on user needs, ensuring that the public, as well as government, have access to relevant and reliable statistics. We propose:  
 
  • Taking a question-based approach - identifying the areas where statistics are needed to help answer society’s big questions
  • Looking beyond just economic growth – looking at the impact of policy on other measures such as wellbeing and sustainability
  • Drawing data from a wider range of sources – looking beyond the official statistics system to the value of other available data.

Our vision for public statistics is set out in our report. 

The RSS partnered with the UK Statistics Authority to deliver the first Statistical Assembly in January 2025, and sought to place an emphasis on the public statistics approach at the heart of that event.   

Read the summary report
Read the full report
 

You can find out more about the public statistics approach by watching our panel discussion: official statistics for the public as well as for public policy. 

Our campaign on cost of living  

The RSS has long campaigned for a better measure of inflation. We have argued that there is a need for a measure of inflation that captures different households’ experiences of rising costs. This would ensure that decisions about the cost of living can be based upon the best possible information. Initially proposed by two RSS fellows, Jill Leyland and John Astin, The Household Costs Indices (HCIs) aims to do that. Unlike the main measure of inflation, the Consumer Price Index, it includes interest payments such as mortgages and gives equal weight to all households.  

In 2023, we had a campaign success with ONS beginning quarterly publication of the HCIs. We’re now advocating for more regular publication and for policymakers to use the HCIs in their decision-making.  

We have hosted meetings on this topic in July 2020 and in June 2018.

Dive deeper  

Statistics Under Pressure 

Our Statistics Under Pressure initiative aims to foster an environment where statistics and data that are good enough to inform decision-making can be used with confidence, enabling data to inform time-pressured decisions for the public good. 

This initiative aims to support statisticians in providing the best possible statistics under pressure, including consideration of when and how to make suitable trade-offs. It also aims to raise awareness around the need for trade-offs in real world circumstances, along with the merits of such an approach. 

We have developed a series of case studies to illustrate instances in which compromises had to be made for data to best inform decision-making. The case studies span topics ranging from Covid-19 to health to economics to transport.  

Following on from this, we have developed a set of principles to support statisticians considering when and how to appropriately make trade-offs, in line with good practice. We have also developed policy recommendations that outline practical steps policymakers can take to ensure that data and analyses are able to feed into decision-making in pressurised situations.

Find out more about Statistics Under Pressure, and read the case studies, principles and policy recommendations.