Transparency data

Quality management approach

Published 22 April 2026

Purpose

All Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) official statistics are produced and published in line with the Code of Practice (the Code), regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation.

The framework for the Code of Practice for Statistics is based on 3 principles: 

• trustworthiness – having confidence in the people and organisations that produce statistics and data
• quality – using suitable data and appropriate methods that produce assured statistics
• value – producing statistics that benefit the public by informing and supporting decision making, action and debate

Quality has 3 essential areas of practice: 

• prioritise quality
• be rigorous
• be open about quality

Practice 5.8 asks that you “publish your quality management approach and explain how it aligns with your organisation’s commitment to data quality”. 

This document sets out how we ensure sound methods, assured quality, suitable data sources, transparent communication and continuous improvement across DWP official statistics.

Governance and roles 

The Chief Statistician/Head of Profession provides direction and oversight, approves major changes, and ensures impartial decisions about content, methods, and releases.

The quality group is a cross-cutting role, providing standards and best practice guidance to everyone involved in the statistical system.

The quality leads and output owners are accountable for quality planning, risk management, review, and sign-off for each output. They also coordinate cross-cutting improvements. 

Analysts and producers apply a quality management approach (QMA), escalate concerns, and participate in peer review and lessons-learned activities.

Quality principles

DWP is committed to producing accurate, timely and high-quality official statistics that meet user needs and are produced and disseminated in accordance with the Code.

The following quality principles underpin the delivery of statistics in DWP:

• relevance
• accuracy
• accessibility and clarity
• timeliness and punctuality
• coherence and comparability
• output quality trade-offs
• user needs and perceptions
• performance, cost and respondent burden
• confidentiality, transparency and security

Relevance  

We put users at the centre of decision making about our statistics. We provide clear ways for users to engage, ask questions and offer feedback.

We identify key user needs across academia, business, civil society, the media and public bodies, and report our decisions and developments transparently in our statistical work programme.

We use harmonised concepts, standards and definitions in statistical publication wherever possible. Where a harmonised definition is available but not used, we explain the reasons and any implications for use.

We signpost related UK and international statistics and explain coherence to help users interpret topics in context and understand added value.

Accuracy  

Each publication describes data quality issues and their impacts on time series and subgroup comparisons, with strengths and limitations of sources.

Administrative data is published with details of how it is collected to allow users to understand its strengths and limitations.

Survey data is presented with key information on sampling variability, confidence intervals, response rates and other relevant measures to allow users to make informed judgments on overall accuracy.

Where appropriate, our statistical releases are independently assured by external experts or by internal specialists who are separate from the production process.

We monitor completeness, validity, accuracy, reliability, coherence, comparability and timeliness for both input data and statistics, publishing changes in suitability of sources and methods and being open about reasons for change.

Timeliness and punctuality

We pre‑announce the date and time of releases in a 12 month calendar and, where possible, give a specific date and time at least 4 weeks ahead. We publish statistics at 9:30am on a weekday (Tuesday to Friday), unless an agreed exception applies. See latest upcoming statistics.

Access before public release is limited to those involved in production, QA and operational purposes. Any changes to pre‑announced dates or times are agreed with the Chief Statistician and an explanation will be provided on the DWP statistics page.

We act in line with pre‑release access rules and legislation and publish information about pre‑release access to our statistics on the DWP statistics page. 

Accessibility and clarity  

All of our official statistics can be found on the DWP statistics page. DWP publishes statistics via a range of dissemination methods including Stat-Xplore, which is an online tool that lets you create and download customised statistical tables, and view the results in interactive charts. 

We ensure free and equal access for all users to published statistics and related information and comply with legal accessibility standards.

We present clear main messages with suitable visualisations, tailored to different user needs. We provide metadata, methods, coding and guidance to support appropriate interpretation and reuse. This documentation is regularly reviewed to follow any emerging best practice or to learn from experience.

We support reuse by applying common data standards with associated metadata and, where appropriate, reproducible analytical pipelines.

Coherence and comparability  

We base methods on national or international good practice and use recognised standards, classifications and definitions. If we deviate, we explain why and the impact on interpretation and use in the publication or on the statistics section of the DWP statistics page. 

We design statistics to improve comparability and consistency across geographies where possible, and we provide comparisons and signpost other relevant statistics to support interpretation.

Any notable methodological changes to our official statistics will be pre-announced, either in a prior release or on the statistics section of the DWP statistics page, in line with the DWP revisions and corrections policy. 

Output quality trade-offs

We explain any trade‑offs, such as timeliness versus accuracy, and the rationale behind them and seek user feedback.

We assess the right balance, taking into account fitness for purpose and fully explaining any compromises in accuracy for improved timelines.

We periodically review the effectiveness of our processes and the QMA, publish planned improvements, assess the added value of method changes and consider impacts on comparability and coherence. We innovate where possible to keep statistics relevant and useful.

User needs and perceptions 

We have published a public involvement and engagement strategy and actively engage key users to identify the most important questions our statistics need to answer.

We involve users in ongoing development and testing of statistics and review user satisfaction routinely, providing feedback about findings and actions.

We report our findings and decisions openly in our statistical work programme, including when statistics are started, stopped or changed.

Performance, cost and respondent  

We gather data efficiently and cost‑effectively, whether from surveys or administrative sources. Regardless of the source of the data, we will regularly check the quality of data collected and whether there are any new, more efficient opportunities for sourcing data.

DWP follows standard survey control procedures before commissioning new surveys.

Confidentiality, transparency and security

We collect, access, use and share data ethically to serve the public good. We have published our data management policy which explains choices, rights and protections, transparency about breaches and public actions to address weaknesses.

We protect the confidentiality of individual and business information, apply appropriate disclosure control methods before release and have published our confidentiality policy.

We handle and store data safely and securely, follow statutory obligations, and regularly review data management arrangements to keep pace with technological and contextual changes. Revisions are handled in accordance with the Department’s revisions policy. 

Contact information

Contact DWP by email at statistics.hopsupport@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.