Research and analysis

Defra International indicator results - statement of voluntary application of the Code of Practice for Statistics

Updated 12 October 2026

Introduction

This statement shows how the Defra International (DI) indicators in Defra’s Official Development Assistance Annual Results Report have followed the principles of the Code of Practice for Statistics, where possible. The Code is structured using 10 standards, centred around the 3 core principles of:

• trustworthiness – the confidence in the people and organisations that produce statistics and data
• quality – data and methods that produce assured statistics
• value – statistics that support society’s needs for information

This publication presents results achieved through Defra’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programming which supports developing countries to reduce poverty, tackle climate change and half and reverse global biodiversity loss. From 2025 onwards, Defra has published annual results estimates that monitor the impact of their portfolio of programmes through standardised Defra International (DI) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The data collection and quality assurance are undertaken by the Defra ODA Hub.

We have a dedicated Defra ODA results page which includes:

• DI results estimates reports, published annually
• DI indicator methodologies

DI results estimates are not official or accredited official statistics. This is because of the range of data sources we use and their variable quality, which are affected by the challenging environments where we work. The following sections explain how the Defra ODA Hub have voluntarily applied the Code in a proportionate way. This approach is in line with the guide for voluntary application of the Code.

The Code Principles

1. Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness is underpinned by standards 1 to 4:

1. Show integrity.

2. Lead responsibly.

3. Be transparent.

4. Manage data responsibly.

Defra’s DI results estimates are collected and quality assured by analysts in Defra. These analysts also work collaboratively on indicator development, interpretation of methodologies, and ensuring integrity through dissemination of results. The Defra ODA Hub team represents multiple analytical professions including Government Statistical Service (GSS) statisticians, economists and social researchers. The team lead responsibly by keeping the Defra Head of Profession for Statistics aware of important updates to the publication.

The DI results publication aims to present results estimates transparently and responsibly, including:

• an impartial narrative for each KPI which explains what the indicator measures, the number of programmes contributing to each indicator, and the change compared with the previous year
• information on the revisions policy, which sets out our procedures in the event of revisions and corrections to results data
• methodology notes for each of the DI KPIs and previous years’ results publications on the website
• clear signposting on the frequency of the publication, and plans to pre-announce publication dates in future
• ensuring individual programmes do not disclose disaggregated data on sex, age, disability status and geographic location to maintain the confidentiality of individuals – the publication will be improved to provide additional background information and clarity to enable users to understand the strengths and limitations of DI results estimates and use and interpret them appropriately

2. Quality

Quality is underpinned by standards 5 to 7:

5. Prioritise quality.

6. Be rigorous.

7. Be open about quality.

Information on DI results is collected from Defra programme teams and their delivery partners. The results data collected originates from a variety of sources, including representative sample surveys of households, management information systems held by partner country governments, and individual project data generated from routine project monitoring by implementing partners, often in challenging environments.

Given the range of data sources used, the accuracy of the results data varies and is subject to the quality of the underlying data source. In many cases Defra uses data collected by others (for example, partner country governments or international or local organisations) and therefore has limited control over the quality of the data. Verifying the quality of the data provided by partners can be challenging in the context of developing countries.

Where data has high levels of uncertainty, we communicate this transparently in our annual results report and apply adjustment factors to avoid overclaiming results. For example, if there is no baseline to calculate an increase in area under restoration practices due to a specific initiative, the extent to which the result is due to the programme (known as additionality) is uncertain. The DI KPI methodologies signpost cross-government guidance on additionality in International Climate Finance reporting, with the option of using low, medium and high levels of uncertainty to apply standard adjustments (100%, 75% and 50% respectively) or formulating a bespoke adjustment based on contextual knowledge.

DI results estimates are produced in line with methodologies which set out the requirements for Defra ODA programme results to be counted towards each indicator. The methodologies have been developed in liaison with external topic experts and departmental specialists. Analysts in Defra prioritise quality through rigorous quality assurance of the results data to minimise errors and improve adherence to the prescribed methodologies. This process includes double independent quality assurance, meaning the data is reviewed by 2 separate analysts who are not involved in the running of the programme. Examples of the types of error we aim to minimise include:

• double counting – counting the same beneficiary more than once in a programme across different years
• attribution errors – claiming more results than can be directly associated with Defra ODA-funded interventions
• additionality errors – results that would have occurred without the Defra ODA-supported intervention
• methodology alignment – including results that are not measured in accordance with the published methodology or in relation to the chosen indicator focus

The potential presence of the errors above and adjustments made to account for these are stated in the results publication, along with guidance ensuring appropriate interpretation of the results. For example, where an additionality error has been identified and adjusted for a result from a programme operating in multiple countries, we would advise users that the aggregate result cannot then be interpreted at a country-level as this would not be accurate.

We have made improvements to our quality assurance (QA) process, including providing standard QA checklists for Defra programme teams to enable higher quality initial results reporting prior to analytical QA.

3. Value

Value is underpinned by standards 8 to 10:

8. Be relevant.

9. Be clear.

10. Be accessible.

The DI results estimates enable Defra to report publicly on the impact of its ODA spend and demonstrate to the UK public what has been achieved through ODA investments. DI results will also be used by ministers, policy makers and external stakeholders. By publishing these results, we are:

• maximising the value of our partners’ ODA monitoring
• increasing the relevance of this monitoring data by making the data publicly available for decision-making
• increasing the accessibility of the data, reducing the administrative burden for accessing information in the public interest

Publishing our KPI methodologies improves our transparency and accountability to the public to support our results publication and makes it easier for analysts and programme teams to share KPI methodologies with our delivery partners to promote clarity, shared understanding and high-quality reporting that accurately reflects our agreed methodologies.

The DI results will be continually reviewed internally and improved through each annual reporting cycle:

1. The KPI framework will be kept under review to ensure relevance, optimise use of resources, adhere to latest best practice, and reflect evolving priorities for Defra’s ODA portfolio. Some KPIs may be updated over time for increased accuracy and viability. Others may be replaced with more suitable KPIs if they are not capturing many relevant programme results. We plan to report on one additional indicator in 2026 and are currently reviewing overall KPI reporting coverage and relevance. We will strive to provide continuity through a comparable time series where results remain relevant over time.

2. Reporting data quality will be improved over time with a particular focus on increasing disaggregation of people-focused results by sex and other priority dimensions in line with the Inclusive Data Charter. This is in the public interest and increases the relevance of data as the purpose ODA programmes is to reduce poverty for all, including ensuring equity of benefits for marginalised groups. We aim to report the changing levels of disaggregated data over time.

3. Users can provide feedback to Defra ODA analysts using the email address provided in the results publication.

4. The publication will be made more accessible by publishing in HTML in future.