Official Statistics

Pre-release access

Published 26 June 2025

Applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales

The phrase ‘Pre-release access’ refers to the practice whereby official statistics in their final form, and any accompanying written commentary, are made available to an eligible person in advance of their publication. The rules and principles which govern pre-release access are featured within the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order 2008.

Early-in-year student withdrawal notifications (effective 31/05/2025): academic year 2018/19 to 2024/25

The following persons are given pre-release access to the publications for up to 24 hours prior to release:

Student Loans Company Chief Executive Officer
  Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Executive Director, Corporate Services
  Head of Corporate Affairs
  Media Relations Manager
  Corporate Communications - External (x2)
  Lead Official for Statistics / Senior Business Intelligence Manager
  Business Intelligence Manager
  Business Intelligence Analyst x 2
Department for Education (DfE) Deputy Director, Higher Education Analysis
  Head of Higher Education Student Finance Modelling Unit
  Deputy Director, Student Finance Policy and SLC Sponsorship
  Head of Student Numbers Modelling and SLC Data
  SLC Data Analyst
  Head of SLC Sponsorship
  Chief Media Officer
  Media Officer x 2
Scottish Government / SAAS SAAS Director for Policy, Strategy & Governance
  Head of Stakeholder Relations
  SAAS Senior Assistant Statistician
Department for the Economy - Northern Ireland Head of Student Support, Higher Education Division