Official Statistics

Pre-release access

Published 22 January 2026

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.

Estranged students & care leavers: academic years 2017/18 – 2025/26 (effective 31/12/2025)

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

Student Loans Company (SLC) Chief Executive
  Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Executive Director, Corporate Services
  Executive Director Customer Operations
  Head of Corporate Affairs
  Media Relations Manager
  Corporate Communications - External (x 2)
  Lead Official for Statistics / Senior Business Intelligence Manager
  Business Intelligence Manager
  Business Intelligence Analyst
Department for Education (DfE) Deputy Director Higher Education Analysis
  Head of Student Finance Modelling Unit
  Head of SLC Sponsorship
  Team Leader – Entrant Modelling and SLC Data Team
  Analyst - Higher Education