  The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 ONS Research Excellence Awards. The awards celebrate outstanding research projects that use secure data held within ONS Trusted Research Environments.
The awards were presented by Acting National Statistician Emma Rourke, who shared her thoughts on the importance of this achievement:
“These awards celebrate the outstanding work being carried out using ONS-owned data and highlight the real-world impact of research. It is inspiring to see how innovative analysis can deliver insights that benefit the public and strengthen trust in evidence-based policy.”
The announcement was one of the highlights of this year’s Research Capability event. This annual in-person gathering in London was a great success, bringing together researchers, policymakers, and data experts to discuss and celebrate research for the public good.
Congratulations to all the winners for their exceptional contributions to research and innovation.
The Sure Start Evaluation Team, Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS)
Project title: The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes
This research addresses the impact of sharp budget cuts to Sure Start — a network of around 3,500 children’s centres in England that provided families with under-5s a “one-stop shop” for health, education and support.
Read the highlighted publication from the IFS to learn more.
The Health Research Group, Office for National Statistics
Project title: Connecting the dots: the benefit of linking data on health and wealth
This programme of work, commissioned by the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury (HMT) and NHS England (NHSE), aimed to evaluate the impact of health conditions and interventions on an individual’s economic outcomes.
Read the highlighted publication from the LSE Business Review Institute to learn more.
The CeLSIUS Team, University College London and Office for National Statistics
Project title: ONS Longitudinal Study 1971-2021
The Centre for Longitudinal Study Information and User Support (CeLSIUS), funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), has provided free guidance and support to academic, voluntary, and public sector users of the ONS Longitudinal Study since 2001.
Read the highlighted publication from CeLSIUS to learn more.
The Free Schools Project Team - University College London Institute of Education (UCL)
Project title: The impact of free schools on neighbouring schools and their students
This research provides a detailed analysis of the impact of free schools, which were introduced in England in 2010 to improve school standards.
Read the highlighted publication from the UCL Institute of Education to learn more.
Huge congratulations to all our winners. We look forward to welcoming them to the Research Excellence Series 2026, where you’ll be able to learn more about their winning projects.
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